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.\ins AsCElf.r^  ^nN^.  LIBRARY r;^  ^v\lL!BRARY/> 


Digitized  by  tine  Internet  Arciiive 

in  2007  with  funding  from 

IVIicrosoft  Corporation 


littp://www.archive.org/details/dyescoinencyclopOOdyejiala 


DYE'S 

COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA: 

A 

COMPLETE  ILLUSTRATED  HISIORY 

OF    THK 

Coins  of  the  World 

CONTAINING   A    FULL   ACCOUNT   OF   TH!-: 

EARLIF,ST    KNOWN      MEDIUMS    OF     EXCIIANGF,;       DISCOVERY    OF    TIIK     PRP^  U'T'.l 
METAI^;    COINS   OF   THE   BIBLE;   ANCIENT   GREEK,    ROMAN   AND   JF''.W1S1I 
COINAGE;    EARLY   AND   MODERN   COINS   OF   ASIA  AND   AFRICA; 
ANGLO-AMERICAN,  AMERICAN   COLONIAL,   AND    CONTI- 
NENTAL ISSUES;    ANGLO-AMERICAN  TOKENS,  AND 
.THE  PATTICRN  PIECES,  EXPERIMENTAL  ISSUES, 
AM) 

COINS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  OF  Ai\I]':RICA. 

TOGETHER    WITH    A   (GENERAL    HISTORY    OF 

MINES,  MINING,  MINTS,  ASSAYS,  ETC,,  F.TC. 
ILLUSTRATED    WITH    OVER    FIFTEEN    HUNDRED    FACSIMILES. 

By  JOHN  S.  DYE, 

{^Founder  of  Dye'' s  Coiailerfeit  Detector.) 

TO    WHICH    IS    ADDED    AN    AI'IMCNDIX, 
BY  E.  MASON,  Jr.,  (Numismatist,) 

PRESENTING   AN   AUTHENTICATED     STATEMENT    OF   'If'E    COINA«;K   OF   TIIK    l.ATl 

SOUTHERN   CONFEDERACY,   AT    NEW   ORLEANS,    IN    1861,   WITH    COPIES 

OF    PAPERS    ON    FII.K    IN    TIIF,    CONFEDERATE    ARCHIVES     AT 

WASHINGTON,  AND  FAC-SIMILE  OF  THE  COINS  ISSUED. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

No.  66  North  Fourth  St. 
1883. 


Copyright,  Emma  C.  Dye,  1883. 


STACK  ANNEK 

3f 


PREFACE 


A  PARAMOUNT  consideration  in  putting  a  book  on  the  market 
is  a  demand.  A  demand,  therefore,  is  essential  to  success. 
Strange  to  say,  such  a  demand  has  remained  unmet  in  this  coun- 
try since  its  inception  in  the  publication,  or  the  absence  of  a 
publication,  of  a  universal  history,  accurately  illustrated,  of  the 
coins  of  the  world,  precious  metal  resources,  mintages,  etc.  This 
unoccupied  field  in  the  commercial  and  numismatic  worlds,  we 
trust,  is  intelligently  and  comprehensively  filled  in  the  work 
which  this  prefaces. 

The  author,  John  S.  Dye,  the  founder  and  for  thirty  odd 
years  the  editor  and  publisher  of  "Dye^s  Ckmnterfeit  Ddedor" 
and  for  forty  years  a  recognized  authority  on  the  paper  and 
precious  metal  currencies  of  the  world,  devoted  the  best  years 
of  his  life  to  compilings  and  formulating  matter,  corresponding 
with  the  "money  centres"  of  the  world,  expending  large  sums 
of  money  in  the  procuration  of  fac  similes  of  coins  drawn  from 
original  and  in  many  instances  almost  extinct  specimens — all 
culminating  in  a  work  of  which  it  is  its  own  original ;  a  work 
which  will  stand  for  all  ages,  a  monument  of  the  past,  and  a 
criterion  for  the  present. 

Shortly  before  the  closing  pages  were  given  to  the  printer, 
the  author,  then  in  the  eventide  of  a  long  and  eventful  life,  was 
peacefully  "gathered  to  his  fathers,"  and  the  work  on  the  book 
necessarily  suspended. 

(8) 


4  PREFACE. 

When  the  merits  of  such  an  elaborate  compilation  of  recon- 
dite facts  and  figures,  on  a  subject  of  such  vast  importance,  not 
only  to  the  money-changer  and  antiquarian,  but  to  the  general 
reader,  were  made  known  to  the  undersigned  publishers,  they 
assumed  the  responsibility  of  completing  the  publication  and 
giving  it  to  the  public  at  the  advertised  price,  notwithstanding 
it  contains  some  five  hundred  more  pages  than  was  originally 
intended. 

To  realize  the  difficulties  encountered  in  the  publication 
of  so  elaborate  and  comprehensive  a  work  as  the  present  one, 
both  in  the  matter  of  text  and  illustration,  it  is  necessary  to 
state  that  true  copies  of  the  original  coins  are  indispensable  to  the 
correctness  of  history  in  the  matter  of  illustrating  a  nation's 
coinage;  and  the  search  among  the  various  public  and  private 
cabinets  is  often  laborious  and  sometimes  fruitless  in  results. 
Again ;  the  collation  of  material  explanatory  of  the  Jac  similes 
is  a  task  of  no  ordinary  sort,  and  would  have  discouraged  many 
numismatic  writers  possessing  less  energy  and  ambition  than 
the  author  who  devoted  so  much  of  his  valuable  time  to  a 
work  of  which  fate  prevented  the  full  accomplishment.  In 
connection  with  the  national  and  other  coinages  herein  pre- 
sented, full  details  are  given  of  the  various  national  mints, 
with  an  exhaustive  resume  on  mines,  mining  and  assays  of  the 
precious  metals;  thus  tracing  the  world's  coinages  from  their 
origin  to  their  completion  as  public  circulating  mediums  of 
exchange.  In  the  combination  and  condensation  of  numismatic 
matter,  both  in  the  text  and  illustrations,  we  fully  believe 
this  work  has  neither  compeer  nor  rival,  it  being  the  only  com- 
bined illustrated  history  of  the  world's  coinage  and  precious 
metal  resources  extant. 

The  work  has  undergone  a  s.trict  censorship  at  the  hands  of 


PREFACE.  6 

the  most  accomplished  and  critical  numismatists  of  this  and 
other  cities.  We  are  especially  indebted  to  Dr.  Edward  Maris 
and  E.  Mason,  Jr.,  for  laborious  research  and  valuable  addenda. 
This,  together  with  the  author's  well-known  discerning  and 
analytical  mind  and  scope  of  comprehension,  warrant  us  in 
assuring  the  reader  that  the  accuracy  of  the  work  can  be  relied 
upon  with  a  maximum  degree  of  certainty. 

BRADLEY  &  COMPANY. 

PMLadelphiay  1883. 


CONTENTS. 


Preface 3 

The  Origin  of  Mon*y........».. 7 

The  Primitive  Forms  of  Monet 14 

AxciEST  Coinages 4S 

British  Colonial  Coinages 115 

United  States  Coinage.    TheFugios 247 

American  and  other  Gold 257 

Coins  of  Foreign  Countries: 

Abyssynia 481 

Arabia 482 

Argentine  Republic .' 484 

Austria 488 

Belgium 612 

Bolivia 526 

Brazil 532 

Central  America 545 

Chili 656 

China 566 

Denmark  and  Possessions 585 

Ecuador 605 

France 609 

German  Empire 640 

Great  Britain  AND  Possessions 759 

Greece 877 

Holland S&i 

Italy 902 

Japan 968 

Mexico 978 

K  ORW  AY 989 

Paraguay 993 

Peru  994 

Poland 1002 

Portugal 1003 

RUSSLA 1008 

Spain 1018 

Sweden 1032 

Switzerland 1037 

Turkey 1045 

United  States  of  Colo3Ibia 1055 

Uruguay 1061 

Venezuela 1062 

United  States  of  America 1065 

Appendix— Coinage  of  the  "Southern  Confederacy."  1150 
(6) 


CURRENT  COINS  OP  THE  WORLD, 

AND  THEIR  PRESENT  EXCHANGEABLE  VALUES. 
Tabulated  for  "Dye's  Coio  Encyclopxdu "  b;  ZlMfiERlIAKN  k  FOBSHAT,  19  \M  Street,  Kew  lork, 

DEALERS  IN 

Bullion,  Specie,  and  Foreign  Bank  Notes.     Railroad  Stocks,  Bonds,  and  Mining 
Stocks  bought  and  sold  strictly  on  commission  for  cash  or  on  margin. 


jiiNUiLRY,  laea. 


T  I 


UNITED  STATES. 
Gold- 
California  Quintuple  Elagie  fc3-55 

Double  Eagle    20, 

Eagle    

Half  Eagle 

Quarter  Eagle 2.50 

Three  Dollars 

One  Dollar 

California  Gold '. 

Georgia  Gold  22  carat  fine .94 

Bechtler  Doll 

Bechtler,  Rutherford 2.40   I 

Bechder,  5,  C.  Rutherford 4.75   1 

Silver. 

Mutilated  Silver,  peroz {1.02 

Standard  Dollar 99% 

Trade  Dollar 99^ 

HalfDollar 50 

Quarter  Dollar 25 

Iwenty  Cents 20 

Dime    10 

KalfDime 05 

Three  Cents 03 

ENGLAND. 

Gold. 

Five  Sovereigns $24.25 

"       "                              483 

2-41 

»o.25 

5-12 

2.56 

1 .  70 


One  Suverei.<.>.n 
Half  Sovereign 
Double  Guinea 
One  Guinea  . . . 
HalfGuinea.  . 
Third  Guinea . . 


Silver. 

Crown 

Crown,  Anne 

Crown,  1662 

Half  Crown. 

Half  Crown,  George  H   .. . 

Hiiif  Crown,  Victoria   

Two  Shilling,  or  i  Florin. .. 

One  Shilling 

Sixpence 

Four  Pence 

Three  Pence 

Two  Pence , 

Per^ 


J1.17 
1. 17 
1.J7 
-58 
■58 
•58 
•47 
.23 
.II 
.07 


BKITISH  COLONIES. 

Gold. 

One  Mohur,  India $7-^o 

Oi-e  Mohur,  E.  India 7.08 

Half  Sovereign 2.41 

New  Foundiand,  ^ 1.95 


Silver. 

Sierra  Leone  Co.  Doi ^.80 

One  Dollar,  1 791 .80 

Three  Guilders .75 

Canada  Silver. 
Canada,  50  cents ^.48 


24 

04% 


Canada,  25  cents . 

Canada,  20  cents 

Canada,  10  cents 

Canada,    5  cents 

In  lots  @  97j^c.  per  Doll. 


BRAZIL  AND  PORTUGAL. 

Gold. 

Crown fc.75 

Moidore 4.75 

Silver. 

640  Reis,  Portugal ^.60 

960  Reis,        do       .85 

1 ,000  Reis,  Brazil .40 

2.000  Rei.<;,      do    .80 

Cruzado .45 


SPAIN. 

Gold. 

Doubloon 

Half  Doubloon 

Four  Piastres 

Pistole 

Half  Pistole 

Qunrter  Pisiole 

25  Pesetas 

Silver. 

Spanish  DoHr.r  

Half  Spanish  Dollar 

Spanish  Qu  irters,  new 

Five  Pest  lis   

Twenty  Reals 

Ten  Reals 

Pistareen 

Half  Pist.-.reen 


#15.56 
7.78 
389 
3.89 
1.90 

•<;-5 
4.76 


J0.90 
•40 


(I] 


Current  Coins  af  the   World. 


PHAH-CE.  l- 

Oold.  i 

Louis  d'Or ^t-So  I 


.96 
1.91 
3-83 
7.66 
9-54 
One  hundred  Fra»cs »9-»5 

Silver. 

Crown,  Louis  XIV 


Five  Francs 

Ten  Francs 

Twenty  Francs. 

Forty  Francs 

Fifty  Francs 


Quarter  Crown. 

Kighth  Crown 

Five  Francs  

Two  Francs 

One  Franc 

Half  Franc,  50  Centimes . 
Twenty  Centimes  


90 


AUSTBIA. 

Gold. 

Quadruple  Ducat |8.8o 

One  Ducat 2.20 

Sovereign 6.75 

Half  Sovereign 3.38 

4  Florins  (10  Francs) 1.90 

Silver, 

Specie  Dollar ^.85 

One  Florin... .35 

MEXICO. 

Gold. 

Doubloon |iS-5<5 

Half  Doubloon 7.75 

guarter  Doubloon 3.87 

ighth  Doubloon i  .93 

Sixteenth  Doubloon .97 

Twenty  Pesos i9-5o 

Ten  Pesos 9.75 

Five  Pesos 4.87 

Two  and  a  half  Pesos 2.43 

Silver. 

OnePeso ^3.85 

Mexican  Dollar,  commercial .85 

Maximilian  Dollar .85 

Eight  Reals 80 

Half  Mexican .40 

Quarter  Mexican .20 

lenth  Mexican .08 

Real 10 

One-half  Real - 05 

CENTRAL  AND  SOUTH 

AMERICA. 

Gold. 

Doubloon ^15-50 

Half  Doubloon 7.7S 

Pistole 3.87 

Half  Pistole 1.93 

One-fourth  Pistole  .96 

Four  Escudos.^ 7.5S 

Silver. 

Eight  Reab $0.80 

Four  Reals ; .40 

Two  Reals .20 

One  Real .10 


CHUiI. 
Gold. 

DouUoon  $15- 50 

Pistole 3.87 

Silver. 

I  Peso fc.70 

MP«o ^s 

M  Peso ,9 

1-10  Peso .07 

HONG  EONG. 

Silver. 

Chilian  Peso fo.8i 

Eight  Reah 80 

Two  Reals .ao 

One  Real , .lo 

One-halfReal 05 

PERU. 

Gold. 

Doubloon ^15.50 

Pistole 3.85 

Five  Soles , 4.75 

Ten  Soles. 9-50 

Twenty  Soles 19.00 

^  Silver. 

One  Sole  ^-79 

One-half  Sole .39 

One-quarter  Sole..... .19 

One-tenth o& 

GERMANY, 

Gold. 

Twenty  Marks $4-74 

Ten  Marks 2.37 

Five  Marks 

Ten  Thalers 

Five  Thalers , 

Two-and-a-half  Thalers 

Fred.  d'Or 

Double  Fred.  d'Or 

Caroline 

Ducat 

Five  Guilders 


1. 18 
7.80 
390 
»-95 
390 
7.80 

4-75 

2.20 
'95 

Quintuple  Ducat 11.00 

Silver. 

Five  Marks 

Two  Marks 

One  Mark    

50  Pfennig  (}4  Mark) 

20  Pfennig 

10  Pfennig 

5  Pfennig 

Thaler   

Double  1'haler  (called) 

Specie  Dollar 

RixDollar 

Double  Guilder  (called) 

One  Florin  (called) 

Half  Crown 


ITALY. 
Gold. 

One  hundred  Lire ^I9-*S 

Fifty  Lire 9.63 

Forty  Lire 7.70 

Twenty  Lire 3.85 

Ten  Lire   1.97 


Curr€Ht  Coins  of  (he    World. 


Five  Lire .  .96' 

Two  Doppia   |6.2S 

96  Livres ...   15.00 

Silver. 

Five  Lire  I0.93 

Two  Lire .34 

One  Lire  .17 

One-half  Lire   .08 

Ten  Soiidi 08 

Five  Solidi .04 

Twenty  Grani .15 

Testoon .25 

Scudo .90 

HalfScudo 45 

Crown .90 

Five  Paul 45 

Ten  Paul .90 

Silver  Lion .90 

Florin .37 

S"WriTZEKLAND. 

Silver. 

Five  Francs ^-93 

Two  Francs .36 

One  Franc .18 

Crown   .80 

Half  Crown .40 

Quarter  Crown   .30 

HalfFlorin 18 

HOLLAND. 

Gold. 

Ten  Guilders $3.96 

Five  Guilders 1.95 

Silver. 

Three  Guilders ^i.io 

2j^  Guilders .93 

One  Guilder .37 

Rix  Dollar .90 

SWEDEN,  NOBWAY,  AND 

DENMARK. 

Gold. 

Twenty  Kronors is.25 

Ten  Kronors 2.63 

Ducat    2.20 

Silver. 

Specie  Dollar  (called  in) ^-85 

One  Rigsdaler  (called  in) 42 

One  Kroner 25 

One-half  Kronor i2j^ 

One-quarter  Kronor 06 

One-tenth  Kronor 02 

BUSSIA  AND  POLAND. 

Gold. 

Fix  Rubles,  Platina ^4.60 

Sive  Rubles,  Gold ^.90 


Silver. 

One  Ruble $3.66 

One  and  a  half  Ruble .99 

One-halfRuble   

25  Kopecs 

20  Kopecs 

15  Kopecs 

10  Kopecs 

Five  Zlot 

Two  Zlot 


GBEECE. 

Gold. 
Twenty  Drachms fe.44 

Silver. 
Five  Drachms I0.90 

TURKEY. 

Gold. 
Ten  Piastres #o-43 

Silver. 

Twenty  Piastres ^.80 

Two  Piastres .08 

One  Piastre .04 

BELGIUM. 
{Gold,  Silver  and  Currtmjy  saint-  as  /•'ranee.) 

INDIAN  STATES. 

Gold. 
Mohur J7-IO 

Silver. 

One  Rupee ^-36 

Half  Rupee 18 

Quarter  Rupee .09 

Quarter  Pagoda .30 

JAPAN. 
Gold. 

One  Yen ^-95 

Two  Yen i.go 

Five  Yen 4.75 

Twenty  Yen 19-50 


Silver. 


Itzbu   

Five  Sen  ... 
Ten  Sen  . . . 
Twenty  Sen 
Fifty  Sen... 
One  Yne 


^•35 
.04 


FICTITIOUS  AND  INTRINSIC  VALUES. 

Fictitious  values,  or  approximate  valurs,  of  rare  coins,  and  the  intrinsic  values  of  uncurrent 
coins,  will  be  found  under  national  headings. 


PAC-SIMILE  OF  THE  DOLLAR  OF  1804. 


TRADITIONS  OF  THE  1804  DOLLAR. 


There  is  no  authentic  history  of  the  1804  dollar.  Tradition, 
however,  is  **  thousand-tongued  "  in  its  regard.  The  writer  of  this 
was  told  by  an  old  bank  cashier  in  Salem,  Mass.,  at  one  time  the 
most  extensive  tea  importing  place  on  this  continent,  that  the  scarc- 
ity of  the  1804  dollar  was  owing  to  the  sinking  of  a  China-bound 
vessel  having  on  board  almost  the  entire  mintage  of  1804  dollars, 
shipped  in  lieu  of  the  "  Spanish  milled  dollars,"  intrinsically  more 
valuable.  He  believed  there  were  not  more  than  eight  genuine 
1804  dollars  extant,  and  certainly  not  more  than  ten. 

Owing  to  the  fiscal  year  ending  in  midsummer,  it  is  claimed  b}- 
some  that  the  report  entered  on  the  register  of  the  mint  in  1S05 
included  the  mintage  of  dollars  of  the  months  of  1804  subsequent 
to  the  fiscal  report  and  entry  of  that  year.  Others  claim  that  old 
dies  were  sometimes  used  in  years  subsequent  to  the  date  they  bore. 
Others,  still,  claim  that  many  of  the  1 804  dollars  offered  for  sale  are 
"re-strikes."  This,  however,  is  not  likely,  as  it  would  imply  sur- 
reptitious work  on  the  part  of  employes  of  the  mint  which  could 
not  be  substantiated.  The  rarity  of  the  piece  and  the  almost  fabu- 
lous prices  offered  for  it  are  patent  facts.  One  piece  has  brought 
at  auction  seven  hundred  and  fifty  dollars,  but  twelve  and  even 
fifteen  hundred  have  been  offered  with  no  takers,  and  it  would  be 
safe  to  offer  ;^2,ooo,  as  all  the  originals  are  believed  to  be  in  the 
hands  of  collectors  who  hold  them  above  price.  There  are,  how- 
ever, many  counterfeits  and  altered  dates.  This  writer  was  shown 
an  1 801  dollar  with  the  final  figure  altered  into  a  4,  and  to  an  eye 
not  familiar  with  the  dissimilarities  of  the  two  issues  the  piece 
looked  like  a  veritable  1804  dollar. 

The  publishers  make  this  special  notice  of  this  coin  because  it  is 
the  most  notable,  and  commands  the  first  place  and  highest  price 
of  all  American  silver  coins. 

(4) 


The  Origin  of  Money. 


Tbe  wants  of  the  primitive  man  were  few,  the  simple,  im. 
perative,  constantly  renewing  demands  of  nature,  supplied  from 
time  to  time  by  immediate  personal  exertion.  Barbarism, 
knowing  do  right  but  might,  fails  to  conceive  the  idea  of 
property.  Savages  are  improvident,  and  consider  theft  a  vir- 
tue, yet  make  it  a  point  of  honor  to  defend  their  own  posses- 
sions. The  aboriginal  condition  of  man  was  a  state  of  war ; 
after  an  equal  fight  for  spoil  and  in  defense  of  possession,  when 
stealing  was  found  impossible,  the  fact  of  property  was  recog- 
nized and  an  exchange  of  goods  suggested.  Rude  agriculture 
and  rough  hunting  were  the  earliest  industry,  robbery  the  first 
form  of  speculative  enterprise,  and  war  the  prelude  to  com- 
merce and  civilization. 

The  original  tra;.e  was  barter;  the  first  question  then  is 
that  of  relative  value.  In  the  discussion  of  this,  two  consid- 
erations at  once  present  themselves:  first,  the  desirability  of 
each  commodity,  its  utility  in  the  support  of  life,  or  its  capacity 
to  afford  gratiflcation  to  the  owner ;  second,  the  cost  of  pro- 
duction according  to  the  time,  labor  and  good  fortune  of  the 
holder  of  the  stock  in  trade.  In  this  way  was  decided  the 
quantity  of  any  article  to  be  given  for  a  certain  quantity  of 
another;  so  many  fish  for  so  much  game,  this  way  or  that,  as 
the  parties  concerned  could  agree  under  the  circumstances. 
The  particulars  of  a  bargain  of  this  kind  were  well  remem- 
■  bered  and  the  rates  of  exchange  quoted  and  referred  to  when- 
A  (7) 


8  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

ever  another  trade  was  attempted,  and  so  after  awhile  a  kind 
of  rough,  uncertain  varying  market  price  was  established. 

It  was  found,  however,  that  the  fish  varied  both  in  size  and 
quality,  and  Avere  much  more  abundant  at  one  time  than 
another.  The  same  was  also  true  of  wild  fruits,  while  with 
the  game  the  same  irregularities  were  found,  with  additional 
trouble  in  dividing  it  into  equal  portions.  As  barter  extended 
during  the  first  advance  from  barbarism  an  inconvenience  was 
felt  in  estimating  and  measuring  all  articles  by  one  another, 
and  after  a  time  a  standard  both  of  quantity  and  value  was 
found  necessary  and  sought  for.  There  was  an  attempt  to 
select  as  the  basis  of  valuation  certain  things  naturally  uni- 
form in  character  and  in  relation  to  the  possibilities  of  pro- 
duction, while  of  universal  use,  capable  of  preservation,  and 
hence  acceptable  and  wanted  at  all  times  by  everybody. 

The  South  Sea  Islanders,  when  discovered  by  white  men, 
used  cocoanuts  as  a  standard  of  value.  As  they  could  be  kept 
awhile,  the  nuts  were  better  fitted  to  the  purpose  than  fish 
fruits,  game  and  other  perishable  articles  of  food,  besides  as 
they  grew  somewhat  of  a  size  there  was  no  trouble  about 
separating  them  into  equivalent  parts ;  yet  as  the  nuts  decayed 
after  a  short  time  and  were  of  limited  use,  they  were  a  very 
imperfect  measure  of  an  exceedingly  small  amount  of  property 
and  the  poor  facility  of  a  petty  trade. 

The  appetite  for  food  could  be  readily  and  cheaply  satisfied, 
and  when  no  one  was  hungry  no  one  would  labor,  no  one 
cared  to  trade.  But  the  savage  had  an  instinct  almost  as 
strong  as  hunger  in  a  natural  love  of  dress  and  personal  orna- 
ment, a  taste  which  grew  by  exercise  and  constantly  became 
more  and  more  expensive,  refined  and  fastidious  through  grati- 
fication. Every  person  desired  ornament,  every  one  needed 
dress,  at  least,  especially  in  severe  climates,  a  covering  to  the 
body  of  some  kind  or  other.  Skins  or  peltries,  both  of  beasts 
and  birds,  being  used  as  clothing,  and  being  portable  and  dura- 
ble, became  articles  of  trafiic,  in  general  uniform  demand  at  a 
fixed  rate,  and  for  these  reasons  were  adopted  in  many  places 


THE  ORIGIN  OF  MONEY.  9 

as  a  measure  of  value,  a  medium  of  exchange,  a  sort  of  cur- 
rency or  money.  Some  of  these  hides  were  large  and  heavy 
and  actually  worn  as  blankets,  but  they  were  less  convenient 
for  a  general  tender  in  trade  than  finer,  smaller,  more  valuable 
peltries  and  furs,  whose  use  was  more  ornamental.  As  civili- 
zation began  to  dawn,  garments  were  inade,  at  first  rudely 
from  skins  or  leather,  or  in  more  advanced  tribes  of  more  or 
less  perfect  fabrics  of  bark  or  even  of  cloth  woven  from  threads 
of  natural  fibre.  At  the  same  stage  of  human  progress,  in- 
dustrial tools  of  different  descriptions,  and  also  weapons  of  war, 
were  much  improved  in  character  and  degree  of  finish,  and 
such  things  at  different  places  and  times,  were  commonly  used 
as  a  unit  or  integer  of  comparative  valuation,  and  tendered  in 
payment  as  special  consideration,  passing  freely  from  hand  to 
hand  like  standard  money,  for  value  received. 

All  these  goods  and  articles,  made  at  first  for  personal  use, 
or  for  that  of  members  of  the  manufacturer's  family,  were  after 
a  time,  produced  expressly  for  sale ;  that  is,  to  be  disposed  of 
in  barter  for  various  commodities.  Goods  thus  produced,  were 
kept  in  store  until  the  occasion  was  found  for  their  transfer ; 
thus  industry,  providence  and  thrift  became  manifest,  and 
wealth  accumulated ;  while  trade  increased,  property  was  re- 
cognized and  received  public  protection. 

Articles  of  primitive  manufacture  used  as  ornaments,  were 
not  of  course  made  with  the  same  stability  as  those  intended 
for  practical  use,  and  ornaments  used  merely  as  articles  of  trade 
were  less  thoroughly  done  than  others ;  equally  all  kinds  of 
goods  made  use  of  for  trading  purposes  alone  were  made  infe- 
rior in  quality,  and  in  time  were  produced  the  mere  show,  re- 
semblance and  representation  of  the  thing  it  was  assumed  they 
were. 

As  it  was  found  that  all  commodities  except  mere  spontane- 
ous products  of  the  earth  were  the  fruit  of  labor,  various  arti- 
cles, ornaments  in  particular,  came  to  be  valued  somewhat  in 
proportion  to  the  amount  of  labor  expended  upon  them,  almost 
regardless  of  the  practical  usefulness  of  such  things.     To  the 


10  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 

rational  industry  which  accumulated  articles  of  use  or  repre- 
sentations of  them  for  purposes  of  traffic,  an  addition  was 
presently  made  of  labor  employed  in  producing  representations 
of  itself,  articles  of  no  use,  but  so  rare  as  to  cost  much  trouble 
to  discover,  or  so  elaborately  and  perhaps  beautifully  finished, 
as  to  show  a  great  amount  of  work  had  been  done  upon  them. 
Thus  these  things  became  signs,  symbols  and  evidences  of  labor 
done,  and  as  labor  alone  produced  wealth,  these  things,  though 
essentially  worthless,  were  regarded  as  actual  value,  esteemed 
60  much  property,  and  extensively  used  as  equivalents  in  trade. 

Small  kinds  of  rare  and  beautiful  shells  called  "  cowries," 
when  carefully  cleaned  and  polished,  were  very  much  esteemed 
in  some  places  and  accepted  at  an  approximate  standard  and 
established  rate,  for  all  sorts  of  goods.  Being  imperishable, 
portable  and  precious,  these  "cowries"  became  a  popular  and 
convenient  form  of  property,  and  in  course  of  time  acquired 
by  common  consent  the  character  of  a  customary  tender  "  in 
payment  of  all  dues." 

In  the  infancy  of  the  human  race,  during  the  pastoral  pe- 
riod, when  commerce  was  yet  undeveloped,  cattle  were  a  most 
important  medium  of  exchange  and  standard  of  values.  Salt 
also  was  largely  used  among  certain  tribes,  for  the  same  pur- 
pose. The  people  who  lived  along  the  coast,  made  a  bank  of 
the  sea,  and  drew  upon  it  in  various  ways  for  more  than  one 
form  of  currency.  How  long  these  primitive  methods  of  trade 
continued,  cannot  be  determined ;  but  new  inventions  became 
inevitable  as  mankind  progressed  to  higher  conditions  of  life. 
The  grand  step  in  this  matter  was  taken  when  men  acquired 
the  art  of  working  ores  and  extracting  the  metals,  which  were 
presently  cast  or  wrought  into  the  form  of  money.  When  the 
smelting  of  ores  and  the  separation  of  metals  first  began,  is 
unknown,  yet  there  have  been  discoveries  made  in  Egypt, 
which  indicate  that  iron  and  gold  must  have  been  an  article 
of  common  manufacture  there,  some  3426  years  before  the 
Christian  era. 

To  insure  accuracy  and  to  give  the  warrant  of  responsibility 


THE  ORIGIN  OF  MONEY.  11 

to  coinages  of  precious  metals,  the  authority  to  stamp  money 
has  been  placed  and  vested  in  the  various  governments ;  but 
it  has  been  seen  that  emperors  and  other  potentates  were  quite 
as  apt  at  fraud  as  private  parties,  and  millions  on  millions  of 
coins  have  been  circulated,  bearing  the  stamp  of  a  great  power 
indicating  a  certain  considerable  value,  when  in  truth  the 
wretched  piece  was  no  better  than  a  counterfeit,  a  mere  worth- 
less bit  of  brass  or  even  cheaper  composition. 

A  basket,  a  tub,  a  nicely  made  wand,  a  strong  light  chaiti, 
or  an  ingot  of  metal,  each  and  all  have  their  natural  value  as 
such,  each  for  some  use  to  which  they  are  adapted ;  but  the 
basket  is  very  much  more  valuable  if  it  hold  just  a  bushel, 
the  tub  if  it  contains  just  a  gallon,  the  wand  if  it  measures  a 
yard,  the  chain  if  just  a  rod  long,  and  the  lump  of  metal  if  it 
weigh  just  a  pound.  In  the  same  way  coined  pieces  of  money 
of  various  denominations  have  a  special  value  aside  from  their 
intrinsic  worth  as  bullion,  on  account  of  the  facility  with 
which  they  may  be  reckoned  and  their  convenience  as  exact 
measures  of  value  generally  exchangeable  for  all  other  goods, 
that  is  to  say,  their  special  value  as  money. 

The  act  of  minting  and  stamping  confers  this  extra  or 
money  value  upon  a  coin,  which  to  a  certain  extent  is  natural ; 
but  as  it  has  been  assumed  that :  "  The  king  (or  government) 
can  fix  the  value  of  a  coinage,"  irredeemable  money  has  at 
different  times  been  made  of  cloth,  of  leather,  of  paper,  of  iron 
and  other  cheap  metals  and  compositions. 

Money  has  three  values :  first,  the  intrinsic  value,  that  of 
the  material  of  which  the  piece  is  composed ;  second,  the  ar 
bitrary,  nominal  or  pretended  value,  the  denomination  sought 
to  be  given  it  by  the  government  which  struck  or  minted  it ; 
third,  the  representative  or  commercial  value,  measured  by 
what  it  will  bring  in  other  money,  or  its  power  to  purchase 
general  merchandise. 

The  Chinese,  who  have  no  currency  of  their  own  but  small 
cast  brass  coins  called  cash,  of  little  intrinsic  value,  are  in  the 
habit  of  stamping  ingots  or  bars  of  silver  and  gold  with  their 


12  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

supposed  degree  of  purily,  when  these  masses  of  metal  are 
passed  currently  by  weight.  A  dollar,  if  it  contains  a  dollar's 
worth  of  gold,  is  simply  an  ingot,  an  object  of  universal  bar- 
ter and  exchange,  its  value  is  intrinsic,  its  coinage  simply  de- 
noting its  purity  and  weight,  it  will  sell  for  no  more  as  money 
than  as  bullion.  A  silver  dollar,  nominally  a  hundred  cents, 
contains  but  some  eighty-five  cents  worth  of  silver,  its  addi- 
tional value  and  popularity  being  derived  from  the  act  of 
coinage,  its  convenience  as  currency.  At  the  same  time  a 
paper  dollar,  issued  by  the  United  States  Treasury  or  one  of 
the  National  Banks  guaranteed  by  the  Government,  though 
intrinsically  quite  worthless,  represents  the  good  faith  and 
honor  of  a  great  nation,  and,  such  is  the  nature  of  money,  the 
paper  dollar  passes  current,  more  popular  than  gold  or  silver, 
because  far  more  convenient. 

The  subject  of  money,  of  the  most  practical  importance, 
commands  the  most  constant  attention  of  the  man  of  business, 
is  the  fascinating  study  of  the  numismatologist  and  antiqua- 
rian, while  one  of  the  profound  problems  which  concern  finan- 
ciers and  statesmen.  In  this  last  aspect  the  matter  has  been 
the  theme  of  immense  discussion  for  some  years,  both  in  this 
country  and  Europe.  The  interests  involved  are  vast,  and 
some  of  the  measures  proposed  are  very  radical.  In  the 
United  States,  especially,  much  has  been  done  to  enlighten  the 
people  upon  questions  of  finance,  and  great  improvements  have 
been  made  in  the  currency.  The  present  system  of  National 
Banks  here  commands  the  attention  and  praise  of  transatlantic 
financiers  and  statesmen.  Meantime,  many  most  earnest  and 
thoughtful  persons  are  sanguine  of  still  further  simplification, 
and  promise  for  the  future  an  "American  Money"  more  stable 
than  gold,  as  economical  as  paper,  perfectly  convenient,  every- 
where current  and  superior  to  anything  yet  developed. 

As  there  has  been  monetary  reform  in  the  past,  so  there 
will  doubtless  be  financial  progress  of  some  kind  in  the  time 
to  come.  To  make  the  inevitable  advance,  without  shock  and 
danger  of  destructive  disturbance^  there  must  be  great  inteUi- 


THE  ORIGIN  OF  MONET.  18 

gence  among  the  people ;  to  "help  that  we  put  forward,  for  the 
instruction  of  the  younger  class,  perhaps,  the  items  of  this 
prefatory  writing,  which,  however,  is  but  a  crude  statement, 
a  very  hasty,  imperfect  survey  of  a  vast  field ;  yet  it  exhibits 
broad  principles  in  a  plain  manner,  must  suggest  tnought,  and 
will  doubtless  with  many,  induce  as  is  most  desirable,  a  more 
thorough  study  of  the  succeeding  pages. 


The  Primitive  Forms  of  Money. 


Money  (from  the  Latin  or  Italian  word  moneta),  is  practi- 
cally the  name  of  anything  received  by  common  consent,  at  a 
stated  value,  in  general  exchange. 

Money  of  Account  is  an  ideal  unit  of  value. 

Currency  is  money  put  to  use,  a  medium  of  exchange  kept 
in  circulation  as  cash.* 

The  first  and  most  imperative  need  of  man,  has  been  de- 
clared to  be  association  with  his  fellows,  and  of  this,  money  is 
the  recognized  instrument,  the  medium  of  commerce'  a  custo- 
mary equivalent,  and.  when  so  ordained,  a  legal  tender  in  pay- 
ment of  all  debts. 

The  primitive  forms  of  money  were  articles  of  barter,  some 
of  which,  by  use  as  the  means  and  measure  of  trade,  in  time 
acquired  a  special  "  value  in  exchange,"  in  excess  of  that  "  value 
in  use"  originally  belonging  to  them.  Thus  was  established 
an  artificial  standard 'of  valuation,  continually  growing  more 
and  more  abstract,  until  there  was  conceived  an  ideal  money 


*  According  to  the  strict  nomenclature  of  the  science  of  political  econo- 
my, the  use  of  the  word  money  is  limited  to  mean  a  metallic  circulation 
of  a  medium  of  exchange,  conventional  measures  of  value,  whether  im- 
mediate like  gold  and  silver,  or  substitutive  like  Treasury  notes,  bank  bills 
and  their  analogies,  being  designated  by  the  generic  term  Cun-ency. 
Nevertheless,  great  authors  have  varied  in  terms,  and  the  scope  and  pur- 
pose of  the  present  writing  it  seems  may  be  better  served  by  the  use  of 
words  and  phrases  as  here  defined. 

(14) 


THE  PRIMITIVE  FORMS  OF  MONEY.       15 

of  account,  in  which,  the  familiar  name  of  some  common  arti- 
cle, once  made  the  standard  of  traffic  (though  perhaps  long 
superseded),  became  the  denominational  unit  of  arithmetic^ 
monetary  calculation. 

Without  a  full  comprehension  of  moneys  of  account,  an  uij- 
derstanding  of  the  true  nature  of  money,  in  all  its  forms,  is 
impossible.  Money  of  account  may,  or  may  not,  have  a  ma- 
terial representative.  The  unit  of  value,  however  derived  or 
expressed,  becomes  fixed  in' the  mind,  is  **committed  to  the 
memories  of  a  whole  nation,"  and  comes  to  be,  in  relation  to 
valuation,  that  which  leagues,  miles,  feet  and  inches,  are  to 
distance ;  which  degrees,  minutes  and  seconds,  are  to  angles ; 
what  a  scale  of  proportion  is  to  a  geographical  map,  an  archi- 
tectural, or  other  plan.  Money  of  account,  is  in  fact,  an  ideal 
and  "arbitrary  scale  of  equal  parts,  invented  for  measuring  the 
respective  value  of  things  vendable." 

The  use  of  money  of  account,  cannot  be  mechanical,  but  is 
mental  only ;  a  matter  of  arithmetic.  The  money  of  account 
of  the  bank  of  Venice,  which  remained  the  same  for  five  hun- 
dred years,  had  no  coins  to  correspond -with  it;  it  was  merely 
an  idea,  and  yet,  the  value  of  all  coins  and  commodities,  was 
expressed  in  and  by  it.  A  money  of  account  is  a  language,  in 
which,  all  values  or  prices  may  be  expressed,  and  by  means  of 
which,  the  relative  value  of  commodities  may  be  stated.  It 
is  something  every  one  carries  in  his  mind,  as  he  does  his 
knowledge  of  words  or  of  arithmetic,  and  in  so  doing,  he  is 
quite  independent  of  thoughts  of  coinage  or  circulating  notes. 

Montesquieu  noted  among  the  natives  of  the  coast  of  Africa, 
in  the  18th  century,  an  ideal  money,  which  is  described  as  a 
"sign  of  value  without  money."  The  unit  of  this  money  of 
account,  was  denominated  macoute^  which  was  subdivided  into 
tenths,  designated  by  a  word  which  signified  pieces.  This  de- 
nomination of  value,  according  to  later  information,  had  its 
origin  in  the  macoute^  a  piece  of  cloth,  or  fabricated  stuff  of 
the  country,  which  had  been  used  as  an  article  of  .barter. 
Mungo  Park,  who  traveled  in  Africa  from  1795  to  1797  and 


16  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

perished  on  his  journey  there,  begun  in  1805,  stated,  that 
when  the  Mandingoes,  of  the  western  coast  of  Africa  between 
lat.  10°  and  14°  N.  and  Ion.  6°  and  10°  West,  including  the 
sources  of  the  Senegal  and  Niger  rivers,  began  trade  with  Eu- 
ropeans, the  article  which  was  most  valued  by  them,  was  iron, 
on  account  of  its  great  utility  in  making  instruments  of  war 
and  tools  for  the  pursuits  of  peace.  Thus  iron  soon  became  a 
standard  of  payment,  and  as  the  metal  was  supplied  in  bars, 
there  was,  in  the  manner  already  described,  presently  estab- 
lished a  money  of  account.  So  any  article,  or  any  quantity  of 
a  commodity,  supposed  to  be  worth  as  much  as  a  bar  of  iron, 
was  denominated  "a  bar,"  and  accounts  were  kept  and  trade 
regulated  accordingly. 

When  the  diflferent  South  Sea  islands  were  discovered,  at 
various  periods  from  A.  D.  1511  to  1770  and  thereafter,  the 
natives  accepted  from  the  Europeans,  beads  or  any  gaudy 
thing  which  was  offered  them ;  but  they  soon  discovered  the 
superior  value  of  iron  in  various  forms,  and  then  exchanged 
their  products  for  axes,  hammers,  nails  and  similar  things. 
Axes  were  after  a  time^ound  so  useful,  they  would  sell  any- 
thing they  had  for  them,  and  axes  became  the  basis  of  a  money 
of  account,  the  value  of  all  other  things  being  reckoned  in 
"axes,"  that  is  to  say,  calculated  by  comparison  with  that  of 
these  highly-prized  tools.  Axes  were  then  the  money  of  ac- 
count of  this  jjeople. 

According  to  Dr.  Heinrich  Barth,  an  enterprising  German 
explorer,  a  native  of  the  city  of  Hamburg,  who  traveled  in 
Northern  Africa  in  1845  and  in  Central  Africa  alone  from  1851 
to  1856,  the  ancient  standard  of  the  commerce  of  Barnoo, 
Central  Africa,  was  the  pound  of  copper,  which  the  people  of 
that  country  called  rotl.  The  use  of  the  pound  of  copper  as  a 
medium  of  exchange,  was  abandoned  in  Barnoo  long  ago,  but 
the  name  roil  still  remained,  as  the  unit  of  a  money  of  account, 
in  which,  the  cost  of  commodities  was  reckoned.  Although 
cotton  .cloth,  shirts,  cowry  shells,  and  other  goods,  with 
Spanish  and  Austrian  dollars  in  silver,  were  used  as  money, 


THE  PRIMITIVE  FORMS  OF  MONEY.        17 

tile  value  of  them  all,  was  expressed  in  rolls.  The  Chinese, 
like  oilier  people,  first  conducted  iheir  trade  on  the  basis  of 
barter,  yet  they  have  had  a  coinage  of  metal  from  almost  pre- 
historic eras.  This  coinage  was  used  by  merchants,  as  early 
as  2853  B.  C,  but  the  husbandmen  and  common  people,  still 
traded  by  exchange  in  kind.  To  facilitate  this  barter,  a  great 
national  mirket  was  established  2737  B.  C.  The  names  of 
the  early  Chinese  coins,  such  as  "Merchandise  Money,"  "Mer- 
chandise Cloth,"  and  the  like,  with  their  forms,  in  rude  re- 
semblance of  garments,  knives,  or  other  things  of  most  com- 
mon use,  show  this  currency  was  preceded  by  a  more  or  less 
definitely  conceived  money  of  account,  originating  in  the  same 
manner  as  in  the  examples  already  given,  of  more  modern 
date.  The  history  of  every  country,  or  tribe,  which  has  in- 
dependently made  its  progress  from  barbarism  to  even  partial 
civilization,  could  be  made  to  furnish  some  illustration  of  this 
method. 

For  the  article  of  money  itself,  as  currently  passing  from 
hand  to  hand,  in  the  course  of  trade,kVery  dissimilar  things 
and  materials  have  been  used.  Some  idea  of  the  very  earliest 
forms  of  money,  may  be  had  from  the  preceding  pages  upon 
TJie  Origin  of  Money.  The  mere  barbarian  in  his  nakedness, 
tendered  fruits,  or  the  products  of  the  chase.  lie  who  had 
Decome  a  little  more  advanced,  would  offer  the  hide  or  peltry 
in  which  he  had  learned  to  wrap  himself,  selling  sometimes, 
as  may  be  imagined,  his  clothes  for  food,  or  grown  more  pru- 
dent, be  provided  with  a  dressed  hide  for  the  particular  pur- 
pose of  barter.  To  meet  in  any  satisfactory  degree,  the  re- 
quirements of  commerce,  money  should  be  of  uniform  value, 
divisible  and  portable.  The  less  the  bulk  of  money,  except 
when  made  exceedingly  small,  the  greater  its  convenience. 
Cattle,  which  were  used  as  money  in  ancient  Greece,  about 
loS-i  B.  C.  to  1184:  B.  C,  and  afterwards,  and  in  Rome,  some 
600  B.  C,  and  for  some  generations  after,  fluctuated  but  little 
in  value,  under  ordinary  circumstaiices,  being  always  in  de- 
mand for  use  and  for  food,  and  always  costing  about  the  same 
B 


18  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

amount  of  labor  to  produce.  They  could  be  readily  counted, 
and  when  fully  grown,  and  in  good  condition,  were  of  some- 
thing like  the  same  respective  or  average  value.  Though  a 
bulky  and  unwieldly  consideration,  flocks  and  herds  wero 
readily  transferred  and  could  be  driven  from  point  to  point  at 
the  ])leasure  of  the  receiver.  The  poet  Ilomer,  between  1000 
B.  C.  and  800  B.  C,  refers  to  cattle  as  a  medium  of  exchange, 
stating  that  the  armor  of  Diomede,  one  of  his  heroes  of  pre- 
ceding ages,  cost  only  nine  oxen,  while  that  of  Glaucus  cost 
a  hundred  oxen.  From  the  Latin  word  pecus,  signifying  cat- 
tle, is  derived  another  term  pecunia,  or  pccuniarius,  and  from 
this,  the  French  pecuniaire,  and  the  English  pecuniary,  de- 
fined to  mean :  1.  Relating  to  money.  2.  Consisting  of  money. 
In  Britain,  at  the  time  of  the  Norman  Conquest,  there  were 
two  kinds  of  money  in  use.  These  were  described  as  "living 
money"  and  dead  money.  The  living  money,  consisted  of 
slaves  and  cattle,  and  were  generally  transferred  with  the  land 
upon  which  they  lived  and  labored.  Dead  money,  consisted 
of  coined  metals,  or  of  pietals  in  quantity. 

Under  the  lioman  Caesars,  land  was  made  money,  an  ar- 
rangement possible  only  in  a  state  of  high  political  civiliza- 
tion, where  the  jjrivileges  of  property  were  maintained,  records 
preserved,  and  respect  for  the  laws  enforced.  The  ancient 
Russians,  before,  and  under  Ruric  the  Varangian  chief,  called 
to  the  throne  A.  D.  862,  in  common  with  some  other  barbaric 
or  serai-barbaric  people,  used  the  skins  of  wild  animals  as 
money.  The  same  was  done  by  the  North  American  Indians 
when  in  their  aboriginal  condition,  and  subsequently  by  the 
English  and  Dutch  colonies.  Early  in  the  settlement  of  the 
central  part  of  the  United  States,  the  pioneers  in  Illinois  and 
some  other  places,  had  a  currency  of  deer  skins  and  peltries 
of  the  raccoon.  A  similar  form  of  money,  probably  existed 
in  prehistoric  times  in  the  Chinese  empire,  for  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  ])eriod  Yuen  Seu,  there  was  a  money  of  account, 
represented  by  "valuable  skins,"  termed  Phi-Pi\  an  account 
of  which  is  given  in  the  description  of  Chinese  money  in  this 


THE  PRIMITIVE  FORMS  OF  MONEY.       19 

work.  These  skins  were  made  to  represent  a  value  of  $644,00 
United  States  money,  being  elaborately  figured  and  highly  or- 
naracntcd,  suggesting  crudely,  the  idea  of  a  Treasury  note  or 
Government  bond,  seeming  to  partake  somewhat,  of  the  na- 
tu-re  of  each  of  them.  Salt  has  bean  used  as  money  in  the 
Afriean  nation  of  Abyssinia,  and  salted  and  dried  codfish,  were 
made  to  serve  the  same  purpose  in  Ireland  and  Newfoundland. 
In  the  English- American  colony  of  Massachusetts,  about  A.  D. 
1635,  Indian  corn,  beans,  wheat,  barley,  rye,  peas,  boards,  cod- 
fish, horses,  sheep,  swine,  goats,  asses,  lead  bullets,  and  a  gen- 
eral barter  currency  were  used,  in  common  with  a  limited 
amount  of  copper,  silver  and  gold  coin  as  money,  all  circu- 
lating together,  according  to  law.  In  China,  some  1400  or 
more  years  B.  C,  the  shell  of  the  cowry,  of  the  small  variety 
denominated  Cyprse  moneta,,  was  hoarded  as  money  by  the 
miserly,  and  no  doubt  passed  current.  In  some  parts  of  India, 
and  in  the  Indian  islands  and  Africa,  these  same  cowry  shells 
have  long  been  used  in  the  place  of  small  coin.  In  1851,  it  is 
stated,  more  than  a  thousand  tons  of  cowry  shells,  were 
shipped  from  India  to  Liverpool,  England,  to  be  exported  to 
the  African  coast,  in  exchange  for  palm  oil.  In  Bengal,  about 
a  century  ago,  2500  cowries  were  reckoned  at  one  rupee  of  the 
value  of  from  forty-six  to  fifty  cents.  In  1875,  3200  cowries 
were  to  be  had  for  the  rupee. 

The  author  of  "The  Coins  of  the  Jews,"  Mr.  Madden,  writes 
that:  "In  the  British  West  India  Islands,  pins,  a  slice  of 
bread,  a  pinch  of  snuff,  a  dram  of  whisky,  and  in  the  central 
part  of  South  America  soap,  chocolate,  cocoa-nuts,  eggs,  etc., 
were  current  articles  used  as  money.  Adam  Smith  states, 
that  sugar  was  regarded  as  money,  in  some  of  the  English 
"West  India  colonies.  At  the  great  International  fair  held  an- 
nually at  Nizhini  Novgorod  in  Russia,  the  price  of  tea  has  to 
be  decided  and  made  known,  before  the  prices  of  other  com- 
modities are  established  and  advertised.  In  this  manner,  tea 
is  made  the  standaid  of  value,  by  which  all  exchanges  of  mer- 
chand.sc  arc  regulated.     In  A.  D.  1662,  the  accounts  of  the 


20  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

New  Neiherlands,  Dutch  colonies  in  America,  were  kept  in 
beaver  skins  and  Indian  shell  beads.  In  Virginia,  about  the 
beginning  of  the  17th  century,  and  for  some  time  thereafter, 
tobacco  was  ured  as  money,  and  even  when  coin  came  more 
freely  into  use,  large  transactions  were  generally  settled  by  the 
transfer  of  receipts  issued  for  tobacco  deposited  in  the  public 
warehouses.  Thus  these  valuable  documents,  always  redeema- 
ble in  tobacco,  which  was  money,  passed  from  hand  to  hand 
for  value  received,  just  as  a  Treasury  note  or  Bank  bill  now 
circulates. 

One  of  the  most  remarkable  of  the  primitive  forms  of  money 
was  the  currency  of  the  Algonlcin  or  Ahjonquin  North  Ameri- 
can Indians,  which  from  time  immemorial  to  a  late  date  in 
the  last  century,  was  used  by  the  natives  of  the  Atlantic  coast, 
and  by  the  Hodensaunee  Konoshion^  or  Iriquois  Confedera- 
tion, commonly  called  "The  Five  Nations,"  or  as  later  orga- 
nized, "The  Six  Nations,"  and  by  other  interior  tribes,  west- 
ward  to  the  Mississippi.  This  currency  consisted  of  beads 
made  from  various  shells,  varieties  of  the  Buccinum  and  others, 
and  was  called  by  the  Dutch  colonists  in  America  Zewant,  by 
the  French  Porcelaine^  and  generally  known  among  the  Eng- 
lish settlers  as  Wampum. 

The  Indians  themselves  called  their  money  Sewan,  of  which 
there  were  two  kinds.  The  first  and  most  valuable,  was  of  a 
dark  violet,  purple  color,  and  was  made  from  the  dark  part  of 
shells  of  the  common  round  hard-shelled  clam,  Venus  Mer- 
cenaria. 

In  1628,  Roger  "Williams,  the  founder  of  religious  liberty 
in  Rhode  Island,  a  man  of  great  truthfulness,  kind  hearted, 
and  very  intimate  and  influential  with  the  Indians  of  New 
England,  gave  the  following  account  of  their  current  money: 
"It  is  of  two  kinds — white,  which  they  make  of  the  stem  or 
stock  of  the  periwinMe — after  all  the  shell  is  broken  off.  Of 
this  kind,  six  of  the  small  beads  are  current,  with  the  English 
penny.  The  other  kind  is  the  purple,  which  is  made  of  the 
shell  of  a  fish,  which  is  called  Hens-poquahock ;  and  of  this 


THE  PRIMITIVE  FORMS  OF  MONEY.        21 

description  three  are  equal  to  an.  English,  penny."  The  In- 
dian word  Hens-poquahocky  being  almost  unpronounceable  by 
Englishmen,  was  rendered  through  corruption  of  language  as 
"Peououuck"  or  "Poquonuck,"  and  also  by  variation  of  dia- 
lect as  "Quahaug"  or  Quohaug." 

The  Indians  used  no  salt  in  their  cookery,  and  preserved 
their  meats  and  fish  by  drying  and  smoking;  at  the  seashore, 
between  the  Delaware  and  Massachusetts  bays,  they  dug, 
boiled,  strung  and  dried  clams,  which  were  used  to  season 
their  insipid  fare.  The  shells  of  the  Quahaug,  as  the  round 
clam  is  still  called  in  New  England,  after  being  emptied  and 
their  contents  saved  for  food,  were  broken  in  pieces,  to  secure 
the  black  or  purple  "eye"  of  the  shell.  From  ihis  the  dark 
purple  beads  were  made,  which  were  called  Suckauhock,  or 
Suckanhock^  by  the  Indians.  From  around  the  mouth  of 
Delaware  bay,  northward,  along  the  coast  of  New  Jersey,  Long 
Island  and  New  England,  are  to  be  found  numerous  heaps  or 
small  mounds  of  shell,  all  in  a  fragmentary  condition,  and 
lacking  the  dark  portion.  The  completely  broken  state  of 
the  shell,  distinguishes  the  shell  heaps  of  Indian  origin,  from 
the  numerous  small  piles  of  more  or  less  perfect  shells,  created 
through  the  bivalve  consuming  tendencies  of  the  more  modern 
"palefaces"  from  Europe. 

The  second  and  much  less  valuable  sort  of  the  Sewan, 
was  while,  being  made  in  most  cases  from  the  sterii  of  the 
shell  of  the  periwinkle  Littorinoe,  This  white  kind  of  the 
Sewan  was  called  Wampum^  a  word  derived  from  an  Indian, 
Aljonkin  or  Algonquin  root  signifying  white.  This  name 
was  varied  by  the  Indians,  according  to  the  forms  into  which 
the  beads  were  wrought,  but  by  the  whites  at  random,  indif- 
ferently, appearing  as  warnpam^  wampampege^  uoampampeage^ 
or  pcage^  in  the  same  public  colonial  document.  The  vicinity 
of  Ilackensack,  N.  J.,  and  the  shore  of  Long  Island,  N.  Y., 
was  the  great  center  for  the  manufacture  of  these  shell  beads. 
Long  Island  was  called  by  the  Indians  Sewan-hackg  (scwan- 
land),  and  the  circulating  medium  there  issued  was  very  ex* 


22  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

tensively  used  as  money  among  all  races  upon  the  eastern  part 
of  the  North  American  continent.  Another  famous  place  of 
manufacture,  was  at  Cape  May  Point,  New  Jersey,  at  the 
mouth  of  Delaware  bay. 

In  making  these  beads,  the  Indians  first  broke  the  different 
shells,  so  as  to  secure  the  portion  they  desired,  and  then  by 
chipping  the  fragments  of  shell  with  a  sharp  chisel  of  flint, 
they  formed  them  into  cylinders  a  little  larger  than  the  stem 
of  a  common  clay  pipe,  and  as  long  as  the  nature  of  the  mate- 
rial would  admit.  Through  the  center  of  the  cylinders,  and 
on  a  line  with  their  length,  a  small  hole  was  bored,  about  the 
sixteenth  of  an  inch  in  diameter.  This  hole  was  required  to 
run  straight  from  end  to  end,  and  to  be  round  and  smooth  in- 
ternally. 

The  Indians  knew  nothing  of  iron  and  steel  and  therefore 
made  all  their  tools  of  wood  and  of  stones  such  as  flint,  quartz, 
and  obsidian,  a  kind  of  natural  glass,  of  volcanic  origin.  Of 
these  they  not  only  made  axes,  spear  heads,  arrow  tips,  and 
similar  things,  but  also  formed  knives,  so  keen  that  they  were 
used  to  skin  and  dress  game,  or  even  as  razors,  to  crop  and 
trim  their  hair.  Of  such  material  was  the  drill  originally 
used  upon  the  shell  beads.  This  drill  was  operated  by  means 
of  a  bow  in  precisely  the  same  way  drills  made  of  steel  are 
now  used  in  certain  cases  by  jewelers,  watchmakers  and  other 
civilized  mechanics.  With  such  drills  the  Indians  not  only 
bored  beads  and  short  cylinders  from  various  colored  shells, 
but  also  manufactured  from  steatite  or  soap  stone,  thin  tubes 
as  large  as  a  man's  finger  and  six  or  eight  inches  long. 
Whether  they  had  anything  like  the  turning  lathe  for  the 
outside  finish  of  such  work  is  uncertain,  but  relics  have  been 
found  in  the  Southern  States  of  what  must  have  been  a  pot- 
ter's wheel  of  the  aboriginal  time.  The  Indians  were  very 
accurate  of  sight,  and  when  exempt  from  the  curse  of  rum, 
exceedingly  steady  of  nerve.  The  squaws,  especially  the  old 
women,  were  very  industrious,  and  from  their  hands  came  the 
beads,  and  the  articles  of  clothing,  upon  which  they  were  used 


THE  PRIMITIVE  FORMS  OF  MONET.        23 

as  ornaments.  The  Indian  women  were  not  deficient  in  the 
keen-sighted  dexterity  peculiar  to  their  race,  but  the  manu- 
facture of  shell  beads  by  the  means  they  used,  must  have  taxed 
to  the  utmost  their  skill  and  patience. 

The  drilling  was  the  most  difficult  part  of  the  operation; 
when  this  was  successfully  accomplished,  the  cylinders  were 
ground  into  a  true  form  by  rubbing  them  on  sharp  gritted 
stones,  and  then  carved  into  globular  or  semi-cylindrical  beads, 
which  were  carefully  finished  and  nicely  polished. 

Sometimes  much  larger  pieces,  of  an  ornamental  character, 
were  made  from  large  fine  shells,  bored  in  the  same  way  as  the 
soap-stone  tubes.  These  have  been  found  as  long  and  big  as 
the  forefinger  of  a  full-grown  man.  For  such,  the  Indians 
were  willing  to  pay  four  or  six  good  well-dressed  deer  skins. 
They  were  very  constant  and  steady  in  their  estimate  of  the 
value  of  their  currency,  yet  at  one  time  paid  Massachusetts 
two  hundred  fathom  of  the  same,  an  amount  which  even  if 
all  WawijOMw,  must  have  been  worth  a  thousand  Massachusetts 
silver  shillings. 

The  work  upon  which  Wampum  was  used  as  an  ornament, 
was  often  quite  artistic  and  handsome.  Aside  from  their 
color,  the  Indians  criticised  the  beads  as  to  form  and  finish,  the 
usages  of  aboriginal  commerce  requiring  that  they  should  be 
of  uniform  size  and  regular  shape,  smoothly  bored  in  the  cen- 
ter. When  a  quantity  of  beads  had  been  made,  they  were 
strung  upon  threads  or  strings,  made  from  the  sinews  of  the 
deer,  or  woven  into  various  kinds  of  belts.  To  test  the  shell 
beads,  the  Indians  drew  the  strings  of  Sewan  deftly  across  their 
noses;  if  they  found  them  smooth,  uniform,  and  well  strung, 
they  passed  for  full  value.  The  imperfect  beads,  or  those  worn 
and  abraded  by  use,  were  refused  or  accepted  at  a  large  dis- 
count. 

In  making  payments  of  Sewan;  small  amounts  were  counted 
in  loose  beads,  one  of  the  violet  purple  Suckauhoch,  being  con- 
sidered equal  in  value,  to  two  of  the  white  Wampum.  In 
making  large  payments  the  reckoning  was  by  the  fathom  of 


24  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA 

strung  Wampum  or  Suckauhock,  the  same  being  measured  by 
the  spread  arms  of  an  Indian.  A  fair  fathom  of  Suchauhock 
was  "worth  tea  shillings,  and  one  of  Wampum  five  shillings. 
Tbe  Sewan  of  the  North  American  Indian  was  a  true  money, 
though  of  savage  origin.  The  Suckauhock  served  the  same 
purpose  for  which  gold  coin  is  used,  while  the  Wampinn,  less 
in  value,  was  as  currency,  of  the  nature  of  silver.  The  units 
of  value  were  the  beads,  which  counted  one  by  one,  measured 
in  strings  by  the  fathom,  or  tendered  in  quantity  as  wrought 
into  belts,  effectively  represented  a  money  of  account,  which 
was  for  an  unknown  time,  the  comparatively  accurate  measure 
of  value  for  a  very  considerable  amount  of  commerce. 

The  Sewan  was  not  used  as  money  alone,  but  as  an  orna- 
ment, for  which  it  was  wrought  in  various  forms  upon  arti- 
cles of  Indian  clothing,  and  also  used  for  ear-rings  and  neck- 
laces, armlets,  bracelets,  belts,  etc.  It  was  used  in  all  treaties 
and  on  all  public  occasions,  a  string  or  belt  of  the  vari-colored 
beads  being  given  to  bind  each  article  of  a  compact,  or  treaty, 
and  a  broad  "treaty  belt,"  called  by  the  Indians  Wampum- 
pague  or  Wampumpege^  being  delivered  as  a  solemn  ratifica- 
tion of  the  whole.  On  these  treaty  belts,  elaborate  figures 
were  wrought,  in  beads  of  different  colors,  the  form  and  de^ 
sign  of  which,  was  not  arbitrary,  but  systematic,  and  arranged 
so  as  to  form  a  record  of  an  event,  or  the  terms  of  a  contract, 
in  hieroglyphs  and  designs  that  could  be  read.  The  Indian 
money  was  so  convenient,  that  in  the  urgency  of  their  cir- 
cumstances, the  Dutch,  French,  and  English  American  colo- 
nies, adopted  it  as  a  medium  of  exchange,  and  in  one  case  as  a 
money  of  account,  for  in  1662,  the  records  of  the  New  Neth- 
erlands colony  "were  kept  in  Wamjoum  and  beaver  skins." 

In  1637,  it  was  ordered  in  Massachusetts,  that  Wampam- 
pege  should  pass  "six  a  penny,"  for  any  sum  under  twelvepenqe; 
of  which,  and  subsequent  legislation  upon  the  same  subject,  an 
account  may  be  found  in  this  work,  under  the  head  of  the 
Colonial  Silver  Coinage  of  Massachusetts.  The  New  Nether- 
lands accepted  Sewan  in  trade,  the  better  sort  being  as  current 


THl^   PRTMTTTVE   FORMS  OF  MONEY.       25 

as  silver  for  a  long  time.  In  1640,  Wampum  was  voted  "to 
goe  six  a  penny"  in  New  Haven.  The  Sewan  was  the  cur- 
rency of  New  Netherlands  in  1641.  At  New  Amsterdam, 
now  New  York  city,  "four  beads  of  good  black,  well  strung 
wampum,  or  eight  of  the  white,"  were  reckoned  of  the  value 
of  one  Slui/ver,  a  Dutch  coin  worth  about  a  cent.  In  1650, 
"there  being  at  present  no  other  specie," /S'cifa?z  was  made  law- 
fully current,  at  the  rate  of  three  black  or  six  white  beads  of 
"commercial  Sewan,"  or  four  black  and  six  white  "of  the 
base  strung,"  for  one  Sluyver — the  rate  ordered  "to  goe"  in 
New  Haven.  By  this  financial  arrangement,  the  drain  of 
"specie"  into  New  England  is  said  to  have  been  checked. 
The  Dutch  Commissary  Hudde,  of  Fort  Nassau,  a  Dutch  tra- 
ding post  on  Delaware  bay,  now  Gloucester,  New  Jersey,  com- 
plained in  1648,  that  the  Indians  made  trade  too  much  against 
the  New  Netherlands  Company,  which  he  represented,  as  they 
invariably,  when  paid  for  furs,  selected  very  long-armed  In- 
dians to  measure  the  fathoms  of  strung  beads  required. 

Josslyn,  an  early  writer  of  Indian  history,  declared  that  the 
makers  of  Wampum  wrought  so  cunningly  that  "neither  Jew 
nor  Devil  could  counterfeit"  their  work.  However,  the 
Dutch  at  Albany,  N.  Y.,  by  use  of  lathes,  drills  and  turning 
tools,  made  and  sold  a  great  deal  of  a  very  superior  kind  of 
Sewan  in  their  extensive  trade  with  the  Five  Nations  or  Iri- 
quois  Confederation.  There  were  at  one  time,  sixty  or  seventy 
shops  in  Albany,  wheie  Sewan  was  made,  and  the  Indians 
called  the  town  Laaphanackiny — i.  f.,  "the  place  of  stringing 
Wamp)umr  Sewan  was  also  made  in  other  places  by  poor 
people.  As  late  as  1756,  Jacob  Spicer,  a  merchant  of  Cape 
May,  New  Jersey,  advertised  that  he  was  ready  to  buy  Wam- 
pum {Suckauhock\  and  offered  a  reward  of  five  pounds,  to  the 
person  who  should  manufacture  the  most  of  this  article.  The 
merchant  secured  a  quantity  of  the  Suchauhocl\  and  before 
sending  it  off"  to  a  market,  at  Albany,  weighed  a  shot  bag  full 
of  silver  coiii.pnd  counted  the  same  shot  bag  full  of  the  Indian 
currency,  and  found  the  latter  most  valuable  by  ten  per  cent. 


26  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

These  imitations  of  the  Indian  currency,  being  made  w  ith 
the  superior  tools  of  civilized  men,  were  generally  an  improve- 
ment upon  the  original.  They  were  not  as  has  been  stated 
counterfeits^  in  the  sense  in  which  that  word  is  properly  used 
to  describe  base  or  illegal  coinages  which  reproduce  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  authorized  metallic  currency  of  a  nation.  Any 
Indian  who  could  find  the  shells  of  the  periwinkle,  or  dig  those 
of  the  clam,  and  who  had  a  squaw  skillful  enough  to  make 
good  beads,  could  without  offence  start  a  mint  on  his  own  re- 
sponsibility, and  go  on  making  any  form  of  Indian  money 
without  hindrance,  so  long  as  there  was  no  lack  of  material 
or  any  refusal  to  labor.  The  making  of  shell  beads  was  merely 
a  form  of  industry,  and  when  the  whites  introduced  machinery 
in  aid  of  the  art,  the  Indian  was  very  ready  to  accept  the  im- 
proved product;  he  grew  rapidly  rich  for  a  time — in  Se- 
wan — but  presently,  as  may  be  surmised,  found  himself  suf- 
fering, in  his  peculiar  way,  all  the  evils  which  follow  a  supera- 
bundant inflation  of  the  currency  of  any  people.  Just  as  the 
Indian  had  a  natural  right  to  make  beads,  so  the  spirit  of  the  law 
allows  any  citizen  of  the  United  States  to  make  coins  of  any  ma- 
terial— the  prohibition  is  against  trespass  upon  what  is  like  a 
trade  mark,  tlie  form  and  design  of  legalized  coin.  To  counter- 
feit or  imitate  these,  as  a  whole  or  in  part,  in  any  metal,  is  felony. 

The  Narragansett  and  Pequod  tribes  of  Indians,  inhabitants 
of  Connecticut,  Rhode  Island  and  Massachusetts,  who,  as  well 
as  the  Long  Island  Indians,  were  able  to  produce  Sc^van  on 
their  shores,  kept  themselves  rich  and  powerful  by  the  use  of 
it,  until  long  after  their  contact  with  white  men.  The  Cape 
May  Indians,  the  Delaware,  or  Lenni-Lennape  tribe,  held  simi- 
lar advantages,  and  the  accumulated  refuse  of  their  work, 
shows  they  were  not  careless  of  their  opportunities.  The  In- 
dians of  Long  Island  owed  at  last  their  enslavement  or  severe 
subjugation  by  the  Mohawks,  to  their  facility  for  making 
beads ;  being  cruelly  overrun,  robbed,  and  compelled  to  pay 
their  plunderers,  conquerers  and  taskmasters,  a  heavy  annual 
tribute  of  Sewan. 


THE  PRIMITIVE  FORMS  OF  MONEY.        27 

The  most  primitive  forms  of  money  of  which  there  is 
any  evidence  on  the  American  continent,  have  been  exhumed 
from  aboriginal  graves  and  mounds  in  the  Ohio  and  Mis- 
sissippi  valleys;  it  being  the  custom  of  the  pre-traditional 
mound  builders,  as  well  as  the  red  Indian  proper,  his  suc- 
cessor, to  bury  the  treasures  of  the  dead  in  the  grave  with 
them. 

The  specimens  of  money  found  with  the  bones  of  the  Abo- 
rigines, were  composed  of  lignite,  coal,  bone,  shell,  terra  cotta, 
mica,  pearl,  carnelian,  chalcedony,  agate,  quartz,  jasper,  lily- 
encrinite  and  native  gold,  silver,  copper,  lead  and  iron,  all 
fashioned  into  forms  manifesting  a  considerable  degree  of  skill 
in  the  rudimentary  lines  of  art.  In  1838,  a  great  quantity  of 
Lignite  and  Coal  money,  was  found  in  a  small  oblong  oval 
mound,  on  the  banks  of  the  Miami  river,  in  Ohio  ;  the  largest 
of  which  was  about  an  inch  in  diameter,  the  size  of  the  old 
cent  of  the  United  States,  but  much  thicker  than  that  copper 
coin.  Some  of  these  pieces  were  perforated  with  sixteen  small 
holes.  The  faces  of  others  were  inscribed  with  from  five  to 
eight  parallel  lines,  and  on  one  specimen  the  lines  were  crossed, 
forming  diamond-shaped  figures.  This  lignite  and  coal  money, 
when  brought  to  the  surface,  soon  crumbled  to  disintegration, 
and  the  signs  of  inscriptions  upon  it  were  too  indistinct  to  be 
of  value  to  the  archeologist. 

A  part  of  tlie  specimens  of  Bone  money  were  strange  indeed 
in  their  material.  They  were  about  the  same  size  as  the  pieces 
of  lignite  and  coal  just  described,  and  were  wrought  out  of  the 
interior  and  exterior  tables  of  the  human  skull;  also  of  the 
bones  of  the  thigh,  the  shoulder  blades  and  the  knee-pan  of 
human  subjects — probably  relics  of  enemies  slain  in  battle  or 
of  prisoners  subsequently  ofl'ered  in  sacrifice,  or  tortured  to 
death,  relics  of  superstition,  or  symbols  of  revenge,  a  senti 
ment  which  was  esteemed  an  exalted  virtue  among  North 
American  Indians,  and  also,  probably,  by  the  mound  builders 
who  held  the  land  before  them.  Some  of  this  bone  money 
was  made  fjoni  the  tusks  and  ribs  of  the  gigantic  mastadon, 


28  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

the  enameled  portions  of  the  teeth  of  the  alligator,  and  from 
the  bones  of  the  gar  and  the  catfish. 

Pieces  of  Shell  money  may  be  found  in  every  aboriginal 
mound ;  they  were  made  of  different  shells,  from  that  of  the 
fresh  water  clam,  up  to  that  of  the  huge  Sea  Conch.  Their 
colors  were  quite  vaiious,  and  they  made  beautiful  samples  of 
aboriginal  work.  They  were  generally  about  the  size  of  the 
coal  and  bone  money  already  noted,  with  eccentric  lines  carved 
upon  them,  and  in  some  cases  bearing  figures.  Some  pieces 
of  the  shell  money  were  found  as  large  as  two  inches  and  a 
half  in  diameter. 

The  Terra- Cotta  money  was  formed  from  clay,  tempered 
with  bone  dust,  and  also  from  ferruginous  matter.  Some  of 
its  varieties  were  of  a  beautiful  red  color.  The  devices  upon 
these  pieces  were  numerous,  and  generally  on  one  side,  but 
occasionally  upon  both.  They  consisted  of  birds,  fi'ogs, 
snakes,  and  many  other  curious  figures ;  but,  above  all,  of  the 
heart  and  the  extended  hand. 

The  emblem  of  an  open  hand  has  been  used  by  various 
races  from  prehistoric  times  in  widely  separated  parts  of  the 
earth.  It  was  known  in  India,  is  found  on  the  old  monuments 
of  Egypt,  may  be  traced  to  Phoenecia,  and  is  inscribed  on  the 
Cyclopean  architecture  and  gigantic  idols  of  the  ancient  Mexi- 
cans. The  Quadratic  an  ancient  Roman  coin,  bore  the  figure 
of  an  open  hand;  it  was  a  symbol  of  primitive  Christianity; 
the  mound-building  Indians  made  use  of  it,  as  is  shown  by 
their  relics,  and  the  wild  tribes  of  North  America  still  stamp 
the  open  hand  upon  their  tanned  buffalo  skins  and  the  cover- 
ings of  their  habitations.  The  open  hand  was  adopted  by  the 
primitive  Christians  as  a  symbol  of  the  first  person  of  the 
Trinity,  having  from  time  immemorial,  been  used  as  an  em- 
blem, as  an  ideographic  sign,  or  as  a  hieroglyph,  to  denote  life, 
power,  impartation,  providence  and  the  like  attributes  of  Di- 
vine character.  I'he  open  hand  has  in  the  same  way  been 
borne  upon  military  standards,  as  the  ensign  of  an  assumed 
heaven-derived  political  authority.     Among  the  Dacota  tribe 


THE  PRIMITIVE  FORMS  OF  MONEY.        29 

of  Indians,  the  impress  of  an  open  hand  upon  the  garments  or 
the  sides  of  the  wigwam  of  an  Indian,  is  a  mark  of  nonor  due 
his  virility  and  courage;  when  struck  in  red,  it  signifies  that 
he  has  suffered  a  wound  from  the  enemy ;  and  when  in  black, 
it  shows  that  he  has  taken  the  life  of  an  enemy.  The  mean- 
ing of  the  open  hand  upon  the  pieces  of  money  taken  from 
Indian  graves,  and  from  aboriginal  mounds,  may  not  be  de- 
fined, yet  the  wide-spread  use  of  this  emblem  is  significant  and 
probably  indicates  former  intercourse  and  a  measurable  com- 
munity of  ideas  between  the  ancient  races  and  nations  who  em- 
ployed it  in  Asia  and  Europe  and  the  Aboriginies  of  America. 

The  hand,  in  one  or  another  form  and  degree  of  exten- 
sion, was  very  anciently  a  symbol  and  gesture  of  the  phallic 
system,  the  type  of  reproductive  powers  of  generation  derived 
from  the  Infinite  life.  Either  from  adoption  of  a  foreign  sym- 
bol, or  perhaps  by  natural  suggestion  and  selection  of  such  an 
image,  the  Indian  may,  in  expression  of  a  similar  sense,  have 
used  the  open  hand  as  the  hieroglyph  of  his  totem,  significant 
of  the  name  of  his  ancestor,  his  supposed  guardian  spirit,  and 
that  of  his  tribe.  It  would  be  a  prolonged  and  complex  labor 
to  follow  the  subject  of  this  symbol  through  all  its  far-reaching 
ramifications  and  correspondences  ;  its  suggestions  are  of  over- 
whelming interest  to  the  antiquarian,  to  the  ethnologist  and 
the  student  of  religion  ;  the  topic  is,  however,  but  one  of  the 
many  of  like  nature  which  present  themselves  to  whoever  in- 
telligently undertakes  the  researches  of  the  numismatologist. 

The  Stone  money  occurs  in  great  quantities  in  the  aboriginal 
mounds.  The  pieces  were  composed  of  carnelian,  jasper,  agate, 
quartz  and  chalcedony ;  also  of  common  sandstones  and  slate. 
The  size  of  the  stone  money  varied  from  half  an  inch  to  eight 
inches  in  diameter,  being  in  many  instances  very  highly  pol- 
ished, and  occasionally  figured  over  with  hieroglyphics  and 
other  devices.  Some  of  the  pieces  bore  the  ancient  rock  alpha- 
bet of  sixteen  right  and  acute-angled  single  strokes  used  by 
the  Pela?gi,  the  supposed  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  Western 
Asia,  the  first  known  people  of  the  Greek  peninsula. 


30  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

The  Lily  Encrinite  money  was  also  found  in  great  quanti- 
ties. This  animal  petrifaction  is  formed  of  long-jointed  sterns^, 
composed  of  calcareous  divisions  or  plates  closely  fitting  each 
other ;  they  are  generally  found  separated,  and  it  is  these  di- 
visions of  the  stem  which  are  denominated  fairy  stones  or  St. 
Cuthbert's  beads.  In  this  wonderful  result  of  nature,  the 
Aborigines  had  a  money  properly  fashioned  and  beautifully 
ornamented,  without  labor  in  design  or  workmanship,  it  being 
a  natural,  round  piece,  bearing  a  star  surrounded  by  many  fine 
rays.  From  the  care  with  which  it  was  preserved,  they  must 
have  valued  it  highly. 

The  Lead  and  Iron  money  was  also  found  in  large  quanti- 
ties in  and  about  the  small  mounds  in  the  valley  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi. The  pieces  were  variously  ornamented,  some  with 
dots  and  lines,  and  others  with  an  arc  surmounted  by  a  short, 
stubby  cross.  The  Egyptians  used  this  hieroglyph  to  denote 
life,  and  in  the  Coptic  churches  it  was  frequently  substituted 
for  the  Cross.  How  the  Aborigines  of  America,  the  ancient 
Egyptians  and  the  Copts  came  to  use  this  emblem  in  common, 
will  perhaps  remain  a  secret  forever. 

Of  the  Copper  money,  the  aboriginal  mounds  contain  large 
quantities — in  one  grave  at  Grave  Creek  Mound,  sixty  pieces 
of  this  copper  money,  beads,  or  sections  of  small  copper  tubes, 
were  exhumed.  The.^e  copper  beads,  or  money,  resemble  open 
or  unsoldered  oblong  tubes,  half  an  inch  to  two  inches  in 
length,  with  no  inscription  or  design  whatever. 

The  Silver  money  found  in  Perry  County,  Ohio,  was  a  cir- 
cle of  irregular  shape,  and  in  diameter  about  three-fourths  of 
an  inch.  It  bore  a  device  of  waving,  parallel  lines,  about  four 
in  number.  On  some  pieces  were  rude  designs  of  human 
figures  and  birds,  as  well  as  snakes  and  other  reptiles. 

Specimens  of  Gold  money  were  occasionally  found  in  the 
form  of  small  lumps  or  balls,  slightly  flattened,  and  irregular 
on  their  edges.  Several  have  been  found  in  Louisiana  and 
Mississippi.  In  1845,  a  mound  was  opened  at  Old  Fort  Rosa- 
lie, near  Natchez,  and  one  of  these  gold  balls,  slightly  flattened^ 


THE  PRIMITIVE  FORMS  OF  MONEY.        81 

weighed  upwards  of  two  pennyweights.  A  similar  specimen 
of  very  fine  gold  was  found  in  Ross  County,  Ohio,  lying  in 
the  palm  of  the  hand  of  a  skeleton.  Another  gold  piece  was 
found  in  Perry  County,  Ohio ;  the  face  of  it  bore  two  figures 
roughly  shaped — a  man  and  a  "bird,  besides  four  footprints  of 
the  latter. 

The  Hebrews  who  had  no  coin  of  their  own  until  the  time 
of  the  Maccabees,  who  ruled  in  Judea  from  166  to  63  B.  C, 
had  a  jewel  money — a  currency  of  precious  stones,  a  very 
portable  form  of  wealth,  of  which  the  diamond  is  to-day  ihe 
costly  example.  Though  almost  everything  of  value  has,  as 
herein  described,  been  used  as  money,  yet  in  all  cases  where  a 
proper  currency  has  been  established,  men  have  been  com- 
pelled, by  what  seem  irresistible  reasons,  to  value  money  com- 
posed of  metals,  above  all  other  mediums  of  exchange  or  com- 
modities whatever.  Different  metals  have  been  used  as  money, 
of  which  iron  among  the  Mandingoes  of  Africa,  copper  among 
those  of  Barnoo,  in  the  center  of  the  same  continent,  with  lead, 
iron,  copper,  silver,  and  gold,  among  the  former  inhabitants 
of  North  America,  have  already  been  noticed.  The  metals 
were  first  used  in  various  forms  as  articles  of  barter,  but 
gradually  assumed  the  character  of  a  general  medium  of  ex- 
change. In  an  age  when  the  only  wealth  of  importance  was 
cattle,  the  almost  imperishable  and  ever  useful  products  of  the 
mine,  came  to  be  highly  esteemed  on  account  of  the  facility 
with  which  they  could  be  accumulated  and  preserved.  The 
primitive  forms  of  metallic  money  were  rude  bars,  without 
any  stamp  or  coinage,  like  those  from  which  the  Mandingoes 
derived  their  money  of  account,  as  has  been  herein  described. 

"Iron  was  the  common  instrument  of  commerce  among  the 
ancient  Spartans,  about  830  B.  C,  copper  among  the  ancient 
Romans,  about  753  B.  C,  and  gold  and  silver  among  all  rich 
and  commercial  nations."  Timieus,  an  ancient  historian,  as 
reported  by  Pliny  (Plin.  Hist.  Nat.  lib.  33,  cap.  3),  wrote  that 
till  the  time  of  Servius  Tullius,  about  550  B.  C,  the  Romans 
had  no  coined  money,  but  instead  made  use  of  unstamped  bars 


32  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

of  copper,  to  purchase  whatever  they  had  occasion  for.  Rude 
unstamped  ingots  of  good  copper,  or  bronze,  generally  spoken 
of  as  brass,  were  long  current  money  among  the  ancient  Ro- 
mans. These  ingots  were  somewhat  of  the  form  of  a  brick, 
and  were  cast  to  weigh  an  as,  a  libra,  or  jjondo,  a  Roman  pound 
each,  and  were  denominated  by  either  of  these  three  Latin 
words,  whicn  signify  a  pound.  The  as,  libra,  or  pondo,  was 
the  Roman  money  of  account — a  pound  of  copper,  as  with  the 
negroes  of  Barnoo.  The  British  money  of  account,  the  pound 
sterling,  in  the  time  of  Edward  I,  surnamed  Longshanks,  king 
of  England  from  A.  D.  1274  to  A.  D.  1307,  signified  aa  Eng- 
lish "Tower"  pound  of  silver,  of  standard  (sterling)  fineness 
or  purity.  This  "Tower  pound"  was  so  named,  because  the 
money  was  weighed  at  the  Tower  of  London.  It  was  some- 
what heaver  than  the  Roman  as,  and  less  than  the  pound  of 
Troyes.  The  French  money  of  account,  the  livre,  in  the  time 
of  Charlemagne,  A.  D.  768  to  A.  D.  814,  signified  a  pound 
Troyes  weight  of  silver  of  standard  fineness.  The  fair  held 
at  that  epoch,  at  Troyes,  in  Champaign  of  France,  was  fre- 
quented by  representatives  of  all  the  nations  of  Europe,  hence 
the  weights  and  measures  of  so  famous  an  international  market 
were  widely  known  and  extensively  used.  The  Troyes  pound 
was  introduced  as  the  standard  weight  of  the  British  mint,  in 
A.  D.  1517,  the  eighteenth  year  of  Henry  the  VIII,  and  as  the 
"pound  Troy"  is  now  used  in  general  for  weighing  the  pre- 
cious metals,  jewels,  drugs  and  other  of  the  more  valuable 
commodities.  The  shilling  was  originally  a  name  for  a  weight ; 
an  old  English  law  of  the  time  of  Henry  III,  fixes  the  weight 
of  a  loaf  of  bread,  at  "eleven  shillings  and  fourpence."  His- 
tory fails  to  inform  us  when  gold  and  silver  were  first  used  as 
money. 

In  the  Hebrew  Scriptures,  Gen.  XIII,  2,  we  read  that  Abra- 
ham returned  from  Egypt,  some  2000  years  B.  C,  "  very  rich 
in  cattlo,  in  silver,  and  in  gold."  In  Gen.  XVII,  12,  we  find 
the  expression :  "He  that  is  born  in  the  house  or  bought  with 
money  of  any  stranger."     In  Gen.  XXIII  it  is  recorded  that 


THE  PRIMITIVE  FORMS  OF  MONEY.        33 

Sarah,  the  wife  of  Abraham,  being  dead,  he  bought  from  Eph- 
roa  a  field  in  Machpelah  as  a  burial  place  for  her,  and  that  he 
"  weighed  to  Ephron  the  silver  which  he  had  named  in  the 
audience  of  the  sons  of  Heth,  four  hundred  shekels  of  silver, 
current  money  with  the  merchant."  It  is  to  be  observed,  this 
current  money  was  weighed,  not  counted,  being  pieces  of  sil- 
ver supposed  to  be  cut  to  certain  weights,  such  as  shekels  and 
talents,  but  unstamped,  as  was  the  practice  in  that  age. 

Before  the  introduction  of  coin  into  Greece,  about  800  B.C., 
there  was  a  money  current  there  which  consisted  of  "spits" 
or  "skewers,"  of  which  six  formed  a  drachm,^  or  drachma^ 
which  word  signified  a  handful.  This  money  is  supposed  to 
have  been  a  kind  of  nails  of  iron.  The  drachma  was  the  unit 
of  the  Grecian  money  of  account,  and  it,  and  the  divisions  and 
subdivisions  of  the  same,  were  subsequently  represented  by 
silver  coins.  In  certain  parts  of  Africa,  purchases  are  made 
from  the  negroes  for  strings  of  beads  of  various  kinds,  or  coils 
of  brass  wire,  which  they  use  as  money  and  for  ornaments. 
One  color  of  beads,  or  one  kind  of  wire,  will  pass  freely  and 
others  be  refused,  much  according  to  the  fancy  or  conceit  of 
the  natives.  At  Bonny,  in  the  gulf  of  Guinea,  the  British 
traders  paid  out  copper  in  the  form  of  open  rings  some  three 
inches  or  more  across,  made  of  round  copper  rods,  some  half 
an  inch  in  diameter.  These  rings  were  so  forged  that  when 
the  open  ends  were  brought  in  contact,  they  fitted  end  to  end 
by  a  chamfer,  forming  an  armlet,  or  anklet,  in  complete  circu- 
lar form.  They  were  shipped  from  England  in  casks,  but 
among  the  negroes  clasped  for  security  on  wooden  poles,  or 
linked  into  chains,  when  not  worn  upon  the  person  of  the 
owner.  This  copper  ring  money  is  of  comparatively  recent 
use  at  Bonny,  and  has  proved  a  great  convenience  in  the  com- 
merce of  the  blacks  of  the  coast  with  the  sable  nations  of  the 
interior.  Adam  Smith  states,  that  about  A.  D.  1776,  in  a 
certain  town  of  Scotland,  Great  Britain,  it  was  customary  for 
workmen  to  carry  nails  as  money  to  the  bake-shop  and  the 
ale-house. 
c 


34  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

One  of  the  most  entirely  primitive  forms  of  record  is  the 
tally,  to  make  which  unlettered  men  mark  numbers,  quantities 
and  events,  by  cutting  notches  or  "scores"  on  a  convenient 
stick.  Hence,  an  account  is  sometimes  spoken  of  as  a  score. 
From  prehistoric  times  the  accounts  of  the  Saxon  kings  of 
England  were  kept  upon  such  notched  sticks,  which  under  the 
name  of  "Exchequer  tallies"  were  kept  in  use  by  the  English 
Exchequer  until  A.  D.  1783,  and  are  remarkable  in  connection 
with  the  subjects  of  money  and  finance.  For  many  years  be- 
fore the  disuse  of  the  tallies  noted,  the  English  Exchequer 
checked  its  accounts  by  them  in  the  following  manner:  A 
store  of  hazel,  ash,  or  willow  wands  was  kept  for  the  use  of 
the  Treasury ;  when  thoroughly  seasoned  and  prepared,  they 
were  inscribed  on  the  one  side  with  notches,  and  on  the  other 
with  Roman  numerals,  both  the  notches  and  the  numerals 
being  made  to  record  and  signify  exactly  the  same  sum  of 
money,  in  any  amount  which  the  business  of  the  Treasury  re- 
quired it  to  make  a  promise  of  payment. 

Tlie  date  of  the  deposit  or  credit,  and  that  when  payment 
would  fall  due,  and  the  name  of  the  person  having  the  claim 
upon  the  Treasury,  was  also  inscribed  upon  the  tally.  The 
Deputy  Chancellor  of  the  Exchequer  then  split  the  tally  stick, 
by  use  of  a  knife  and  a  mallet,  through  its  middle  in  such  a 
way  as  to  divide  the  checks,  so  that  each  piece  bore  a  half  of 
the  Roman  numerals,  and  a  half  of  each  one  of  the  notches. 
One  part  of  the  wand  was  then  given  to  the  creditor  of  the 
Exchequer,  and  the  other  half  stored  in  the  vaults  of  the 
Treasury.  The  notches  on  the  tally  differed  in  breadth  and 
manner  of  cutting ;  one  stood  for  a  penny,  another  for  a  shil- 
ling, a  pound,  twenty  pounds,  one  hundred  pounds,  a  thousand 
pounds,  and  so  on,  according  to  their  dimensions,  the  notches 
Ijeing  read  as  easily  and  accurately  as  the  Roman  or  any  other 
kind  of  numerals  which  could  have  been  used  for  the  same 
purpose. 

When  the  obligation  of  the  Treasury,  of  which  the  tally 
was  an  acknowledgment,  became  payable,  he  who  held  the 


THE  PRIMITIVE  FORMS  OF  MONET.        35 

tally  in  possession,  presented  it  at  the  office  of  the  Exchequer 
and  demanded  his  money,  as  figured  thereon.  Then  the  piece 
of  the  tally  presented  was  matched  with  the  corresponding 
part  in  the  Treasury,  and  being  found  to  fit  and  form  the  com- 
plete record,  the  money  was  paid  and  the  reunited  halves  of 
the  tally  stored  away  together,  for  ready  reference  in  proof  of 
settlement. 

In  1697,  while  the  old  metallic  currency  of  England  and  the 
realm,  was  being  wholly  recoined  and  brought  up  to  standard 
weight,  the  scarcity  of  currency  caused  extreme  embarrasment 
to  both  the  government  and  the  Bank  of  England.  The  credit 
of  the  government  and  that  of  the  bank  sunk  very  low,  and 
in  the  crisis,  the  king's  Exchequer  made  an  issue  of  Exchequer 
tallies,  for  various  sums  to  the  amount  of  hundreds  of  thou- 
sands of  pounds  sterling.  These  public  securities,  evidences 
of  indebtedness  on  the  part  of  the  government,  circulated  as 
money,  of  which  they  were  certainly  an  unique  variety.  Un- 
fortunately the  currency  of  Exchequer  tallies  soon  depreciated 
to  some  forty  per  cent,  of  their  nominal  value ;  meantime  the 
bank's  bills  were  at  20  per  centum  discount.  A  bold  expedi- 
ent was  used.  The  bank  advertised  new  capital  to  the  amount 
of  £1,000,000,  offering  to  take  80  per  centum  of  #ie  same  in 
the  discredited  Exchequer  tallies,  and  in  Treasury  orders  of 
no  more  value.  The  consequence  was,  the  government  was 
relieved  of  £800,000  outstanding  promises  to  pay,  which  be- 
came due  the  bank,  which  was  an  easy  creditor  of  the  king ; 
and  those  who  bought  stock  in  the  bank  were  made  responsible 
for  its  business. 

At  the  union  of  England  and  Scotland,  a  store  of  hazel  rods 
for  Exchequer  tallies  was  sent  to  Edinburgh,  but  were  never 
made  use  of  there.  The  use  of  these  tallies  being  abolished 
by  act  of  Parliament  (Geo.  J II,  C.  82,  1783),  the  great  quan- 
sity  of  them  which  had  accumulated  in  the  Treasury,  stored 
there  generation  after  generation,  were  ordered  to  be  de- 
stroyed (4  and  5  Will.  IV.  C.  15).  The  destruction  of  the 
Houses  of  Parliament  by  fire,  in  1834,  is  supposed  to  have 


ae  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

been  caused  by  the  overheating  of  the  flues  of  the  furnaces  in 
which  the  old  Exchequer  talUes  were  being  burned.  Such 
was  the  end  of  that  form  of  money.  Troublesome  and  cum- 
brous as  it  was,  the  wooden  Exchequer  tally,  for  all  its  sim- 
plicity, seems  to  have  been  a  more  reliable  check  upon  forgery 
and  fraud,  than  any  of  the  more  elaborate  and  convenient  de- 
vices since  made  use  of  in  England. 

Ancient  and  extensive  as  the  use  of  money  has  been,  in  all 
its  numerous  forms  and  varied  materials,  it  for  the  most  part 
merely  represented  a  value,  property  which  had  been  created 
by  human  industry  and  preserved  by  the  organic  action  of 
society.  In  fact,  however  convenient  money  has  been  found, 
and  however  primitive  the  forms  of  the  same,  there  is  some- 
thing still  more  essential,  in  a  formless  consideration,  the  true 
original  value,  expressed  only  by  the  free  tender  of  equivalent 
service.  Commodities  of  any  and  all  kinds,  derive  their  value 
solely  from  the  fact,  that  they  can  be  made  directly  or  indi- 
rectly to  sustain,  improve,,  or  comfort  human  existence. 

Human  Life  is  the  one  priceless  incomparable  possession ; 
life  is  sustained  and  made  better  by  industry.  Labor  helps  to 
live ;  service  in  any  form,  is  the  single  absolute  primitive  con- 
sideration^ universal  tender,  perpetual  eqyiivalent  and  sole 
creator  of  wealth.  This  rule  is  fundamental,  and  all  forms  of 
society,  each  plan  of  government,  every  scheme  of  finance  at- 
tempted in  ignorance  or  defiance  of  the  natural  law  involved, 
must  first  become  an  engine  for  the  enslavement  and  oppression 
of  the  people,  and  finally  be  reorganized  with  more  intelligence 
and  justice,  or  perish  by  righteous  rebellion  in  the  convulsions 
of  bloody  revolution. 

It  has  been  found  possible,  and  even  tolerably  convenient, 
to  supply  the  wants  of  a  vast  and  den?e  population,  to  develop 
a  high  degree  of  social  order,  to  support  an  elaborately  magni- 
ficent system  of  religion,  and  thoroughly  conduct,  over  im- 
mense territories,  in  peace  or  war,  a  comprehensive  and  pains- 
taking imperial  government,  all  without  any  but  the  rudest 
currency,  the  most  primitive  method  of  exchange. 


THE  PRIMITIVE  FORMS  OF  MONEY.        87 

Ancient  Egypt,  "the  land  of  monuments,"  contained  a  popu- 
lation of  from  five  to  eight  millions,  a  people  who  founded 
most  enduring  institutions,  with  imperial  dynasties,  continuing 
one  after  another  for  thousands  of  years  in  succession ;  a  most 
industrious  and  skillful  nation,  supreme  in  architecture,  grand 
in  sculpture,  remarkable .  in  painting,  and  practised  in  vocal 
and  instrumental  music,  scientific,  philosophical  and  profound- 
ly religious.  The  early  Egyptians  carried  on  an  extensive 
commerce  with  neighboring  nations,  having  a  most  advan- 
tageous position  for  the  great  trafl&c  which  enriched  their 
country  with  slaves,  cattle,  gems,  valuable  metals  and  rare  ob- 
jects of  curiosity.  The  rich  products  of  India  and  Arabia, 
age  after  age,  passed  through  Egypt  on  the  road  to  Europe. 
Under  the  earlier  dynasties,  the  chief  occupation  of  the  nation 
was  the  rearing  of  cattle,  the  cultivation  of  various  kinds  of 
grain,  and  the  development  of  architecture. 

The  Egyptians  became  a  wealthy  and  luxurious  people,  in- 
dulging in  banquets,  fishing,  fowling,  and  hunting  for  pleasure, 
and  exercising  themselves  at  a  variety  of  games  of  mingled 
chance  and  dexterity.  The  nobility  lived  in  splendor  and 
power,  each  one  of  their  establishments  containing  all  the 
officials,  artificers  and  facilities  necessary,  completely  organ- 
ized for  its  regular  maintenance-  Art  was  cultivated  in  such 
places,  science  and  philosophy  developed,  there  they  gathered 
the  wonders  and  wealth  of  many  strange  lands,  and  arranging 
them  in  museums,  collected  rare  animals  of  foreign  nativity, 
which  were  also  kept  for  ostentatious  exhibition. 

How  all  this  was  done,  without  money,  is  not  evident,  but 
such  seems  to  have  been  the  case,  unless  perhaps  certain  rings 
of  gold  of  given  weight,  may  possibly  have  formed  a  sort  of 
currency;  the  precious  metals  were  mentioned  by  pounds 
mna^  and  by  ounces  kat.  "Money,  in  the  form  of  coin,  was 
first  introduced  into  Egypt  by  the  Persians,"  when  that  nation 
made  the  conquest  of  the  land  of  the  Nile,  under  the  lead  of 
their  most  bloody  and  ferocious  tyrant  Cambyses,  some  629 
to  522  B,  C.     The  Persians  held  the  country  of  Egypt  till  the 


38  DYE'S   com  ENCYCLOPA'JDIA. 

fiJl  of  their  king  Darius  III,  336  to  329  B.  C,  by  which  time 
the  use  of  coin  had  been  made  common  in  many  nations. 

The  Toltecs  and  Aztecs,  cotemporaneous  tribes  of  the  Nahualtec 
or  ancient  Mexican  nation,  the  earliest  known  people  of  this 
continent,  and  their  successors,  supposed  to  have  been  settled 
in  Mexico  from  AD.  1200  or  earlier,  the  ruins  of  whose 
architecture  and  monuments  are  evidence  of  immense  popula- 
tions, endless  industry,  complete  organization  and  high  civili- 
zation, almost  of  enlightenment,  seem  to  have  left  no  relic 
which  could  be  considered  the  proof  of  any  varied  and  exten- 
sive coinage. 

-  In  their  traffic,  this  race  used  the  bean  of  the  cacao  nut 
(Theohroma  cacao\  a  bag  of  which  of  certain  size,  was  sup- 
posed to  represent  eight  thousand  units  of  their  money  of  ac- 
count. They  also  used  feathers,  the  quills  of  which  were 
filled  with  a  quantity  of  gold  dust,  which  represented  four 
hundred  units  of  value.  Besides,  there  was  an  Aztec  copper 
coin,  of  a  form  somewhat  like  a  crucifix,  or  like  the  letter  T. 
By  such  exceedingly  simple  means,  the  whole  business  of  the 
ancient  Mexicans  and  their  descendants  or  successors  seems  to 
have  been  very  successfully  managed. 

The  Aymaras,  the  earliest  known  inhabitants  of  the  Andine 
valleys  of  south-eastern  Peru  and  north-western  Bolivia  (a 
race  who  claimed  descent  from  the  Collayuas,  who  at  a  very 
remote  period  were  said  to  have  emigrated  from  the  north), 
constituted  the  sacred  island  in  the  great  lake  Titicaca,  the 
center  of  their  government,  the  site  of  wonderful  "temples 
dedicated  to  their  religion.  Though  distinct  in  language  from 
the  more  modern  QuichuaSy  the  race  of  Indians  governed  by 
the  Peruvian  Incas,  the  Ayvxaras  resembled  them  in  physical 
form  and  features.  To  the  Aymaras,  the  people  of  the  Incas 
w^ere  indebted  for  a  part  of  their  religious  rites  and  the 
knowledge  of  the  arts.  Tlie  Aymaras  were  successful  tillers 
of  the  soil ;  they  built  vast  temples  of  Cyclopean  masonry, 
and  other  edifices ;  they  wrought  with  skill  in  gold  and  sil- 
ver ;  they  were  proficient  in  sculpture  and  painting,  and  some- 


THE  PRIMITIVE  FORMS  OF  MONET,        39 

what  versed  in  the  science  of  astronomy.  Their  poetry  and 
religion  were  spiritualistic ;  their  priests  were  bound  to  celi- 
bacy, and  the  dead  were  held  in  religious  veneration.  Of  the 
Pre-Incarial  era  of  Peruvian  history,  the  age  of  the  Aymaras, 
compai  atively  little  is  to  be  known,  yet  the  abiding  remnants 
of  their  civilization  attest  the  superiority  of  the  race.  Their 
Cyclopean  architecture  was  copied  by  the  Incas,  and  the  senti- 
ments of  their  philosophy  were  reverenced  by  the  generations 
which  followed  them. 

The  religion  of  the  Aymaras  was  a  pure  Theism.  The 
name  of  God  with  them  was  Pachacamac ;  that  is  to  say, 
"The  Creator  of  the  world" — an  invisible  and  mysterious 
Deity.  The  vast  ruins  of  Tia  Huanacu,  12,930  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea,  situated  in  a  region  which  is  generally  a  frozen 
desert,  at  an  altitude  where  the  air  is  so  rare  as  to  be  hurtful 
to  the  human  constitution,  are  the  remains  of  the  capital  of 
the  Aymara  government — the  sacred  city  of  their  religion. 
The  Aymaras  were  succeeded  by  the  Quichuas,  who  made 
themselves  the  dominant  race  in  Peru  under  the  government 
of  the  Incas.  The  origin  of  the  name  of  Peru  is  unknown ; 
Manco  Capac,  the  first  Inca,  is  reputed  to  have  come  into  the 
government  about  A.D.  1062.  The  Quichims  were  a  gay, 
cheerful  and  energetic  people.  They  were  a  nation  of  indus- 
trious workers,  labor  being  enforced  upon  all,  that  each  might 
be  provided  for  and  the  commonwealth  preserved.  The  pub- 
lic industry  was  divided  for  three  objects.  The  people  worked 
the  first  part  of  their  time,  upon  lands,  the  produce  of  which 
was  set  apart  and  devoted  to  the  support  of  their  religion,  the 
worship  of  the  Infinite  Creative  Life,  which  they  considered 
symbolized  in  the  form  and  functions  of  the  Sun.  The  second 
part  of  the  time,  the  people  tiUed  their  own  fields,  or  were 
otherwise  employed  for  their  own  support,  and  the  rest  of  the 
days  were  spent  in  labor  for  the  Incas  or  upon  public  works. 

The  Quichuas  were  assiduous  cultivators  of  the  land;  In 
dian  corn  and  other  grains  raised  in  the  vicinity  of  the  tem- 
ples at  Titicaca,  were  sent  as  sacred  presents  to  all  parts  of  the 


,40  DYES  COIN  ENCYCLOPJ'JDrA. 

great  empire.  The  Inca,  though  regarded  as  an  embodiment 
of  divinity  himself,  a  "child  of  the  sun,"  tilled  the  ground, 
giving  an  example  of  labor,  in  honor  of  agriculture.  When 
the  time  came  for  the  service  of  the  Inca,  the  people  labored 
all  together  and  in  great  style,  with  gladness.  They  dressed 
themselves  upon  such  occasions  in  their  best  clothes  and  went 
to  the  temples  and  sang  hymns,  at  the  rising  of  the  sun.  They 
received  rations  when  in  the  public  service,  and  the  season 
was  made  a  patriotic  feast  and  festival.  Under  the  wise  sway 
of  the  Incas,  the  Quichuas  rose  rapidly  in  civilization  and  be 
came  skilled  in  many  of  the  arts.  They  spun  and  wove  the 
fleeces  of  the  llama,  vicuna,  and  alpaca,  they  worked  the  mines 
of  gold  and  silver  and  created  a  wonderful  system  of  public 
improvements. 

The  immense  stores  of  gold  and  silver  found  in  Peru  by  the 
Spanish  invaders,  were  taken  from  the  mines  by  Indian  in- 
dustry and  skill,  and  represented  the  accumulations  of  centu- 
ries among  a  people  who  used  the  precious  metals  only  for 
purposes  of  ornament  and  decoration.  The  cotmtry  of  Peru 
still  contains  vast  mineral  and  other  natural  wealth,  but  the 
energy  and  cheerful  patience  of  the  Quichua  miners  is  un- 
common among  the  present  population  of  the  country.  The 
amount  of  silver  bullion  produced  by  the  Peruvians  from  1630 
to  1303,  has  been  carefully  estimated  at  $1,232,000,000.  After 
the  independence  of  Peru  from  Spain,  the  production  of  the 
precious  metals  decreased.  In  1859,  Peru  is  said  to  have  ex- 
ported but  $1,000,000  worth  of  gold  and  silver,  including  the 
value  of  all  plate,  jewelry,  and  other  similar  articles  sent 
abroad.  Subsequently,  the  amount  of  precious  metals  mined 
in  Peru  increased  to  an  average  of  $5,300,000  a  year,  and  in 
1873,  the  quantity  of  silver  bullion  raised  was  valued  at 
$-5,000,000.  Owing  to  the  introduction  of  modern  machinery 
and  the  construction  of  railroads  by  Englishmen  and  citizens 
of  the  United  States,  the  yield  of  silver  may  still  be  much  en- 
larged and  perhaps  even  rival  tne  treasure  which  excited  the 
pruel  cupidity  of  Pizarro  and  his  avaricious  associates. 


THE  PRIMITIVE  FORMS  OF  MONEY        41 

The  houses  of  the  Qmchuas  were  built  of  adobes  or  sun- 
dried  brick,  and  were  planned  with  gables,  niches,  arches  and 
similar  features.  Their  temples  were  of  these  brick,  or  of 
stone.  If  stone  was  used,  the  blocks  were  cut  and  finished 
with  an  accuracy  and  smoothness  that  cannot  be  surpassed. 
Peru,  which  to-day  has  an  actual  population  of  about  two  and 
a  half  millions,  under  the  Incas  was  the  happy  honie  of  thirty 
millions.  To  provide  for  these  multitudes,  vast  tracts  of  arid, 
desert  lands  were  redeemed  and  made  productive  by  irriga- 
tion, the  water  for  this  purpose  being  obtained  by  a  wise  and 
extended  system  of  azequias  and  aqueducts,  and  also  by  exca- 
vating until  water  was  found.  Some  of  the  canals  and  aque- 
ducts connected  with  this  system  of  public  water  works  were 
between  four  and  five  hundred  miles  long.  In  the  grand  days 
of  the  great  Inca  Capac  Iluyana.,  a  national  road  twenty  feet 
wide  and  between  fifteen  hundred  and  two  thousand  miles 
long  crossed  his  territories.  To  com{)lete  this  work,  which 
was  for  foot  passengers  and  pack  llamas  only,  the  people 
having  no  hoi^es,  galleries  were  cut  for  leagues  in  the  solid 
rock,  rivers  were  crossed  by  suspension  bridges  formed  of 
plaited  osiers,  which  it  was  death  to  destroy ;  precipices  were 
ascended  by  massive  stairways  cut  in  the  stone,  and  the  val- 
leys were  crossed  at  a  level  on  causeways  of  solid  masonry. 
The  road  bed  was  of  broad  flags  of  freestone,  many  of  which 
still  remain  where  they  were  laid,  to  attest  the  thoroughness 
of  the  work  of  which  they  formed  a  part.  Over  this  road, 
from  station  to  station  built  beside  the  way,  the  runners  of  the 
government  passed  to  and  fro,  at  an  average  speed  of  about 
one  hundred  and  fifty  miles  each  day. 

The  Qaichuas  invented  no  alphabet,  had  no  books,  but  kept 
memoranda  or  even  full  historical  records  by  means  of  the 
quipu,  a  twisted  woolen  cord,  upon  which  strings  of  different 
colors  were  tied,  and  in  which  knots  were  formed.  Tliese 
quipu  could  be  read  by  educated  persons,  and  thus  the  history 
of  the  nation  was  preserved.  The  people  of  the  Incas  failed 
to  gain  a  knowledge  of  astronomy  as  complete  and  accurate  as 


42  DYE'S  com  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

that  of  the  NakuaUeea*  or  andeat  Mexicans,  yet  thej  culd- 
Tated  poetry,  had  dramas,  and  were  singers  of  many  sweet 
and  touching  songs,  which  won  the  admiration  of  the  Spanish 
oonquerers  of  the  oonntry.  After  the  invasion  of  Peru  by 
the  Spanish,  A.  D.  1516,  and  the  enslavement  of  the  nation, 
the  art  of  reading  the  quipu  was  concealed  and  eventually  lost, 
hence  we  have  no  knowledge  of  previous  events,  except  from 
tradition  and  a  study  of  relics  and  various  architecLural  re- 
mains and  monuments. 

Neither  the  Quichuas^  nor  the  Aymaras  who  preceded  them, 
had  current  coin.  What  system  of  exchange  they  used  is  un- 
certain, but  one  thing  is  obvious,  they  solved  the  problem 
understood  only  by  the  most  advanced  statesmen  and  philoso- 
phers of  Europe  and  America.  They  discovered  that  an  in- 
dustrious life  was  the  honorable  condition  of  existence ;  they 
made  labor  the  comer-stone  of  the  State,  and  accepted  it  as  a 
l^al  tender  in  payment  of  all  dues  to  the  temple  and  the  gov- 
ernment. The  revenues  of  the  ancient  Saxon  kings  of  Eng- 
land, were  paid,  not  in  money,  but  in  kind ;  that  is,  provisions 
of  all  kinds.  William  the  Conqueror  introduced  the  rule  of 
paying  taxes  in  money.  This  was,  however,  for  a  long  time 
received  at  the  Boyal  Exchequer  only  by  weight,  and  not  at 
all  by  count  of  the  pieces.  While  English  taxes  were  still 
payable  in  kind,  and  not  of  necessity  in  money,  military  or 
other  personal  service  was  accepted  by  the  crown  in  satis&c- 
tion  of  all  claims,  for  any  kind  of  tax  whatever.  Money,  in 
the  form  of  a  sound  currency,  is  the  representative  of  labor. 
Capital  is  the  work  of  the  past,  manifest  in  accumulation. 

Labora  Omnia   VinciL 


Ancient  Coinages. 


Metallic  money,  in  the  form  of  bars,  ingots,  rings,  and  pieces 
of  various  shapes,  and  different  kinds,  was,  in  very  ancient 
times,  found  a  more  convenient  medium  of  exchange  than  any 
other  article  of  barter.  Still,  great  as  the  improvement  was, 
the  use  of  metals  in  balk,  as  common  currency,  was  an  an- 
noying and  unsatisfactory  method  of  commerce.  The  two 
things  necessary  to  determine  regarding  every  piece  of  metal 
oflfered  in  payment  of  any  due,  were,  firstly  the  weight  or 
quantity,  and  next  the  fineness  or  purity  of  the  same. 

The  process  of  weighing,  even  when  applied  to  base  and 
cheap  ores,  must  be  conducted  by  the  careful  use  of  proper 
scales,  with  precise  notes  of  the  results.  In  the  precious 
metals  gold,  silver  and  their  high  grade  alloys,  a  very  small 
variation  in  the  weight,  makes  a  great  difference  in  the  value. 
As  to  weighing  small  amounts,  of  copper  for  instance,  the 
probable  deviation  would  subject  no  one  to  serious  loss,  at  any 
one  time ;  yet  to  measure  out  the  value  of  cents,  pennies  and 
the  like  in  this  manner,  one  at  a  time,  would  make  their  reck- 
oning and  disbursement,  cost  as  much,  or  more,  than  the  metal 
itself  was  worth ;  moreover,  this  expense  would  have  to  be 
met  in  full  by  time  and  trouble,  every  time  such  payments 
were  made. 

The  process  of  assay,  by  which  alone,  the  degree  of  fineness 
or  purity  of  metals  can  be  determinetl,  is  exceedingly  difficult 
and  very  tedious,  and,  unless  the  metal  to  be  tested  be  fairly 

(43)        ^ 


44  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOP.F.DIA. 

melted  in  the  crucible,  with  proper  dissolvents,  and  the  whole 
operation  skillfully  conducted,  any  result  obtained  is  incon- 
clusive, and  all  inferences  therefrom,  quite  uncertain.  Before 
the  invention  and  use  of  coined  money,  every  one  who  ac- 
cepted metals  without  assay,  even  when  they  were  carefully 
weighed,  was  subject  to  the  grossest  frauds  and  most  arrant 
imposition.  Instead  of  pure  or  standard  metal,  gold,  silver  or 
copper,  the  merchant  might  receive,  in  exchange  for  valuable 
goods,  a  base  composition,  an  adulterated  compound  of  the 
coarsest  and  cheapest  materials,  a  mere  imitation  and  counter- 
feit of  the  genuine  currency. 

In  a  primitive  state  of  society,  where  flocks,  herds,  crops 
of  grain  an  J  other  personal  propert}'  were  almost  the  only 
forms  of  wealth,  the  natural  tendency  and  disposition  of  men 
to  accumulate  riches,  led  them,  as  stated  on  a  previous  page, 
to  fix  a  special  value  upon  the  metals  as  a  durable  and  always 
available  kind  of  estate.  When  the  value  of  metals  came  in 
this  way  to  be  generally  recognized,  the  revenues  of  kings  and 
other  potentates,  were  collected  in  part,  or  wholly,  in  that 
form  of  money.  Then  the  government,  to  facilitate  public 
business,  stamped  the  various  pieces  of  metal,  with  their 
weight  and  quality,  as  they  were  received  at  the  Treasury ; 
and  according  to  these  stamps  and  marks,  the  same  pieces 
were  paid  out  of  the  Treasury,  and  so  circulated  among  the 
people  at  an  authorized  fixed  value.  The  next  step  was,  to 
reduce  current  pieces  of  metal,  to  a  uniform  size,  shape,  quali- 
ty, value  and  denomination,  and  make  them  by  special  enact- 
ment, a  legal  tender  for  the  payment  of  all  taxes  or  public 
dues.  Thus  a  legalized  currency  of  coined  money  was  created, 
and  the  exchangeable  value  of  the  various  metals  used  for  the 
purpose,  fully  established,  to  the  great  convenience  of  the 
world  at  large. 

Coinage  created  a  new  demand  for  the  metals  ;  it  made  them 
indispensable  in  a  department  of  political  and  commercial  rela- 
tion, for  an  office  which  up  to  that  time,  had  been  filled  by 
agricultural   and   other^  produce,  constituting   "payments  in 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  45. 

kind.  So  it  came  to  pass,  that  every  year,  each  citizen, 
needed  a  certain  amount  of  coin,  to  pay  the  king's  dues,  or  the 
government  taxes,  and  would  sell  his  surplus  cattle,  grain,  or 
other  commodities,  for  a  quantity  of  coins  he  could  preserve 
forever — which  were  accepted  in  payment  of  taxes,  and  with 
which,  he  could  buy  either  the  goods,  or  the  labor  of  his  fel- 
low citizens.  The  invention  of  coin  did  not,  however,  put  an 
end  to  trade  by  barter,  it  merely  supplemented  that  form  of 
commerce,  even  the  taxes  of  the  most  advanced  nations #were 
still  collected,  partly  in  provisions  or  paid  in  personal  se  vice; 
and  men  of  the  highest  civilization,  when  settled  as  colonists 
in  new  countries,  have,  until  very  recent  dates,  been  compelled 
for  want  of  money  in  measure  of  their  property  and  produc- 
tion, to  revert  to  a  currency  of  goods,  and  the  most  primitive 
forms  of  traffic. 

Coinage  having  been  originally  established  by  kings,  or  by 
national  authority,  monarchs  and  governments  have  ever 
since,  claimed  as  one  of  the  highest  prerogatives  of  the  su- 
preme power  of  the  State,  the  right  of  absolute  control  over 
"the  current  money  of  the  realm."  Hence  it  has  been  as- 
sumed that:  "The  king  can  fix  the  value  of  a  coinage,"  and 
parliaments  and  republics  have  acted  upon  a  similar  supposed 
principle;  unfortunately,  not  always  to  the  benefit  of  the 
people.  The  establishment  of  mints,  and  the  issue  of  current 
coin,  has,  quite  generally,  been  the  work  of  governments 
themselves ;  all  imitation  of  the  money  thus  created,  being 
severely  punished  as  a  felony.  In  modern  times,  the  metallic 
currency,  has  in  commercial  nations,  been  complemented  by 
an  equal,  or  larger,  nominal  amount,  of  paper  money,  in  the 
form  of  Treasury  notes,  or  the  bills  of  banks.  The  control  of 
paper  money,  as  of  coin,  is  retained  by  the  government  of  the 
country  where  it  is  made  use  of,  but,  within  more  or  less  defi- 
nite limits,  the  privilege  of  issuing,  in  common  with  the  gov- 
ernment, redeemable  notes  or  bills,  for  circulation  as  money, 
has,  by  enlightened  and  commercial  nations,  been  extensively 
conceded  to  banks  and  private  corporations. 


46  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

"While  the  manner  in  which  the  coinage  of  money  origi- 
nates, has  been  made  manifest  in  history,  again  and  again, 
there  is  no  knowledge  of  the  aboriginal  invention  of  coin. 
In  the  absence  of  any  record,  or  even  any  respectable  tradi- 
tion, the  people  of  classical  antiquity,  attributed  the  art  of 
coinage  to  a  revelation  from  the  gods,  making  their  mythical 
and  poetic  fancy,  a  graceful  confession  of  their  ignorance. 
The  Chinese  claim  to  have  had  coins,  or  at  least  pieces  of  cast 
metJti,  silver,  copper  or  iron,  used  as  money,  over  four  thou- 
sand years  ago,  their  supposed  primitive  coin  having  been 
called  Merchandise  Moneij^  which  was  coined  (cast),  of  silver 
some  2853  B.  C,  as  is  described  in  the  chapter  on  China,  in 
its  proper  place  in  this  Encyclopaedia. 

The  poems  of  Homer  make  no  mention  of  coin,  but  of  com- 
merce by  barter,  the  objects  of  trade  including  the  precious 
metals.  Not  to  discuss  antique  fables,.of  an  assumed  religious 
character,  the  classic  Greeks,  who  used  coin  some  800  B.  C, 
attributed  its  invention  to  the  Lydians,  Avho  as  related  by  the 
ancient  historians  Herodotus  and  Xenophanes,  were  the  first 
of  mankind  who  coined  and  used  gold  and  silver  money 
(Herod.  I,  94,  Xenoph.  ap.  Poll.  1.  c).  The  other  and  more 
popular  tradition  was,  that  Pheidon  king  of  Argos,  first  coined 
both  capper  and  silver  money,  at  Aeginia,  and  was  the  first  to 
establish  a  system  of  weights  and  measures.  The  date  of 
Pheidon,  as  recorded  by  the  Parian  marble,  is  895  B.  C,  but 
the  ablest  writers  place  him  783  or  770  and  744  or  730  B.C. 

The  invention  of  coinage,  has  been  accredited  to  the  wife  of 
Midas,  a  legendary  king  of  Phrygia,  he  of  whom  it  was  said, 
that  his  touch  turned  everything  into  gold.  Phrygia  was  a 
division  of  Asia  Minor,  now  embraced  for  the  greater  part,  in 
the  Turkish  villayet  of  Khodavendighiar.  Lydia  was  a 
country  in  Western  Asia  Minor,  now  comprised  in  the  Turk- 
ish villayet  of  Aidin.  Asia  Minor  and  Greece  had  rich  mines 
of  the  precious  metals.  The  river  Pactolus  in  Lydia,  an  afflu- 
ent of  the  Hermus,  carried  an  abundance  of  gold  in  the  sands 
it  washed  toward  the  sea,  and  the  ledges  of  the  Timolus  and 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  47 

Sypylus  mountains,  contained  rich  veins  of  gold-bearing 
rock. 

The  earliest  gold  coins  of  Asia  Minor,  were  o^  eledrum,  a 
compound  of  native  gold  and  silver,  smelted  together  as  they 
came  from  the  mine,  or  the  sands.  The  oldest  specimens  are 
declared  by  some  well-informed  writers,  to  indicate  a  greater 
antiquity  than  any  pieces  of  the  whole  Greek  coinage,  which 
was,  at  first,  of  silver.  The  Chinese  assert  that  their  most 
recent  coin,  the  brass  or  native  bronze  casting,  called  tsien  or 
cash,  which  bears  the  inscription  of  tiing  pan,  which  signifies 
"current  money,"  had  its  origin  about  1120  B.  C,  at  the  com- 
mencement of  the  Chan  dynasty.  The  Romans,  for  nearly 
five  hundred  years,  from  the  foundation  of  their  city,  had  no 
coin  of  their  own,  the  first  being  struck  for  them,  as  stated, 
by  Servius  Tullius,  who  reigned  in  Rome  578-534  B.  C.  The 
Romans  ascribed  the  invention  of  coins  to  the  gods  Janus  and 
Saturn ;  the  mint  was  at  the  temple  of  Juno,  and  the  treasury 
in  the  temple  of  Saturn.  There  is,  however,  historical  evidence, 
that  the  Romans  not  only  procured  coin,  but  learned  the  art 
of  coinage  itself,  from  the  Etruscans,  a  peculiar,  ancient,  yet 
artistic  and  considerably  civilized  people,  natives  of  the  coun- 
try, known  as  Etruria,  or  Tuscia,  a  division  of  ancient  Italy, 
embracing  modern  Tuscany  and  some  adjoining  territories. 
These  Etruscans  were  called  Etrusci,  or  Tusci,  by  the  Romans, 
and,  and  Tyrrheni,  or  Tyrseni,  by  the  Greeks;  their  origin  is 
supposed  to  have  been  Asiatic,  and  they  may  have  brought 
the  skill  to  work  metals  and  to  make  coin,  as  well  as  their  ex- 
cellence in  pottery,  from  the  country  of  their  ancestors. 

It  may  well  be  supposed,  that  the  art  of  coinage  is  older 
than  Roman  or  Greek  history — the  various  pretended  in- 
ventors whose  names  have  been  given,  were  doubtless  but 
persons  of  enterprise,  who  simply  introduced  coined  money 
among  their  own  countrymen.  The  history  of  mankind  even 
in  recent  generations,  is  made  dubious  by  misstatement  and 
perversion  ;  a  few  centuries  back,  the  record  was  made  up  of 
fact,  fable,  and  myth,  in  varied  and  confusing  measure;  still 


48  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

more  ancient,  are  the  great  poems,  like  those  of  Ilomci-  and 
the  Sanscrit  literature,  of  remarkable  beauty,  replete  with 
suggestion,  but  in  their  pretended  chronicle  of  human  events, 
full  of  romance  concerning  imaginary  places,  ideal  heroes, 
demigods  and  deities ;  behind  these,  stand  the  monuments  and 
repose  the  relics ;  the  order  of  events  is  lost  amid  the  rem- 
nants of  the  distant  past;  the  course  of  time  is  wrapped  in 
oblivion,  and  only  tlie  geologic  strata  and  the  rolling  stars  in 
dicate  to  us  what  must  have  been,  when  men  were  not,  as  yet, 
on  earth. 

"While  other  noble  arts  have  been  lost,  that  of  coinage  ha- 
been  preserved.  All  conclusions  as  to  original  invention  antl 
first  use  of  weights,  measures,  and  coin,  are  of  necessity,  no 
more  than  speculative  inferences.  Asia  was  "the  cradle  of 
the  nations,"  India  "the  mother  of  the  gods"  ;  from  Asia,  and 
from  India,  has  come  the  advance  of  the  human  race;  an  emi- 
gration has  encircled  and  populated  the  earth.  Men  first  ap- 
pear in  history,  hard  at  work,  building  civilization,  urging 
progress,  using  the  arts  and  appliances  inherited  from  their 
ancestors,  whom  they  knew  as  heroes  and  worshiped  as  gods. 
Somewhere  in  Asia,  sometime  in  unchronicled  antiquity,  these 
ancestral  gods  invented  coin,  and  made  use  of  money.  The 
really  primitive  coinage  of  the  world,  was  perhaps  made  be- 
fore the  foundation  of  the  Chinese  empire,  and  the  Merchan- 
dise Money  of  the  Yii  dynasty,  or  the  isien^  struck  when  the 
Chan  family  began  imperial  rule,  may  neither  of  them  have 
been  at  all  the  oldest  or  most  perfect  antique  specimens  of  a 
truly  exceeding  ancient  art. 

A  coin  derives  its  name  from  the  French  word  coin,  which 
signifies  a  die,  or  stamp,  and  is  properly  and  strictly  a  piece  of 
metal,  generally  gold,  silver  or  copper,  impressed  with  certain 
devices  or  marks,  indicating  the  origin  of  the  coinage,  the 
quality  of  the  metal  used  in  the  same,  and  its  value  as  money, 
for  which  it  is  intended  to  be  kept  in  circulation.  The  mate- 
rials used  for  money  must  have  an  intrinsic,  or  at  least  gener- 
ally conceded  value,  the  more  uniform  the  more  desirable ; 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  49 

they  must  be  durable  to  resist  friction  and  abrasion,  and  non- 
corrosive  under  ordinary  agents  ;  they  must  be  easy  to  divide, 
portable  and  admitting  of  ready  operation,  both  in  smelting 
'and  combining  with  alloys,  and  in  the  mintage  by  which  they 
are  divided  into  uniform  sizes  and  marked  with  the  devices, 
designs,  and  inscriptions,  they  are  required  to  bear.  Gold, 
silver,  and  copper,  in  various  degrees  of  fineness,  have  been 
found  to  best  serve  the  purpose  of  .practical  coinage,  and  in 
consequence  these  metals,  together,  or  separately,  have  formed 
the  body  of  nearly  all  successful  coin  currencies.  There  have, 
however,  been  exceptions  to  this  rule,  so  important  as  to  de- 
mand notice,  and  the  composition  of  some  issues  of  the  mints, 
has  been  so  peculiar,  as  to  be  worth  remark  as  a  curiosity. 

The  Tao  or  knife  coins  of  China,  made  current  2453  B.C., 
were  made  of  cast  iron.  The  Pu  coinage  of  the  same  country 
2085  B.  C,  was  of  the  same  metal.  Iron  being  abundant  in 
Laconia,  and  in  the  countries  along  the  shores  of  the  Euxine 
sea,  the  ancient  Spartans  or  Lacedaemonians,  about  800  B.  C, 
and  the  Megarians  or  Byzantines,  some  650  B.  C,  coined 
money  of  it,  and  Aristotle  reports  {CEcon.  II,  2)  that  the  same 
metal  was  used  for  a  like  purpose  by  the  people  of  Clazomenae. 
There  is  also  reason  to  believe  that  iron  was  coined  and  used 
as  money  in  Rome,  during  the  early  ages.  Lycurgus  the 
Spartan  ruler  and  great  lawgiver,  about  825  B.  C,  banished 
gold  and  silver  from  Sparta,  and  made  a  Lacedaemonian  cur- 
rency of  iron,  of  which  an  amount  equal  in  value  to  one  hun- 
dred modern  dollars,  is  said  to  have  been  a  load  for  a  cart  and 
two  oxen.  When  the  Roman  conquerer  Caesar  landed  in  Bri- 
tain (55  B.  C),  coins  of  brass  and  iron  were  found  in  use 
among  the  natives.  There  are  no  specimens  of  ancient  iron 
coins  known  to  be  extant ;  the  material  of  which  they  were 
composed  being  very  liable  to  rust,  they  must  have  totally 
disappeared. 

Coins  of  Lead  are  frequently  mentioned  by  the  classical 
poets,  and  a  number  of  pieces  struck  from  that  metal,  are  pre- 
served ;  a  leaden  slater,  is  one  of  the  curiosities  of  the  British 
D 


50  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Museum.  Leaden  coins  were  current,  a  short  time  since,  in 
the  Burman  empire,  but  good  authorities  consider  the  ancient 
coins  of  lead,  not  likely  to  have  been  a  true  money,  but  rather, 
proof  pieces,  medallets,  or  mere  tokens,  like  the  leaden  coin- 
age, which  for  many  years,  previous  to  A.  D.  1700,  some  of 
the  tradesmen  of  London,  Ensfland.  were  in  the  habit  of  is- 
suing,  and  which  circulated  as  money,  instead  of  the  copper 
currency. 

The  tyrant  of  Syracuse,  Dionysius  I,  who  ruled  from  405 
to  367  B.  C,  coined  money  of  tin,  but  beyond  the  record  of 
this  fact  (Aristot.  (Econ.  II,  2,  Pollux,  IX,  79),  there  is  no 
notice  of  this  tin  money  of  Syracuse,  except  that  a  law  in  the 
Digest  makes  reference  to  spurious  coin  of  that  metal.  Tin 
has  been  used  for  coinage  at  various  dates  in  modern  history, 
as  maybe  noted  in  the  introduction  to  this  volume,  but  of  the 
ancient  tin  coin  none  remain  extant. 

The  primitive  coins  of  Rome  (578  to  534  B.C.),  were  of 
copper  or  bronze,  the  first  coinage  of  Greece,  supposed  to  be 
about  800  B.  C,  Avas  of  silver,  and  the  earliest  historic  money 
of  Asia  Minor  was  in  pieces  struck  from  native  gold  or 
electrum^  as  has  already  been  stated. 

The  Carthagenians  had  a  kind  of  leather  coin  or  money — 
currency  at  least,  and  Numa  Pompilius  the  second  king  of 
Rome,  who,  according  to  traditional  legends,  began  his  reign 
791  B.  C,  made  use,  it  is  said,  of  both  wood  and  leather  for 
coinage.  Leather  money,  or  currency,  was  also  stamped  and 
used  by  the  Spartans,  and  shells  were  an  extremely  ancient 
substitute  for  coin.  Leather,  wood  and  paper  have  been  coined 
in  modern  times,  and,  in  certain  countries,  have  had  an  exten- 
sive circulation,  yet  the  true  character  of  the  ancient  pieces  of 
like  material  remains  undecided,  very  respectable  authorities 
assuming  that  they  were  not  legitimate  coin,  but  rather  a  sort 
of  counters,  mere  tokens  of  value.  Ilowevcr  this  should  be 
.settled,  pieces  of  base  metal,  wood,  or  leather,  when  coined  or 
stamped  in  significance  of  the  Jiatt  or  authoritative  regulation 
of  imperial,  or  other  power,  seem  to  have  been  current  at  va- 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  61 

rious  places  and  times  from  the  earliest  historical  dates,  and 
whether,  strictly  speaking,  coin  and  money,  or  not,  they  filled 
more  or  less  completely,  the  office  of  a  medium  of  exchange — 
possibly  somewhat  as  irredeemable  paper  money  has  been  used 
in  modern  times. 

In  States  where,  as  in  Rome,  a  coinage  has  been  developed 
and  perfected  within  the  historical  period,  the  progress  of  the 
art  of  the  mint,  has  been  progressive  from  a  mere  figure 
struck  upon  a  mass  of  metal,  to  designate  its  weight,  what- 
ever that  weight  might  chance  to  be,  onward  to  forming 
pieces  of]  money  of  certain  definite  sizes  and  shapes,  of  a  pre- 
determined weight.  The  next  step  in  improvements  upon 
coin,  has  been  the  decoration  of  the  piece,  by  expressive  orna- 
ments, symbols  and  natural  figures,  such  as  animals,  men, 
birds,  plants  and  flowers,  or  other  and  artificial  objects.  The 
first  coins  were  but  ingots  of  metal,  stamped  in  but  one  place, 
with  a  single  die.  After  these  ingots  had  l)een  reduced  to  a 
uniform  size  and  form,  and  had  for  some  time  been  in  use, 
marked  only  with  their  weight,  and  with  some  figure  as  an 
ornament,  it  was  found  necessary  to  add  to  the  inscription  and 
device,  some  other  mark,  to  indicate  the  fineness  of  the  metal 
bearing  the  impression.  On  such  pieces,  the  device  or  symbol 
was  a  mint-mark,  proving  the  character  of  the  authoriesed 
coin. 

The  primitive  coins  were  oblong,  irregular  masses,  stamped 
only  ujwn  one  side,  as  has  been  described.  These  were  suc- 
ceeded by  pieces  formed  as  oblate  spheres,  balls  of  metal,  like 
bullets,  but  more  or  less  flattened  at  the  poles,  thus  forming 
plane  surfaces  opposite  each  other,  constituting  the  obverse 
and  the  reverse  of  the  coin.  Later  still,  these  balls  were  ham- 
mered or  cast  into  thin  disks  or  plates,  of  an  irregular,  erratic 
circular  outline  or  circumference.  Afterwards,  the  body  of 
the  coin  was  made  more  perfect  and  the  edge  reduced  to  a 
true  circle.  With  the  introduction  of  the  ball-like  pieces,  be- 
gan the  practice  of  stamping  coin  on  both  of  its  opposite 
sides.     The  die  bearing  the  figures  denoting  the  weight  of 


$j^  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

tbe  coin,  tlie  fineness  of  the  metal,  the  locality  of  the  mint  ex- 
ecuting the  woi  k,  and  the  authority  for  the  coinage,  sucb  as 
had  formerly  been  used  alone,  on  the  oblong  ingots,  was  im- 
pressed upon  the  obverse.  The  simple  devices  first  stamped 
upon  coin,  were  subsequently  improved  in  form  and.  exQcu- 
tion,  and  to  them  were  presently  added  many  others,  figures 
of  gods,  genii,  river  and  wood  sprites,  nymphs,  and  similar 
mythological  representations.  Portraits  of  men  and  women, 
so  universal  upon  the  coinage  of  modern  times,  were  not  used 
upon  the  money  of  former  ages.  The  first  reported  instance 
of  portraiture  upon  coin,  was  the  use  of  a  likeness  of  Arche- 
laus  of  Macedon,  from  413  to  399  B.  C. ;  there  are,  however, 
doubts  that  the  face  upon  the  coins  of  Archelaus  is  a  portrait, 
and  some  insist,  that  no  human  head  was  ever  stamped  upon 
a  coin,  until  after  the  death  of  Alexander  the  Great,  when,  he 
being  regarded  as  somewhat  of  a  divinity,  his  effigy  was,  upon 
that  pretense,  impressed  upon  money  like  that  of  other  gods. 

The  impression  appearing  upon  the  reverse  of  the  very 
ancient  coins,  was  for  sometime,  nothing  more  than  a  rude 
punch  mark  or  indent.  The  process  of  coinage  in  the  first 
place  was  as  follows;  The  Sie  for  the  obverse  of  the  piece, 
having  been  engraved,  so  as  to  properly  present  the  religious 
or  national  symbol  used  for  a  device,  and  whatever  else  was 
to  be  impressed  upon  the  coin,  was  fixed  immovably  in  an  an- 
vil or  pedestal,  face  upwards.  The  lumps  or  balls  of  metal 
having  been  made  of  a  fixed  and  uniform  weight,  and  nearly 
an  oblate  sphere  in  form,  were  seized  in  a  strong  and  peculiar 
pair  of  tongs  and  laid  as  fairly  as  might  be,  upon  the  upturned 
die.  A  second  operative,  then  placed  a  punch  or  wedge, 
^uarely  and  steadily  upon  the  ball  of  metal.  This  punch 
was  then  driven  down,  with  blows  from  a  hammer,  until  the 
metal  beneath  it,  had  been  forced  into  every  part  of  the  die, 
and  thus  a  good  and  perfect  impress  secured  therefrom.  By 
this  time,  the  punch  would  be  deeply  imbedded  in  the  back 
of  the  lump  of  metal,  and  being  withdrawn,  the  reverse  of  the 
coin,  would  show  a  rough  depression,  corresponding  to  the 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  53 

shape  given  the  end  of  the  punch.  The  use  of  the  punch 
enabled  the  workman  to  strike  the  coin  without  driving  it 
about  on  the  face  of  the  die.  The  most  noticeable  improve- 
ment in  the  early  stages  of  the  art  of  coinage,  is  that  made 
from  time  to  time  in  the  character  of  the  impression  by  the 
punch  upon  the  reverse  of  the  coin.  Beginning  as  a  mere 
dent,  cleft,  or  rough  irregular  hole  disfiguring  the  piece, 
punch  marks  have  developed  into  geometrical  forms,  these 
forms  have  been  combined  with  figures,  and  the  whole  wrought 
into  artistic  design,  until  by  degrees,  the  punch  itself  became 
a  die,  making  the  reverse  of  each  piece  upon  which  it  was 
used,  equal  in  every  respect  to  the  obverse,  of  which  it  was 
the  opposite.  This  perfection  of  the  reverse,  was  however, 
secured  at  the  expense  of  the  effectiveness  of  the  punch  for 
its  original  purpose.  The  striking  of  coin  between  two  dies, 
which  were  required  to  accurately  oppose  each  other,  was  an 
ope:ation  requiring  great  dexterity,  and  not  at  all  certain. 
The  artisans  at  this  stage  of  the  work  hit  upon  the  expedient 
of  using  both  the  obverse  and  reverse  die,  in  a  ring,  of  such  a 
size  and  depth,  as  to  be  a  guide  to  each  of  them.  Moreover, 
the  balls  or  disks  of  metal,  being  heavily  struck  inside  the 
ring,  between  the  dies,  were  forced  to  assume  an  even  thick- 
ness, and  a  circular  form,  corresponding  with  the  inside  of  the 
ring.  When  the  ring  had  been  used  in  this  way  for  some 
time,  it  was  engraved  upon  the  inside,  and  the  coins  produce*^', 
were  not  only  completely  circular,  but  stamped  upon  their- 
edges.  Thus  was  produced  the  perfect  coin,  and  though  the 
introduction  of  machinery  has  secured  uniformity  in  the  re- 
sult, and  saved  an  immense  amount  of  labor  in  striking  vast 
sums,  the  artistic  beauty  of  some  of  the  antique  specimens  has 
not  been  surpassed. 

The  names  or  denominations  of  Coins,  have  generally  been 
derived  from  terms  which  signified  weight  or  measure,  and 
the  primitive  coinage  was  of  the  full  weight  the  denomination 
implied.  The  word  Staler,  derived  from  the  Greek,  means  a 
standard  of  weight,  and  in  the  first  Greek  coinages,  v/hich 


H 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


were  of  silver,  was  applied  in  particular  to  the  principal  coin^ 
t^e  didrachm.  When  Greece  began  to  coin  gold,  the  prin- 
cipal gold  coin  receiv'ed  the  name  of  a  Stater.  The  word  Sta- 
ter may  in  general  be  understood  to  mean  a  gold  piece  twice  the 
jireight  of  an  Attic  silver  drachma,  twenty  drachmas  in  value. 
One  of  the  very  oldest  coins  in  existence  is  the  Gold  Double 
Stater  of  Miletus  in  Ionia. 


Gold  Double  Stater  of  Miletus. 
The  representation  of  this  coin  shows  as  its  type  on  the  ob- 
verse the  figure  of  a  lion's  head,  derived  from  the  symbols  of 
the  Bacchanalian  worship  of  Cybele  or  Rhea,  the  wife  of 
Chronos  or  Saturn,  the  mother  of  the  highest  of  the  gods  and 
goddesses.  The  reverse  of  the  Stater  is  impressed  with  the 
rude  punch  mark  peculiar  to  a  primitive  coinage. 


Gold  Stater  of  Sardis. 
The  Gold  Stater  of  Sardis  is  thought  by  some  to  be  even 
older  than  the  Stater  of  Miletus.  The  illustration  here  pre- 
sented bears  upon  the  obverse,  the  type  of  the  lion  and  the 
Dull,  two  objects  prominent  in  ancient  symbolism,  here  sup- 
posed to  represent  the  triumph  of  the  king  over  all  opposi- 
tion.    The  reverse  shows  the  ancient  punch  mark. 


Persian  Gold  Daric.    Actual  Sizbl 


ANCIENT   COINAGES.  65 

The  Persian  Gold  Daric  was  a  coin  of  very  ancient  date,  re- 
sembling the  Staters,  and  sometimes  classed  with  them ;  it 
was  called  by  the  Greeks  the  Stater  of  Dareius.  The  figure 
of  the  kneeling  archer  upon  the  obverse  was  the  royal  em- 
blem of  the  kings  of  Persia.  The  reverse  shows  the  ancient 
punch  mark,  which  is  struck  deeply  upon  these  pieces.  It  is 
supposed  by  some  that  the  daric  was  coined  before  Dareius, 
son  of  Hystaspes,  but  the  weight  of  authority  seems  opposed 
to  the  conclusion.  The  Persian  Gold  Daric  had  a  great  circu- 
lation, not  only  in  Persia,  but  in  other  countries,  especially  in 
Greece,  before  the  coinage  of  gold  was  begun  there.  Speci- 
mens of  this  coinage  are,  however,  rare,  as  the  Persian  gold 
coin  was  melted  down  in  great  quantities,  to  make  the  coins 
struck  in  the  name  of  Alexander  the  Great  of  Macedonia. 


Macedonian  Stater. 

The  Macedonian  Stater  was  of  the  coinage  of  Philip  II  and 
of  Alexander  the  Great.  It  was  made  of  very  fine  gold ;  the 
standard  of  the  coinage  was  the  Attic  didrachm.  Specimens 
of  this  coin  are  yery  numerous,  it  having  been  in  circulation 
in  Greece  during  modern  times,  where  it  was  valued  at  about 
twenty-five  shillings  sterling.  Its  actual  value  is  estimated 
by  good  English  writers  at  j£l,  3s,  6d,  .0372  farthings. 

The  advance  in  the  art  of  coinage  is  illustrated  in  the  silver 
pieces,  first  struck  by  the  Greeks  at  ^Egina,  an  island  about 
nine  miles  long  and  about  seven  miles  wide,  some  twelve 
miles  S.  S.  W,  of  the  Piraeus,  in  what  was  the  Saronic  gulf, 
now  the  gulf  of  -^gina.  The  oldest  silver  coins  now  in  ex- 
istence were  coined  on  ^gina.  The  type  of  this  coinage  is  a 
tortoise,  and  the  pieces  are  of  three  distinct  periods.  In  the 
first  period  rude  coins  were  made,  the  figure  of  the  tortoise 
on  the  obverse  being  but  a  rude  suggestion  of  the  type,  and 


66  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

the  punch  mark  Dothing  but  four  irregular  clefts.  During 
the  second  period,  the  punch  mark  became  more  symmetrical 
and  regular.  On  the  coins  of  the  third  period,  the  type  of  the 
obverse  is  elaborated  and  the  punch  mark  upon  the  reverse  as- 
sumes the  nature  of  a  device. 


Silver  Coin  of  ^gina.    Third  Period. 

The  next  improvement  in  coinage  was  to  give  the  end  of 
the  punch  a  finish  showing  a  higher  degree  of  design,  though 
still  but  a  rude  conception  wrought  into  an  imperfect  geome- 
trical figure,  an  instance  of  which  occurs  in  the  coins  struck 
by  the  Corinthian  and  Dorian  colony  which,  emigrating  to 
Sicily  under  Archias  of  Corinth,  founded  the  city  of  Syracuse 
734  B.  C. 


Coin  of  Syracuse. 

The  next  step  was  a  bold  innovation ;  it  consisted  in  making 
the  punch  a  fac  simile  of  the  die — -yet  in  reverse.  In  this 
way  a  coin  was  made  bearing  the  design  in  relief  on  one  side, 
with  an  incused  concave,  or  sunken  impression  of  the  same 
in  the  other.  Some  of  the  coins  produced  in  this  way,  are 
good  specimens  of  art.  An  excellent  example  is  afforded  in 
the  coins  of  Tarentum,  an  important  city  of  Magna  Graecia, 
founded  by  Greek  colonists  in  southern  Italy,  the  greatness 
of  which  dates  from  about  708  B.  C.  The  incused  coins  of 
Tarentum  were  first  produced  as  early  as  600  B.  G.     In  some 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  57 

pieces  of  money  of  this  description,  tlie  incused  reverse  va- 
ries in  design  from  the  obverse.  Coins  having  both  obverse 
and  reverse  struck  in  relief,  were  made  in  Magna  Graecia  some 
510  B.C.,  and  this  form  of  coinage  came  into  common  use  in 
about  a  century,  or  before  400  B.  C. 


Incused  Coin  of  Tarentum. 

Another  form  of  improvement  of  the  reverse,  was  to  sur- 
round the  punch  mark  with  a  band,  upon  which  was  inscribed 
some  name  or  legend.  Again,  the  punch  was  made  to  strike 
a  very  broad  and  shallow  regular  depression  of  four  adjoining 
squares,  something  like  a  device,  in  the  center  of  which  was 
a  circular  space  bearing  a  head. 


Improved  Reverse. 

In  this  manner,  step  by  step,  the  perfect  reverse  was  de- 
veloped, and  the  complete  coin  fully  invented.  One  of  the 
earliest  specimens  of  the  use  of  the  perfect  reverse,  is  a  very 
beautiful  medal  struck  at  the  city  of  Syracuse,  already  men- 
tioned. 

The  obverse  of  this  medal,  bears  the  head  of  the  deity  called 
by  the  Eomans  Proserpina,  the  wife  of  Ilades,  the  infernal 
goddess  of  death,  yet  the  all-pervading  goddess  of  nature,  who 
produces  and  destroys  everything.     The  head  is  accompanied 


58  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOP.EP TA. 

bj  symbolic  dolphins  and  inscriptions.  The  reverse  repr© 
sents  a  charioteer  reignins:  in  his  four  horses  abreast,  while 
the  flying  goddess  of  Victory  stoops  to  crown  him  with  a 
wreath  of  laurel  for  his  triumph  in  the  races  of  the  Olympian 
games.  This  artistic  design  of  the  reverse  appears  also  upon 
the  Staters  of  Philip  of  Macedon,  and  was  imitated  in  a  num- 
ber of  coinages. 

V 


Medal  of  Syracuse. 

The  historian  Herodotus,  who  ascribes  the  origin  of  coin  to 
Asia,  says  the  Lydians  were  the  first  to  coin  gold,  and  as  far 
as  he  knew,  the  first  to  coin  any  kind  of  metal.  These  gold 
coins  of  the  Lydian  kings  were  of  electrum  and  are  of  exceed- 
ingly antique  appearance,  as  is  shown  in  the  illustrations 
already  presented.  The  date  of  this  coinage  is  unknown, 
but  it  preceded  that  made  in  copper  and  silver  by  the  Grecians 
some  800  B.  C.  Greek  writers  attribute  the  invention  of 
coinage  (as  well  as  weights  and  measures),  to  Phidon,  king  of 
Argos,  and  suppose  that  ^gina  was  the  birthplace  of  the  art, 
Phidon  having  first  coined  both  copper  and  silver  on  that 
island.  The  date  of  the  earliest  Grecian  gold  coinage  is  un- 
known. The  old  States  of  Etruria  and  Central  Italy,  peopled 
as  is  supposed  from  Asia,  had  a  coinage  of  copper  and  bronze 
from  the  earliest  times  of  which  we  can  gain  any  information. 
The  Romans  coined  copper  or  bronze  under  Servius  Tullius 
578  to  534  B.  C.  The  historian  Pliny  fixes  the  date  of  the 
first  Roman  coinage  of  silver  at  269  B.  C,  but  other  authori- 
ties assume  silver  was  first  coined  in  Rome  about  281  B.  C. 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  59 

The  coinage  of  the  Persian  darics,  which  were  struck  in 
both  gold  and  silver,  is  supposed  to  have  been  begun  by  Da- 
rius, the  son  of  Hystaspes,  from  521  B,  C.  to  485  B.  C.  It  is 
understood  there  is  historical  evidence  of  the  use  of  coin  as 
soon  as  the  eighth  century  before  Christ ;  within  twelve  hun- 
dred years,  or  by  the  fourth  century  after  Christ,  the  use  of 
coined  rnoney  was  common  throughout  the  civilized  nations 
of  the  world,  every  State  having  created  a  proper  coinage  of 
its  own.  To  the  Greeks  must  be  given  the  credit  of  perfect- 
ing the  art  of  coinage — at  least  as  far  as  the  development  of 
the  obverse  and  reverse  are  to  be  considered,  the  application 
of  the  circular*matrix,  or  ring,  by  which,  as  has  been  stated, 
the  edge  of  the  coin  was  made  true  and  circular,  did  not  occur 
until  sometime  in  the  seventh  or  eighth  century  of  the  Chris- 
tian era.  The  coins  of  the  Macedonian  empire,  the  work  of 
Greek  artists,  were  especially  remarkable  for  boldness  and 
beauty  of  design. 

The  art  of  coinage  spread  very  rapidly ;  within  a  few  cen- 
turies every  independent  nation  had  its  own  coinage,  and 
almost  every  colony  of  Greece  struck  money  of  its  own. 
There  are  more  than  a  thousand  series  of  the  coins  of  self- 
governing  cities  of  Greece  still  extant.  The  Grecian  coinage 
was  in  general  very  artistic,  and  Grecian  die-sinkers  and  coin- 
ers were  employed  in  different  countries.  Beside  the  Greek, 
there  v;ere  two  other  classes  of  coinage,  the  Roman  and  the 
Gra^co  Oriental  or  Byzantine.  Greek  coins  are  found  in  the 
European  countries  of  ancient  Spain,  Gaul,  Great  Britain,  Italy, 
Sicily,  Thrace,  Macedonia,  Thessilia,  Attica,  Boaetia,  and  the 
Peloponnesus,  also  in  Asia,  in  Ionia,  Phrygia,  Lydia,  Caria, 
Cilicia,  Phoenicia,  Egypt,  and  many  others  elsewhere.  The 
series  are  exceedingly  numerous,  each  comprehending  full  va- 
rieties extending  over  many  years,  in  some  instances  through 
centuries,  each  and  all  separate  from  the  issues  of  the  Roman 
empire,  and  its  subordinate  governments  and  colonies.  The 
Athenian  series  of  Greek  coins  was  the  most  important  and 
extensive,  but  while  much  of  the  coinage  of  the  Greek  colo- 


60  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

nies  was  magnificent  and  artistic,  the  coins  of  Athens  having 
become  widely  and  well  known  from  the  great  purity  of  the  gold 
and  silver  used  there,  were,  for  commercial  reasons,  allowed 
to  retain  the  originel  rude  forms  in  which  they  had  gained  so 
desirable  a  reputation.  The  inscriptions  on  the  earliest  of 
Greek  coins  were  merely  single  letters,  the  initial  of  the  name 
of  the  city  where  the  coinage  was  made.  The  other  letters  of 
the  name,  or  a  part  of  them,  were  added  in  later  coinages. 
When  inscribed  in  full,  the  name  was  in  the  genitive  case. 
Some  of  the  coins  also  bore  monograms. 

The  tetradrachm  of  Alexander  I  of  Macedon,  "the  Great" 
(500  to  454  B.  C),  was  the  first  coin  bearing  Uhe  name  of  a 
king.  Coins  struck  by  the  Edoneans  are  inscribed  with  the 
name  of  Getas,  their  king,  and  in  addition,  his  royal  title  and 
the  name  of  the  people  over  whom  he  ruled.  The  coinages 
under  Alexander  the  Great  were  abundant,  those  struck  in  the 
Greek  towns  of  Asia,  after  his  conquests,  being  very  numer- 
ous. Each  series  of  the  Alexandrian  coins  of  this  time,  has 
its  own  mint-mark.  Those  of  Rhodes  are  marked  with  the 
figure  of  a  rose.  Those  of  Ephesus  bear  a  bee,  and  so  forth. 
These  are  minor  types,  the  coins  generally  showing  as  princi- 
pal devices,  the  head  of  Hercules  on  the  obverse,  and  a  figure 
of  Zeus  on  the  reverse.  This  head  of  Ilercules,  has  been  con- 
sidered the  head  of  Alexander  himself,  but  authorities  differ, 
and  critics  consider  it  more  probable  that  his  immediate  suc- 
cessors were  the  first  to  place  their  portraits  upon  coin,  which 
they  are  said  to  have  done  under  a  pretended  descent  from  the 
gods  Bacchus  and  Apollo.  The  silver  coins  of  Seleucid»,  in 
Asia,  and  the  LagidfB  or  Ptolemies  of  Egypt,  in  gold,  are  two 
most  beautiful  and  important  scries  of  Greek  coins. 

The  Grecian  coinage  was,  first  and  last,  executed  under  three 
standards:  the  Euoboic,  the  Aeginctan,  and  the  Attic  or  So- 
lonian.  The  Euoboic  system  and  the  Aeginctan,  were  de- 
rived from  the  Orient,  and  were  identical  with  Babylonian 
.standards.  The  Attic  standard  was  introduced  by  Solon  about 
594  B.  C.     By  it  seventy-three  drachmae  of  the  old  coinage, 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  61 

were  represented  in  one  hundred  draclimse  of  the  new  issue. 
This,  Solon  was  said  to  have  done  for  the  relief  of  debtors,  in 
a  time  of  general  distress.  The  principal  denomination  of 
weight  and  money  among  the  Greeks,  and  among  the  Romans 
as  well,  was  the  talent^  which  consisted  of  sixty  minse,  each 
mina  being  of  one  hundred  drachmse,  and  each  drachma  six 
obli.  Thus  the  Ohol  was  one-sixth  of  the  drachma,  the  drach- 
ma one-hundreth  of  the  mina,  and  the  Tnina  one-sixtieth  of 
the  talent.  The  talent  and  the  mina  were  merely  denomina- 
tional moneys  of  account  not  represented  by  any  coinage. 

GREEK   COINS. 


Name  of  Coin. 

Wt  in  Grains. 

Value. 

Lepton, 

- 

$0  00.0466 

Chalcus,  or  Chalchus, 

- 

0  00.3260 

Dichalcus,  or  \  Obol,  in  Silver, 

2.77061 

0  00.6520 

Hemiobolum,  or  J  Obol,     " 

5.541J 

0  01.3050 

Obol  us,  or  Obol,        -          " 

.      11.0833J 

0  02.6100 

Diobolum,  or  Diobolus,       " 

-      22.1660 

0  05.2200 

Triobolum,  or  Triobolus,    " 

-      33.2500 

0  07.8300 

Tetrobolum,  —       -             " 

44.333J 

0  10.4400 

Drachma,  or  Drachm,          " 

-      66.5000 

0  15.6600 

Didrachma,  or  Didrachm,    " 

-    133.0000 

0  31.3200 

Tetraarachma,  —                 *' 

-    266.0000 

0  62.6400 

Pentadrachma,  —                " 

-    332.0000 

0  78.3000 

Stater  Aureus,  in  Gold. 

-    133.0000 

3  91.5000 

The  above  calculations  are  based  upon  the  Attic  Solonian 
Standard,  and  the  value  of  the  Stater,  counted  as  25  Attic 
drachmae,  reckoned  according  to  the  relative  value  of  gold  and 
silver  in  the  age  when  it  was  coined.  Reckoned  by  the  rela- 
tive value  of  gold  and  silver  at  the  present  date,  this  Athenian 
Stater  Aureus,  or  Chrysus,  as  it  is  sometimes  called,  would  be 
worth  $5,03.  There  were  Double  Staters,  Staters,  Half  Sta- 
ters, Quarter  Staters,  One-Third  Staters,  One-Sixth  Staters, 
and  One-Twelfth  Staters,  all  coined  of  gold,  and  of  propor- 


62  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

tionate  weight  and  value.  No  gold  coinage  is  supposed  to 
have  been  made  in  Athens  or  Greece  Proper,  until  the  epoch 
of  Alexander  the  Great,  356  to  323  B.  C,  or  sometime  after 
his  death.  The  mines  of  Greece  were  rich  in  silver,  but  com- 
paratively barren  of  gold,  and  though  an  abundant  gold  coin- 
age was  made,  but  ten  or  twelve  Attic  Staters  are  extant. 

The  large  amount  of  gold  coin  which  circulated  in  and 
about  Athens  from  very  early  times,  was  imported  from 
abroad,  as  was  the  gold  subsequently  coined  there.  The  pieces 
of  foreign  gold  coin  were  also  called  Staters,  some  of  which  were 
coined  in  adjacent  Hellenic  districts,  and  others  derived  from 
distant  countries.  The  Stater  of  Croesus,  the  immensely  rich 
king  of  Lydia,  about  568  to  554  B.  C,  seems  to  have  been  the 
earliest  gold  coin  known  to  the  Greeks.  The  Stater  of  Croesus 
was  of  about  the  same  weight  as  the  Attic  Aureus  of  133 
grains,  being  coined  of  pale  native  gold  or  electrum,  bearing 
some  silver,  but  worth  about  twenty  five  Attic  drachmae  of 
silver,  or  according  to  the  old  ratio  of  metals,  $3,91  5.  An 
antique  coin  in  the  British  Museum  of  2-48i  grains,  bearing 
the  figure  of  a  kneeling  man  holding  a  fish  and  a  knife,  is  sup- 
posed to  be  a  double  Stater  of  Croesus.     Value,  $7,83. 

One  of  the  common  gold  coins  of  Greece,  which  was  quite 
abundant  at  Athens,  was  the  Cyzicene  Stater,  or  Stater  Cy2si- 
cus,  coined  at  the  city  of  Cyzicus,  one  of  the  oldest  and  most 
important  of  the  Grecian  free  cities  in  Asia.  The  Cyzicene 
Stater,  appears  to  have  been  coined  of  the  Euboic  standard,  at 
a  weight  of  some  180  grains.  Some  specimens  of  this  coin, 
however,  weigh  but  160  grains,  others  but  120  grains.  About 
335  B.  C,  the  Stater  Cyzicus  passed  in  exchange  for  28  Attic 
drachmae  of  silver ;  calculated  thus,  its  value  would  be  $4,38.5. 
The  Stater  Daricus,  of  Persia,  of  which  an  illustration  and 
description  is  given  on  pages  54  and  55,  had,  as  there  stated, 
a  very  extensive  circulation,  and  was  much  used  in  Greece  and 
Athens.  It  is  agreed  by  ancient  writers,  that  its  weight  was 
exactly  equal  to  two  Attic  drachmae — that  of  the  Attic  Stater. 
Some  of  the  few  specimens  in  existence,  however,  weigh  but 


AN  or E NT  COINAGES.  68 

128-4  to  128-6  grains,  being  somewhat  worn.  If  of  full 
weight,  the  value  would  be,  for  133  grains,  $3,91.5.  Jose- 
phus  refers  to  this  Stater  darie  as  worth  50  Attic  drachmae — 
it  must  have  been  a  double  Stater  he  had  in  view. 

Beside  the  above  very  important  pieces  of  money,  a  number 
of  other  gold  coins  were  circulated  in  Greece  and  at  Athens, 
as  follows.  The  Stater  of  Lampsacus,  coined  in  Lampsacus, 
the  ancient  Pityusa,  an  Ionian  colony  from  Phocaea  and  Mile- 
tus— later,  an  important  Oreek  pcfrt  of  Mysia,  in  Asia  Minor. 
The  Lampsacene  Staters  were  of  very  unequal  weight,  and 
may  have  been  coined  of  the  Euboic  and  the  Attic  standards 
simultaneously.  Specimens  extant,  weigh  129  grains,  but  the 
average  may  have  been,  when  struck,  of  the  Attic  standard, 
intended  to  represent  133  grains,  and  in  value,  by  the  ancient 
ratio  of  metals,  $3,91.5.  The  type  of  this  coin  is  a  sea-horse. 
The  Stater  of  Phocaea,  coined  by  the  Phocaeans,  citizens  of  an 
ancient  town  named  Phocaea,  on  the  shores  of  the  ^gean  gulf, 
in  Asia  Minor,  originally  emigrants  from  Athens.  They  re- 
moved to  Corsica,  thence  to  Rhegium,  in  Italy,  and  finally  to 
Lucania  of  Magna  Grsecia,  in  southern  Italy.  The  Phocaeans 
were  described  by  Ilerodotus,  as  the  first  Greeks  to  make  ex- 
tensive sea  voyages.  The  type  of  their  coin  was  the  phoca  or 
seal,  said  to  have  been  taken  from  the  circumstance  that  seals 
followed  their  ships  during  one  of  their  early  voyages  of  emi- 
gration. The  Stater  of  Phocaea  is  said  to  have  followed 
the  standard  of  the  Stater  daricus,  and  must,  therefore,  be 
reckoned  of  the  weight  of  the  Attic  didrachma  of  silver,  133 
grains.     Value,  $3,91.5. 

The  Stater  Philipicus  and  the  Stater  Alexandrinus,  were 
coined  in  Macedon  by  Philip  II,  359-336  B.  C,  and  by  Alex- 
ander III  (the  Great),  336  to  323  B.  C,  after  the  standard  of 
the  Attic  didrachm  of  133  grains.  The  gold  of  this  Macedo- 
nian coinage  was  very  fine.  One  of  the  Staters  of  Alexander, 
upon  assay,  gave  133  grains  pure  gold  and  18  grains  of  silver, 
the  combination  being  supposed  natural  and  the  metal  elec- 
trum — the  pale  native  gold  already  described.     This  Stater,  at 


64  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

the  ancient  ratio  of  the  metals,  was  intrinsically  worth  XI,  3s, 
6d,  0.672  farthing  British,  or  $5,71.8-.  Staters  of  Philip  and 
Alexander  are  numerous,  and  not  long  since  the  Stater  Philip- 
picus  was  current  in  Greece  for  about  25  shillings  sterling,  or 
$6,03-.  For  an  illustration  and  description  of  the  Macedonian 
Stater,  see  page  55,  preceding.  The  later  Macedonian  kings, 
and  the  States  of  Epirus,  jEtolia,  Acarmania,  Syracuse  and 
others,  coined  gold  after  the  manner  of  the  Macedonians.  The 
Macedonian  Stater,  though  sometimes  rated  higher,  is  said  to 
have  been  generally  valued  in  exchange  at  twenty  Attic 
drachmte  of  silver,  which  would  make  it  worth  at  the  present 
value  of  silver,  about  16s,  3d,  British  currency,  or  $3,96-. 
Others  rate  the  Attic,  and  hence  the  Macedonian  Staters  as  ex- 
changeable for  twenty-eight  Attic  drachmae,  worth,  at  the 
ancient  ratio  of  metals,  $4,38.5.  A  Corinthian  Stater,  or  gold 
piece,  worth,  according  to  Pollux,  ten  Aeginetan.  or  twelve 
Euboic  Obols,  was  used  in  Sicily. 

The  Oldest  System  of  weights,  measures  and  coinage,  used 
at  Athens,  was  the  Euboic  Standard,  so  called  because  de- 
rived from  the  island  of  Euboea,  in  the  Aegian  Sea,  where  it 
was  used,  being  an  adaptation  of  the  Babylonian  system, 
having  been  imported  from  Chaldea  by  the  way  of  Phcenicia, 
after  the  time  of  Homer.  The  Euboic,  like  every  other  Greek 
system  of  weights,  measures  and  coinage,  was  based  upon  four 
denominational  units,  which  always  bore  the  same  relation  of 
proportion  to  each  other,  whatever  the  actual  value.  These 
were  the  Talent^  the  Mina,  the  Drachma,  and  the  Obol.  Six 
Obols  made  one  Drachma;  one  hundred  Drachma  made  one 
Mina ;  sixty  Mina  made  one  Talent.  The  Euboic  and  so  called 
"Old  Attic"  standards  were  identical. 

The  Aeginetan  Standard  was  the  one  most  extensively 
used  in  the  greater  part  of  Greece  at  a  very  early  date ;  it  was 
the  system  said  to  have  been  invented  by  Phidon,  or  Pheidon, 
king  of  Lydia,  but  which,  like  the  Euboic  standard,  was  really 
derived  from  Babylon  of  Chaldea,  and  merely  introduced  into 
L  dia  by  Phidon,  who  as  is  supposed,  struck  coins  under  it 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  65 

about  1200  B.  C,  but  not  of  necessity  on  the  island  of  Aegina. 

The  New  Attic,  or  Soloniax  Standard,  was  used  in 
Athens  after  the  establishment  of  the  laws  of  Solon,  about 
594  B.  C.  By  the  Solonian  standard,  73  of  the  old  Attic  or 
Euboic  drachmae,  made  100  drachmae  of  the  new  coinage.  1  he 
Aeginetan,  and  even  the  Euboic  didrachmae,  are  said  to  have 
passed  as  Solonian  tetradrachmae  at  times,  but  by  the  actual 
provision  of  the  law,  debtors  saved  somewhat  more  than  a 
fourth  of  every  payment,  as  was  intended  by  the  great  Athe- 
nian lawgiver  for  relief  of  the  public  distress.  The  reason  for 
the  precise  and  peculiar  ratio  adopted  by  Solon,  seems  to  have 
been  a  desire  to  bring  Athenian  exchange  into  a  definite 
mathematical  relation  to  the  popular  Aeginetan  standard, 
which  was  approximately  accomplished,  the  proportion  of 
value  expressed  in  a  numerical  ratio  being  as  follows  :  Aegin- 
etan, 1200 ;  Euboic,  or  Old  Attic,  1000 ;  New  Attic,  or  Solo- 
nian, 730,  or  in  practice  even  less. 

The  Talent  (money  of  account  only),  was  computed  vari- 
ously at  from  about  $1186,21  to  some  $1216,62.5.  The  Mina 
(also  money  of  account  only),  was  computed  at  from  about 
$19,77  to  some  $20,81.4.  It  is  to  be  understood  that  from 
the  intrinsic  difficulties  of  the  subject,  all  computations  of  the 
current  value  of  ancient  coinages  in  their  time  must  be  some- 
what indefinite,  and  hence  held  subject  to  revision,  being  re- 
garded at  the  best,  but  as  an  approximation  to  a  correct  gen- 
eral statement.  These  difficulties  arise,  firstly,  from  the  length 
of  time  during  which,  from  (as  supposed),  1200  B.  C,  or  less 
to  about  476  B.  C,  the  technically  so  called  "ancient"  coinages 
were  issued;  secondly,  from  the  numerous  kinds  of  coin 
struck  under  different  standards,  and  the  many  wide-spread 
and  distant  localities  where  mints  were  established;  thirdly* 
from  the  debasement  of  legalized  coin  and  the  multiplicity  of 
countei^eits.  However,  the  statement  made  gives  a  clear 
conception  of  their  relative  worth.  Their  intrinsic  value, 
at  the  present  ratio  of  metals,  can  be  determined  by  actual  as- 
say of  specimens,  but  even  so  the  ancient  coin  varied  exceed- 
E  • 


66  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

ingly  and  was  sometimes  excessively  debased  and  degraded. 
As  to  the  fineness  of  Athenian  silver,  the  coins  of  the  early 
ages  contained  one-twentieth  part,  or  five  per  cent,  of  alloy  • 
or,  as  we  now  state  the  matter,  were  950  fine — i.  e.,  nine  hun- 
dred and  fifty  parts  in  a  thousand  of  pure  silver.  The  silver 
money  struck  at  Athens  at  a  later  date,  was  celebrated  for 
purity,  containing  but  one-sixtieth  part,  or  16.666  per  cent,  of 
alloy,  being  983J  fine.  The  latest  of  the  ancient  Athenian 
coinage  of  silver  has  twelve  per  cent,  of  alloy,  and  therefore 
was  916.667  fine,  the  early  silver  coinage  of  the  United  States 
having  been  struck  of  silver,  916|  fine,  a  very  slight  differ- 
ence. Athenian  gold  coin  was  of  almost  perfect  purity — at 
least  was  so  considered.  The  Lepton  and  Chalcus  were  coined 
of  copper  bronze  or  brass.  The  dichalcus  or  quarter  obol, 
the  hemiobolum  or  half  obol,  the  obolus  or  obol,  the  diobolum 
and  tetrobolum,  were  coined  variously,  first  of  silver,  but  at  a 
later  date,  also  of  copper,  bronze  and  brass.  The  drachma, 
didrachma,  tetradrachma  and  pentadrachma,  were  coined  of 
silver  only. 

The  false  coinage  of  the  numerous  ancient  Greek  counter- 
feiters was  extensive  and  of  good  artistic  workmanship — many 
of  the  pieces  made  by  them,  in  imitation  of  genuine  money, 
are  still  extant  and  in  as  perfect  a  state  as  the  specimens  of  the 
original.  The  earliest  coins  of  Athens  have  the  figure  of  an 
owl  upon  the  obverse,  that  bird  being  regarded  as  the  symbol 
of  the  goddess  Athene.  Subsequently  there  was  a  change  of 
type,  the  head  of  Athene  herself  being  presented  upon  the  ob- 
verse, and  the  owl  appearing  upon  the  reverse  of  the  piece. 
For  an  illustration  of  this,  see  representation  of  the  Athenian 
Drachma. 

With  thi's  comparatively  brief  survey  of  the  ancient  coinage 
of  Greece,  a  vast  and  most  interesting  field  of  study  and  re- 
search, must  be  left  for  those  who  have  leisure,  means  and  the 
disposition  to  make  prolonged  investigations.  An  outline 
statement  of  the  matter  has,  however,  been  presented,  and  a 
good  general  idea  of  the  subject  may  be  had  from  the  few 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  &t 

pages  devoted  to  the  same.  Whatever  speculations  raaj  be 
indulged  as  to  prehistoric  events,  our  actual  knowledge  of  coin 
begins  with  Grecian  specimens  and  records  since  the  un- 
certain date  of  Homer.  Behind  the  Greeks  is  the  reafion  of 
conjectui-e  and  of  inference  from  ruins;  they  stand  in  the 
dawn  of  historical  time,  and  the  glory  of  their  courage,  their 
civilization,  culture  and  art,  fills  with  splendor  all  the  succeed- 
ing ages. 

The  system  of  money  most  intimately  connected  with  that 
of  Greece  was  the  coinage  of  Rome,  some  account  of  which 
will  now  be  given. 

The  conception  of  the  idea  of  weight,  must  have  been  one 
of  the  primitive  experiences  of  the  human  mind.  The  art  of 
mensuration  began,  when  the  first  man  took  his  first  stride. 
The  science  of  mathematics  started  with  a  count  of  the  fin- 
gers ;  to  sum  up  the  number  of  all  the  fingers  and  toes  a  per- 
son had,  was  once  a  mighty  problem  to  the  ablest — is  so  still 
to  whole  tribes  of  men. 

To  weigh — to  measure- — to  count,  this  was  the  probable  or- 
der of  progress;  coinage  was  a  brilliant  invention,  made  long"^" 
long  after  weighing,  measuring,  and  counting,  had  not  only 
been  in  use  for  ages,  but  reduced  to  a  combined  system,  and 
ihrough  the  art  of  letters  and  figures  made  a  matter  of 
record. 

As  has  already  been  stated,  the  first  coins  were  mere  rude 
masses  of  metal,  upon  which  was  impressed  or  inscribed  some 
word,  sign  or  figure,  in  token  of  the  weight  of  the  piece.  The 
first  coinage  was  indicative  of  weight  only,  regardless  of  the 
quality  of  the  metal,  but  as  the  art  of  alloying  began  to  be 
practised,  and  processes  upon  metals  multiplied,  the  stamp  was 
made  to  signify  both  weight  and  quality,  at  once,  and  in  some 
cases  by  a  single  figure  or  device. 

The  early  types  upon  coins,  figures  of  gods,  or  patriotic  em- 
blems, were  considered  sacred,  and  by  their  appeal  to  the  de- 
votional sentiments  or  national  feelings  of  the  people,  inspired 
confidence  in  the  money  made  legally  current  among  them. 


68  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

The  flomans,  emerging  from  semi-barbarism,  used  copper  in- 
gots as  money.  They  are  supposed  to  have  acquired  the  art 
of  coinage  from  the  Etrurians,  which  people  have  already  been 
referred  to  as  occupying  a  territory  adjacent  to  Rome,  being, 
perhaps,  emigrants  from  Asia  and  descendants  of  the  Pelasgi- 
ans,  a  somewhat  mythical  race,  cotemporaneous  with  the 
Phoenicians,  and  the  supposed  original  (?)  population  of  west- 
ern Asia.  The  Pelasgians  were  regarded  by  the  Greeks  as 
very  early  inhabitants  of  the  Greek  peninsula,  and  Homer 
sang  of  them  as  the  aborigines  of  that  country. 

The  first  type  used  in  Roman  coinage,  was  the  figure  of  an 
ox  or  bull ;  the  same  type  was  used  upon  the  most  antique 
money  of  Greece,  and  was  first  struck  on  Grecian  coin  in  the 
island  of  Euboea,  from  whence,  as  related  on  a  preceding  page, 
the  Euboic  standard,  derived  from  Babylon,  took  its  Grecian 
name.  The  Euboeans  are  imagined  to  have  chosen  the  type 
of  an  ox  or  bull  for  their  coin,  in  reference  to  the  name  of  the 
island. 

Considering  that  the  Euboic  standard  was  derived  from 
Babylon,  and  that  weights,  measures,  and  coinage,  were  proba- 
bly imported  thence  together,  it  may  well  be  assumed  that 
the  typical  ox  of  Rome,  Etruria,  ancient  Athens,  and  Euboea, 
were  derived  from  each  other,  and  originally  were  but  the 
symbol  of  the  Babylonian  and  Assyrian  deity  Bel,  or  Belus, 
identical  with  Baal,  the  principal  god  of  the  Chaldeans,  Car- 
thagenians  and  Phoenecians.  Baal  was  the  representative  of 
the  sun,  as  Astarte  was  of  the  moon,  and  by  the  mystical 
fructifying  relation  of  these  two,  nature  was  revivified  and  re- 
production maintained,  to  the  continuance  of  life.  In  the 
•symbolism  of  the  oldest  and  universal  systems  of  religion  and 
phallic  worship,  the  bull,  as  the  embodiment  of  power  and 
vitality  among  animals,  was  a  prominent  type  of  deep  sexual 
significance,  and  hence  the  form  of  the  bull,  variously  modi- 
fied, was  extensively  used  in  architecture,  upon  coins,  and  in 
other  conspicuous  ways  of  presentation.  The  image  of  Bel, 
or  Baal,  was  in  the  figure  of  a  man,  but  with  the  head  of 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  lfe 

a  bull.     This  image  held  ia  its  arms  the  form  of  a  young 
child. 


Coin  of  Euboea. 


The  Romans  had  a  currency  of  copper  which  passed  by 
weight,  from  the  time  of  the  foundation  of  their  government. 
Some  attribute  the  first  coinage  to  Numa  Pompilius,  the  suc- 
cessor of  Romulus,  while  others  ascribe  it  to  Servius  Tuliius 
(578-534  B.  C).  As  copper  circulated  in  Rome  by  weight, 
the  original  unit  was  the  Pondo^  Pondus  or  Libra,  the  pound 
of  that  metal.  The  full  Roman  pound  is  calculated  to  have 
been  4989  grains,  or  otherwise  estimated  as  5040  to  5053.635, 
or  5053.28  grains.  One  of  the  most  reliable  estimates  of 
the  Roman  pondo  is  based  upon  the  contents  of  a  metallic  ves- 
sel known  to  have  once  held  a  certain  measured  weight  of 
water,  but  the  calculation  is  made  uncertain  by  the  fact  that 
the  vessel  has  become  enlarged  upon  the  inside  by  oxydation. 

The  Roman  measure  of  quantity,  the  Amphora,  was  made 
to  hold  eighty  pounds  of  wine  or  oil.  The  Congiarium  held 
a  Conyius,  or  ten  pounds  of  fluid,  spoken  of  as  water,  but 
which  may  have  been  either  wine  or  oil.  The  metallic  ves- 
sel, upon  which  calculations  have  been  based,  is  the  Congia- 
rium of  Vespasian,  A.  D.  75.  Being  one-eighth  of  the  capa- 
city of  the  Amphora,  this  Congiarium  shows  the  Congius  to 
be  about  six  pints  liquid  measure.  This  vessel  was  measured 
by  Auzout  in  1630,  and  as  the  result  of  his  calculations,  he 
concludes  the  Roman  pound  must  have  been  5146.32  grains. 
It  was  also  measured  by  Dr.  Ilase,  in  1721,  and  he  states  as  a 
result,  that  the  Roman  pound  was  5203.79.  The  variation 
may  be  due  in  some  measure  to  the  continued  enlargement  of 
the  interior  of  the  vessel  by  corrosion  during  over  eighty  years. 

The  second  method  of  estimating  the  Roman  pound,  has  been 


■90  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

an  examination  of  the  numerous  ancient  weights  which  have 
lieen  preserved  in  the  various  museums.  These  weights,  with 
their  parts  and  multiples,  upon  inspection  and  comparison,  are 
found  to  vary  exceedingly — as  much  as  two  ounces  or  more 
in  the  pound.  This  is  what  might  have  been  expected,  from 
the  well  known  carelessness  of  the  Romans  regarding  con- 
formity to  their  standards  of  weighty  measure  and  money. 
Hence,  the  estimate  of  the  exact  value  of  the  pound  derived 
from  these  irregular  weights,  is  nearly  valuelesSi 

The  third  method  by  which  an  attempt  has  been  made  to 
accurately  determine  the  value  of  the  Roman  pound,  is  by  es- 
timates based  upon  calculations  from  existing  Roman  coins. 
.In  this,  the  authorities  are  Hussey,  who  fixes  upon  5010 
grains  to  the  pound,  and  Wurm  and  Bockh,  who  allow  5053, 
or  more,  grains  to  the  pound.  The  Romans  began  to  make 
light  coins  at  an  early  date,  hence  the  result  of  5040  grains  is 
supposed  too  small,  being  made  from  the  actual  weight  of  the 
ancient  pieces,  and  6204,  or  5053.635,  or  5053.28  grains,  is 
considered  by  experts  and  antiquarians,  the  nearest  approach 
to  a  statement  of  the  actual  weight  of  the  Roman  pound. 

The  old  English  pound  was  derived  from  the  weight  of  7680 
grains  of  sound  wheat,  from  the  middle  of  the  ear,  and  well 
dried.  The  pound  sterling,  was  originally  a  pound  weight  of 
silver,  divided  into  240  pence.  In  1532,  the  French  avoirdu- 
pois pound  was  introduced  by  king  Henry  VIII.  In  1588,  a 
pound  weight  was  made  by  order  of  queen  Elizabeth  and  de- 
posited in  the  Treasury  for  safe  keeping.  Upon  examination 
in  1758,  this  pound  was  found  to  be  1^  grains  too  light,  and 
was  discarded,  the  pound  Troy,  of  5760,  being  substituted,  as 
•the  standard,  m  its  place,  and  is  now  used  by  the  British  mint. 
The  pound  Troy  was  one-sixteenth  heavier  than  the  old  Eng- 
lish pound.  In  1834,  this  pound  weight  was  burned,  but  the 
English  standard  in  commerce  is  still  the  avoirdupois  pound 
of  7000  grains.  The  relation  of  the  avoirdupois  pound  to  the 
pound  Troy  is  nearly  as  that  of  17  to  14.  The  ounce  avoirdu- 
pois contains  437|  grains,  and  Dr.  Arbuthnot  estimates  the 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  71 

Roman  Uncia,  or  twelfth  of  the  Pondus,  to  have  been  of  the 
same  weight ;  this  would  make  the  Roman  pound  5250  grains, 
which  is  more  than  is  generally  conceded. 

The  estimate  from  the  Congius,  or  some  six  pints  of  liquid 
weighing  ten  Roman  pounds,  contained  in  the  Congiarium,  is 
made  uncertain,  because  we  do  not  know  the  exact  size  of  the 
vessel  before  it  was  corroded,  and  are  ignorant  of  the  specific 
gravity  of  whatever  liquid,  "wine"  or  "oil"  or  "water,"  itori- 
ginally  was  intended  to  measure;  neither  are  we  informed  as 
to  the  temperature  of  the  liquid  when  weighed  and  measured, 
or  of  the  altitude  and  barometrical  pressure  at  the  place  where, 
such  weighing  was  accomplished.  All  of  these  are  elements 
of  variation  of  the  most  important  character,  yet  by  a  general 
comparison  of  evidence  we  may,  perhaps,  come  very  near  the 
truth.  On  the  whole,  the  Congius  may  be  supposed  to  have 
been  of  say  5,200  grains — within  50  grains  of  the  estimate  of 
Br.  Arbuthnot,  which  enables  us  to  state  the  weight  of  the 
Roman  pound  as  from  11^  to  11 J  ounces,  or  somewhat  roughly, 
as  I  of  the  pound  avoirdupois  of  7000  grains,  that  now  used  for 
commercial  purposes  in  weighing  coarse  goods,  in  England, 
the  United"  States  and  elsewhere. 

The  Roman  name  for  copper  was  Acs ;  the  rude  ingots,  of 
brick-like  form,  first  coined  for  money,  were  called  As^  or  ^s- 
sanus,  Asse,  Aeries,  Aenei,  or  Aerii  in  the  plural.  After  the 
reduction  of  the  standard  of  Roman  coinage,  the  full  pound  of 
copper  was  designated  as  Aes  grave,  or  as  As  lihrales.  Subse- 
quently, the  term  Aes  grave,  was  used  to  signify  a  full  pound 
of  copper,  coin  or  otherwise.  Copper  being  an  obdurate  and 
intractable  metal,  either  to  cast  or  forge,  the  ancients  very 
early  sought  to  modify  its  character  by  admixture  of  other 
and  more  tractable  materials.  The  result  of  these  experiments 
was  the  production  of  a  composition  which  was  called  aes  by 
the  Romans,  as  copper  had  been  named  before.  This  aes  has 
been  described  as  "brass,"  but  was  really  a  bronze.  No  ancient 
coin  contains  zinc,  which  is  one  of  the  principal  components 
of  brass,  nor  is  zinc  to  be  found  in  any  ancient  work  of  art, 


72  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

except  in  such  ExnaW  percentage  as  makes  it  entirely  probable 
that  its  presence  is  due  to  accident,  or  the  existence  of  the  ma- 
terial in  native  ores. 

Tradition  refers  the  discovery  of  copper  to  the  island  of 
Euboea,  and  the  town  of  Chalcis  was  said  to  have  been  named 
from  a  mine  of  copper.  In  the  beginning  of  history,  copper 
is  said  to  have  been  imported  exclusively  from  the  island  of 
Cyprus,  and  is  supposed  to  have  derived  its  name  from  the 
source  of  the  world's  supply.  The  original  invention  and  the 
working  of  bronze  (aes),  was  ascribed  by  the  ancients  to  the 
Idaen  Dactyli,  who  were  mythological  personages,  said  to  have 
inhabited  Mount  Ida  in  Phrygia,  or  another  mountain  of  the 
same  name  in  Crete.  In  the  first  place,  there  were  three  of 
the  Dactyli,  viz:  Celmis  the  smelter,  Dammemeueus  the  ham- 
mer, and  Acmon  the  anvil.  The  name  Dactyli  signifies  fin- 
gers, and  subsequently  their  number  is  said  to  have  been  in- 
creased to  ten,  five  males  and  five  females,  and  after  this  there 
were  fifty-two  males  and  one  hundred  females.  The  Dactyli 
were  also  the  original  discoverers  and  workers  of  iron — the 
primitive  miners,  metallurgists  and  smiths.  The  fable  may 
be  understood  to  teach,  for  those  who  could  understand,  that 
after  the  invention  of  the  furnace,  the  hammer,  and  the  anvil, 
the  human  fingers  were  inspired  to  execute  the  work  of  the 
founder  and  smith. 

The  Phoenicians  were  the  first  men  known  to  have  executed 
works  in  bronze;  from  ihem  the  art  was  doubtless  imparted 
to  the  Greekr,  and  by  the  Greeks  made  known  to  the  Romans. 
The  date  of  the  first  bronze  work  of  the  Phoenicians,  is  uncer- 
tain  and  really  prehistoric,  as  was  that  of  the  development  of 
the  same  art  among  the  Greeks.  The  process  for  smelting 
ores  was,  however,  certainly  well  known  in  Greece  at  the  time 
of  the  poet  Ilomer.  The  original  composition  of  the  aes  was 
very  carefully  studied,  the  proportions  being  found  much  the 
.same  in  all  the  various  really  ancient  specimens  examined, 
whether  they  were  from  Greece,  Rome,  or  elsewhere.  The 
composition  of  the  aes  was  originally  as  follows:  in  100  parts 


ANCIENT  CO  FN  AGES.  73 

87.46  parts  of  copper  and  12.54  parts  of  tin ;  or,  by  a  separate 
assay,  88  parts  of  copper  and  12  parts  of  tin.  After  this  com- 
bination of  metals  had  been  extensively  used  for  some  time,  a 
change  was  made  in  the  composition,  new  forms  being  intro- 
duced for  special  purposes.  All  of  these  bronzes  were  called 
aes,  though  an  affix  was  sometimes  made  to  the  word,  ex- 
pressive of  supposed  qualities  or  places  of  manufacture.  Thus 
the  Aes  Corinthiacum  was  said  to  be  made  of  silver,  tin  and 
copper,  in  various  proportions,  or  with  the  metals  combined 
in  equal  parts.  This  composition  has  been  written  of  as 
"Corinthian  brass,"  but  it  was  probably  nothing  but  an  im- 
proved and  more  refined  aes  or  bronze.  Another  celebrated 
fine  bronze  was  called  Orichalcum,  or  Aurichalcum,  and  some 
of  the  more  valuable  coins  were  struck  of  the  same. 

The  improvements  made  in  the  manufacture  of  bronze,  were 
in  consequence  of  great  progress  in  the  arts  in  which  it  was 
used.  An  immense  amount  of  bronze  was  cast  into  statuary 
and  ornamental  work.  The  wealth  and  importance  of  famous 
cities  was  estimated  by  the  number  of  such  works  it  con- 
tained. Athens  once  had  over  three  thousand  bronze  statues 
standing  wiihin  its  walls  at  once.  Bronze  was  considered  a 
sacred  metal,  and  supposed  to  have  the  power  of  driving  away 
evil  spirits.  It  Avas  upon  bronze  coins  only,  that  the  liomans 
inscribed  the  legend  monela  sacra — meaning  sacred  money. 
An  assay  of  various  samples  of  ancient  bronzecoins  gives  the 
following  results: 

Coin  of  Alexander  the  Great,  335  B.  C,  Copper,  86.72  ;  Tin, 
13.14.  Coin  of  Ptolemy  IX,  70  B.C.,  Copper,  84.25;  Tin, 
15.64;  Iron  a  trace.  Old  Attic  Coin,  Copper,  86.46;  Tin, 
lO.Oi;  Lead,  1.05.  Roman  Coin,  500  B.C.,  Copper,  62.04; 
Tin,  7.66  ;  Lead,  29.32. 

The  Assarium,  or  As,  was,  strictly  speaking,  a  denomina- 
tion of  weight,  signifying  about  three  quarters  of  a  pound 
avoirdupois,  nominally  divided  into  twelve  parts.     The  term 


74  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

for  coined  money  was  originally  Assarius  Nummus.  Various 
words  used  in  connection  with  money  were  derived  from  as, 
or  aes,  thus  aes  aJintum  was  the  phrase  for  debt,  and  aera 
meant  the  pay  of  soldiers,  etc.,  etc.  The  standard  of  the  Ro- 
man weights  and  measures,  and  hence  of  coinage,  was  the  con- 
tents of  a  vase  called  the  amphoria  quadranUd  or  cubic  am- 
phora. The  word  amphoria  was  the  common  name  of  certain 
vases,  or  urns,  having  handles  on  each  side  of  the  neck,  the 
bottom  of  the  vase  forming  a  sharp  point,  which  was  intended 
to  be  stuck  into  the  ground  to  keep  the  vessel  upright  when 
in  use.  The  name  amphora  was  also  applied  to  various  ves- 
sels of  earthenware  and  metal,  or  in  some  cases  of  basket-work 
of  wood.  The  amphora  quadranlal^  was  properly  the  contents 
of  the  square  vase,  the  Amphora  CapiLolina^  which  was  kept 
for  safety  in  the  temple  of  Jupiter  at  Rome.  This  standard 
vase  held  five  gallons  and  six  pints  of  wine,  English  measure. 
The  As  was  divided  as  follows: 


As, 

12  ounces. 

Deunx, 

11 

Dextans, 

10 

Dodrans, 

9 

Bes, 

8 

Septunx, 

7 

Semis,  Semissis,  Semi-As, 

6 

Quincunx, 

• 

5 

Triens,  one 

•third  As, 

4 

Qiiadrans  or  Teruncius, 

3 

Sextans,  one-sixth  As, 

2 

Sescunx  or 

Sescuncia, 

n 

Uncia, 

1 

ounce. 

As  has  already  been  noted,  the  Roman  uncia  was  very 
nearly  the  same  as  the  ounce  avoirdupois. 

Besides  the  above  divisions  and  subdivisions  of  the  As, 


ANCIENT   COINAGES.  75 

there  were  multiples  of  tlie  same,  of  which  the  names  were, 

the 

Dussis,  or  Dupondius,         Two  Ases. 

Tressis,  Three  Ases. 

Quadrussis,  Four  Ases. 

Decussis,  Ten  Ases. 

Centussis,  One  hundred  Ases, 

and  others  after  the  same  manner  of  derivation. 

Of  the  denominations  of  the  as  named  in  the  two  preceding 
tables,  there  have  been  coined,  the  Uncia,  Sescunx,  Sextans, 
Quadrans,  Triens,  Quincunx,  Semis,  Dodrans,  As,  Dussis,  Du- 
pondius, Tressis,  Quadrussis,  Decussis,  Centussis,  etc.,  all  in 
aes,  as  will  be  related.  For  coined  money  the  Romans  used 
the  term  As  Nummus,  or  As  Numus.  The  As  Nummus 
libralis,  or  ingot  of  good  copper,  of  full  weight,  was  soon  made 
lighter,  and  as  seen  from  the  result  of  an  assay  of  an  old  Ro- 
man coin,  as  already  given,  was  presently  grossly  alloyed  and 
debased.  About  the  time  the  weight  of  the  as  had  become 
reduced  to  that  of  nine  ounces,  the  form  of  the  coin  was 
changed  from  that  of  an  ingot  or  brick,  to  a  round  disk. 
Neither  the  original  as*,  or  the  round  coins  which  succeeded 
the  same,  were  stamped,  but  were  cast  in  moulds  called  Forma. 
These  forma  were  made  of  a  kind  of  stone  capable  of  resisting 
the  effects  of  heat.  They  were  in  two  parts,  one  for  the  ob- 
verse and  one  for  the  reverse  of  the  coin.  The  forma  was 
constructed  to  cast  some  seven  of  the  circular  coins  at  once,  in 
moulds  connected  by  channels,  so  that  whei;  the  work  was 
done,  all  the  pieces  came  out  together.  In  the  Briti.sh  Museum 
there  are  four  a.ses  joined  together  as  they  were  taken  from  the 
forma. 

The  historian  Pliny  (TI.  N.  XXXIII,  3.  s.  13),  states  that  in 
the  time  of  the  first  Punic  war,  (B.  C.  26^-241)  to  meet  the 
expenses  of  the  government,  the  full  measure  of  the  pound 
was  diminished,  and  ases  Avere  struck  of  the  same  weight  as 
the  sextans  of  the  former  coinage,  which  is  to  say,  two  ounces, 


76  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

or  one-sixth  of  the  first  weight  of  the  as.  There  were  other 
reductions  in  the  weight  of  the  as,  and  whether  the  change 
was  made  under  pressure  of  military  or  financial  necessity,  or 
because  of  the  increase  in  the  value  of  copper  or  aes,  the  coins 
continually  became  lighter  and  lighter,  until  the  as  weighed 
no  more  than  an  unica  of  the  original  standard.  There  are 
ases  in  existence  of  almost  any  weight,  from  the  as  libralis 
of  twelve  full  ounces,  down  to  but  a  single  ounce.  Moreover, 
there  are  copper  coins  of  the  Tarentian  family,  which  show 
that  the  as  was  finally  reduced  to  one  forty  eighth  and  even 
one-sixtieth  of  the  ancient  weight.  Though  the  weight  of  the 
as  was  thus  reduced,  it  remained  the  monetary  unit  of  account, 
was  made  to  retain  its  nominal  division  by  ounces  or  twelfths, 
until  it  actually  weighed  no  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  ounce, 
or  about  108.5  grains. 


The  Roman  As. 

The  first  circular  copper  coin  cast  in  Rome  is  illustrated  in 
this  cut,  which  is  but  half  the  diameter  of  the  piece,  it  repre- 
sents. The  two-faced  type  upon  the  obverse,  was  called  Janus 
hifrons  by  the  Romans,  that  god  being  famous  for  taking  a 
double  view  of  circumstances.  The  figures  upon  the  reverse 
are  intended  for  the  prow  of  a  galley,  and  above  that  the  nu- 
meral one.  The  rudeness  of  the  reverse,  iu  comparison  with 
the  two-faced  Janus,  is  striking,  and  suggests  a  stage  of  the 
art  of  coin  making  when  the  reverse  of  the  piece  was  consid- 
ered of  minor  importance.  The  devices  here  presented  are 
the  prominent  types  in  the  coinage  of  the  as,  though  others 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  77 

were  made  use  of  at  different  times.  The  size  of  the  first  cir- 
cular ases,  was  40,  according  to  the  American  standard  of 
measurement  of  coins,  that  is,  fortj-sixteenths  of  an  inch,  or 
two  inches  and  a  half  in  diameter,  and  it  was  thick  enough  to 
make  its  weight  4000  grains,  or  9  unica  and  62^  grains. 

The  coins  in  representation  of  the  multiples  of  the  as,  such 
as  the  dussis,  dupondius,  tressis,  quadrussis  secussis  centussis, 
etc.,  were  coined  after  the  values  of  the  as  had  been  greatly  re- 
duced. Some  of  these  coins  are  not  extant  and  others  are 
very  rare.  The  dodrans  was  coined  only  in  one  series  by  the 
Cassian  family,  they  being  authoiized  so  to  do. 

In  most  cases  the  specimens  of  the  as  show  upon  the  edge 
where  the  sprue  was  cut  off,  and  the  pieces  severed  from  each 
other  after  being  cast  and  taken  from  the  forma.  Under  the 
Roman  empire,  after  Julius  Caesar,  the  right  to  coin  copper 
was  retained  by  the  Aerarium  or  common  Treasury  of  the 
State,  and  was  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Senate  and  could 
be  exercised  only  Senatus  consuUam,  which  is  to  say,  under 
authority  of  the  Senate.  The  right  of  coining  silver  and  gold 
was  at  the  same  time  entrusted  to  the  emperor.  While  the 
old  States  of  Etruria,  Central  Italy  and  Rome  possessed  a  cop- 
per  coinage  from  very  early  times,  the  coinage  of  the  govern- 
ments, free  cities  and  other  authorities  of  Southern  Italy,  and 
the  coast  as  far  as  Campania,  made  use  of  silver  money.  The 
northern  nations  who  finally  established  themselves  on  the 
ruins  of  the  Roman  empire,  are  supposed  to  have  had  silver 
money  from  the  commencement  of  their  settlements,  and  not 
to  have  known  the  use  of  either  gold  or  copper  coins,  for  a 
number  of  generations.  In  Rome,  one  who  was  very  much 
in  debt,  was  always  said  to  have  a  great  deal  of  other  people's 
copper. 

There  were  three  different  series  of  Roman  coins,  which 
were  called  the  Republican,  the  Family,  and  the  Imperial 
Coinages.  The  Republican  coinage  began,  as  has  been  stated, 
at  an  early  period  of  Roman  history,  and  was  continued  until 
about  80  B.  C.     The  standard  metal  of  this  series  was  aes. 


78  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

The  Family  coinage  began  about  170  B.  C.  In  the  first  place, 
certain  families  which  held  through  successive  generations 
offices  connected  with  the  public  mints,  acquired  through  leg- 
islation in  their  favor,  the  right  to  inscribe  their  names  upon 
the  coin  of  the  commonwealth,  and  afterwards  had  permission 
to  use  symbols  of  events  in  their  own  families,  as  devices  upon 
the  same.  The  Family  coinage  is  sometimes  called  Consular 
money,  since  the  Roman  Consuls  were  in  course  of  time  con-' 
ceded  the  right  of  coinage  in  the  same  manner.  The  same 
privilege  was  also  extended  to  many  families,  both  noble  and 
plebian,  and  was  exercised  at  numerous  places  quite  outside 
the  boundaries  of  Italy,  in  various  parts  of  the  vast  Roman 
dominions.  The  Roman  Family  coins  bear  many  distin- 
guished names,  and  commemorate  numerous  remarkable 
events,  thus  forming  a  valuable  adjunct  to  history,  which 
they  verify.  About  80  B.C.,  the  family  coins  had  entirely 
su}Terseded  the  national  mintage ;  the  early  types  of  the  series 
were  gradually  changed  for  portraits  of  ancestors,  and  with 
these  the  series  was  merged  into  the  coinage  of  the  empire. 
The  Family  coinage  was  of  gold,  silver  and  copper. 

The  Imperial  coinage  of  Rome  began  with  Julius  Caesar,  B. 
C.  45,  and  lasted  over  five  hundred  years,  or  until  A.  D.  476. 
The  coins  of  the  empire  were  of  gold,  silver  and  copper,  the 
latter,  as  already  noted,  being  coined  under  control  of  the 
Senate.  After  the  time  of  Augustus,  the  copper  coins  bore 
the  record  of  their  origin,  in  the  letters  "S,  C."  or  Ex  S.  C.  for 
EX Senatus  consulLo  inscribed  upon  them.  The  obverse  of  the 
imperial  coins,  bears  the  portrait  of  the  successive  emperors 
as  its  type,  or  sometimes  that  of  the  empress,  or  some  member 
of  the  imperial  family.  The  reverse  commemorates  social  or 
military  events  of  importance  during  the  emperor's  reign,  oc- 
casionally representing  the  same  in  an  allegorical  manner. 
The  obverse  also  bears  the  name  of  the  emperor,  and  his  title, 
which  is  in  some  cases  continued  over  and  concluded  on  the 
reverse.  Near  the  close  of  the  third  century  of  the  Christian 
era,  the  exergue  of  the  reverse  of  the  coins  of  that  period,  was 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  79 


* 


occupied  by  the  name  of  the  town  where  the  coin  was 
minted. 

The  coinage  executed  under  the  emperor  Augustus  and  that 
of  Livia,  Auiouia  and  Agrippina  the  Elder,  is  of  much  artistic 
merit.  The  worlcmanship  of  the  sestertii,  coined  under  Nero, 
is  very  beautiful.  The  conquest  of  Judea  is  recorded  by  va- 
rious types  and  devices  upon  the  coins  of  Vespasian  and  of 
Titus.  The  type  of  the  sestertius  of  Vespasian,  is  the  Colos- 
seum of  Rome.  The  coins  of  Trajan  are  noted  for  types  of  an 
architectural  character.  The  journeys  of  the  emperor  Ila^ 
iliian  are  commemorated  by  the  devices  upon  his  coinage. 
The  coins  and  medals  struck  under  Antonine,  Marcus  Aure- 
lius  the  philosopiier,  and  the  two  Faustinae,  with  those  of 
Commodius,  are  well  executed.  There  is  a  remarkable  me- 
dallion of  the  period  of  Commodius,  the  impress  and  device 
of  which  is  derived  from  events  in  the  conquest  of  Britain. 
From  the  time  of  Commodius,  the  character  of  the  Roman 
coinage  as  to  design  rapidly  degenerated.  Base  silver  was  ex- 
tensively used  for  coinage  in  the  reign  of  Caracalla,  and  Gal- 
lienus  coined  money  of  copper,  washed  or  plated  with  silver. 
The  imperial  coinage  was  a  superb  series,  the  work  in  general 
of  Greek  artists. 

The  colonial  and  provincial  coinages  under  the  empire  were 
much  inferior  to  those  of  the  city  of  Rome.  In  the  coinage 
of  the  provinces  formed  out  of  the  territories  of  the  Greek 
empire  subjected  to  Rome,  which  is  called  the  Imperial  Greek, 
the  typo  of  the  obverse  is  the  emperor's  head,  while  the  re- 
verse generally  presents  a  view  of  the  chief  temple  of  the  gods 
in  the  city  where  the  coinage  was  made.  The  obverse  also 
bears  the  name  and  title  of  the  Roman  emperor,  but  the  in- 
scription is  in  Greek  characters.  The  imperial  Greek  coins 
of  Alexandria,  bear  such  devices  as  the  heads  of  Jupiter  Am- 
nion, Isis  and  Canopus,  the  sphinx,  the  serpent  and  the  wheat 
ear.  The  Roman  colonial  coins,  most  of  which  were  made  in 
Spain,  where  silver  was  abundant,  form  a  distinct  class,  upon 
which  may  generally  be  found  the  abbreviation  of  "Col."  for 


80 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


colonia.  The  Roman  colonial  coinage  was  at  first  distinguished 
bj  the  type  of  a  team  of  oxen ;  afterwards,  those  coins  bore 
as  a  device  a  number  of  banners,  by  count  of  which  could  be 
ascertained  the  number  of  the  Legion  from  which  the  colo- 
nists had  been  drawn  for  the  occupation  of  the  country  where 
the  money  was  coined  and  circulated.  After  the  time  of  Gallien- 
us,  the  imperial  Greek  and  the  Roman  colonial  coinage  came 
to  an  end,  except  at  Alexandria.  Diocletian  introduced  a  new' 
coin  called  the /ollis,  which  was  made  the  most  important  coin 
of  the  lower  empire.  The  Roman  money  before  the  reign  of 
Augustus,  which  began  44  B.  C,  when  the  denarius  was  one- 
seventh  of  an  ounce  or  about  sixty  grains  was  of  the  following 
denominations : 


Roman  "Copper"  Coins  Before  Augustus. 


Name  of  Coin. 


W't  in  Grains. 


Sextans,  70.138883 

Quadrans  or  Teruncius,   105.208325 
Triens,  140.277777 

Semissis,  210.41665 

As,  420.833333 

Dupondius,  841.666666 


restertius, 


1683.533332 


Value. 

Cts.  Decimals. 

00        .29535 


00 
00 
00 
01 
02 
04 


.44303 
.59070 
.88606 
.77212 
.15442 
.30385 


Roman  Silver  Coins  Before  Augustus. 
Name  of  Coin.  W't  in  Grains.  Value. 


Teruncius, 

Sembella, 

Libella, 

Sestertius, 

Quinarius, 

Denarius, 


Cts. 

Decimals. 

.9375 

00 

.26930 

1.875 

00 

.53860 

3.75 

01 

1.07722 

15. 

04 

4.30885 

80. 

08 

8.61776 

60. 

17 

17.23552 

Value. 

Cts. 

Decimals. 

29 

.87416 

14 

.02405 

86 

.177 

31 

1845 

ANCIENT  COINAGES.  81 

Roman  Gold  Coins  Before  Augustus. 
Name  of  Coin.  Wt  in  Grains. 

$ 

Aureus  Nummus,  130.1  4 

Value  of  the  Aureus  Nummus  iu  U.S.  Cur'cy,  5 
Scrupulum,  18.06 

Sesteriium  or  Mille  Nummi  (of  Account),      43 

In  the  preceding  calculation  of  the  weight  of  Roman  cop- 
per coin,  the  as  is  estimated  to  have  been  reduced  to  the  weight 
of  the  original  uncia,  about  three-fourths  of  an  ounce  avoirdu- 
pois. There  were  originally  ten  silver  denarii  to  the  pound, 
but  when  the  as  was  reduced  to  the  weight  just  noted,  the  de- 
narii was  made  sixteen  to  the  pound.  The  as  was  afterwards 
made  no  more  than  half  an  uncia  was  at  first,  but  the  denarii 
were  still  made  sixteen  to  the  pound.  Finally,  after  Augus- 
tus, when  the  sestertius  became  the  unit  of  account,  the  as  was 
made  smaller  and  smaller,  even  as  low  as  one-fourth  or  one- 
fifth  of  an  ounce. 


Roman  Uncia. 

Though  not  mentioned  in  the  table  of  Roman  copper  coins 
of  the  period  before  Augustus,  the  uncia  or  twelfth  of  the 
pound  was  one  of  the  early  Republican  copper  coins,  and  was 
probably  issued  with  the  other  fractional  coins  of  the  as  soon 
after  the  coinage  of  copper  began  in  Rome.  At  first  its  weight 
should  have  been  over  420.833  grains,  exactly  that  given  iho 
as  in  the  table,  but  its  value  decreased  with  the  reduction  of 
the  standard,  until,  if  coined  at  all,  it  would  have  been  but 
F 


82  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

some  seven  or  ten  grains.  The  uncia  generally  bore  upon  the 
obverse,  the  head  of  Minerva,  the  virgin  goddess  of  reason, 
art  and  skill,  and  a  small  knob,  indicating  one  uncia,  the  weight 
or  value  of  the  piece.  The  reverse  of  the  uncia  bore  the  same 
design  shown  upon  the  reverse  of  the  as,  with  the  addition  of 
one  small  knob,  indicative  of  the  value  of  the  coin,  as  one- 
twelfth  of  the  as.  The  uncia  also  sometimes  bore  heads  of 
Pallas,  Roma,  Diana,  and  representations  of  frogs,  ears  of 
barley,  etc. 

The  uncia  was  a  unit  applied  by  the  Romans  to  all  kinds  of 
magnitude.  It  was  subdivided  into  2  semi-unciae,  3  duello, 
4  sicilici,  6  sextulae,  24  scrupula  and  14-i  siliquae.  The  sextu- 
la  was  the  smallest  denomination  of  Roman  money. 


Roman  Sextans. 

The  Sextans  at  first  weighed  about  841.66  grains.  The 
specimen  from  which  the  above  cut  was  taken  weighs  779 
gra'ns.  As  the  standard  weight  of  Roman  coin  was  reduced, 
some  of  the  minor  subdivisions  of  the  as  became  very  small 
indeed,  and  must  at  last  have  been  too  minute  for  practical 
coinage  and  circulation.  Meanwhile,  when  the  weight  of  the 
as  fell  to  four  ounces,  circular  pieces  of  five,  ten,  and  twelve 
ases  came  into  circulation. 

The  Sextans  bears  upon  the  obverse  the  head  of  a  caduceus, 
a  staff  borne  by  ambassadors  and  heralds  in  time  of  war,  as 
modern  combatants  display  a  flag  of  truce.  Beside  this  sign 
of  peace,  the  coin  bore  on  the  obverse  the  figure  of  a  strigil, 
an  instrument  used  by  the  Romans  to  rub  or  scrape  their 
bodies  with  when  at  the  bath.  On  the  same  side  there  were 
also  two  round  knobs,  indicating  two  uncia,  as  the  value  of 
the  sextans,  it  being  one-sixth  of  the  as.  The  device  upon  the 
reverse  of  the  sextans  was  the  figure  of  a  cockleshell. 


ANCIENT  COINAGES, 


The  Quadrans  or  Teruncius  was  originally  of  three  full 
ounces,  and  bears  three  knobs,  indicating  its  value  as  threes 
twelfths  or  one-quarter  of  the  as.  The  quadrans  was  first 
coined  of  about  1262  5  grains.  The  devices  upon  this  coin 
were  variously,  an  open  hand,  a  dolphin,  a  strigil,  a  star,  grains 
of  wheat,  heads  of  Ilercules,  Ceres  and  the  like.  It  is  stated 
by  Pliny  that  the  quadrans,  and  the  next  larger  coin,  the 
triens,  bore  the  figure  of  a  ship ;  it  may  have  been  somewhat 
as  described  upon  the  reverse  of  the  as  and  the  uncia. 


Triens. 

The  Triens  bears  upon  the  obverse,  a  dolphin,  a  strigil,  and 
four  knobs,  indicative  of  the  value  of  the  coin,  four-twelfths, 
or  one  third  of  the  as.  On  the  reverse,  there  appears  a  thun- 
derbolt and  four  knobs.  The  original  weight  of  the  triens 
should  have  been  about  1683.3  grains ;  the  specimen  from 
which  the  illustration  Avas  taken  weighs  1571  grains. 

An  exceedingly  rare  Roman  copper  coin,  not  in  the  pre- 
ceding table,  is  the  quincunx,  a  piece  of  five  ounces,  bearing 
five  small  knobs,  indicative  of  its  value,  five-twelfths  of  the  as. 
The  Semissis,  semis,  or  semi-as,  the  piece  of  six  uncia,  bears 
the  head  of  Jupiter,  Juno,  or  Pallas  and  the  figures  of  strigils!. 
The  semissis  is  always  marked  with  the  letter  S,  the  initial  of 
the  name  of  the  coin,  indicative  of  its  value.  The  dodrans, 
coined  only  by  the  Cassian  family  bore  an  S,  and  three  balls 
to  indicate  its  value  as  nine  uncia  or  nine-twelfths  of  the  as; 
The  dupondius  was  one  of  the  coins  issued  after  the  reduction 
of  the  as,  and  was  two  ases  in  value. 

The  Sestertius  was  a  coin  which  properly  belonged  to  the 
silver  coinage  of  Rome ;  it  was  originally  one-fourth  of  the 


84  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

% 
denarius,  or  two  and  a  half  ases  in  value.  When  the  as  was 
reduced  so  that  sixteen  of  them  went  to  the  denarii,  instead 
of  ten  (except  in  the  payment  of  soldiers,  taxes,  etc.),  the  ses- 
tertius was  made  of  four  ases  and  coined  of  silver  and  of  orichal- 
cum.  Thisorichalcum  was  a  composition  finer  than  the  com- 
mon aes,  and  being  really  a  sort  of  brass,  was  much  esteemed 
on  account  of  its  golden  color  and  lustre.  Orichalcum  was 
said  to  have  contained  gold,  silver  and  copper,  and  such  a 
costly  bronze  may  have  been  made,  but  the  sestertii  were 
coined  of  a  compound  metal  containing  zinc,  a  most  uncom- 
mon part  of  Roman  bronze.  The  zinc  was  not  obtained  as  a 
separate  metal,  the  Romans  being  ignorant  of  the  same,  but 
zinc  ore  was  added  to  copper,  and  the  two  fused  and  smelted 
together. 


Roman  Denarius — Actual  Size. 

The  Denarius  being  the  principal  among  the  silver  coins  of 
Rome,  became,  after  the  reduction  of  the  as,  the  only  reliable 
standard  of  money.  Estimating  the  weight  of  the  denarius  of 
sixty  grains,  which  was  the  average  for  sometime  before  Au- 
gustus, we  find  that  the  teruncius,  being  but  one-fortieth  of  the 
denarius,  was  so  light  as  to  make  it  almost  incredible  that  so 
small  a  piece  was  ever  coined.  It  is  known,  however,  that 
the  teruncius,  otherwise  the  quadrans,  was  coined  in  copper, 
as  has  been  described,  and  it  has  been  mentioned  among  silver 
coins  by  respectable  authorities.  It  is  \ery  improbable  ihe 
teruncius  was  coined  in  silver  after  the  as  was  made  a  six- 
teenth of  the  denarius.  The  Sembella  was  jne-twentieth  of  the 
denarius. 

During  the  last  century  B.  C,  thelibella,  one-tenth  of  the  de- 
narius, seems,  according  to  Cicero,  to  have  been  the  smallest 
coin  in  Rome.     Any  small  sum  of  money  was,  however,  called 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  85 

libella,  and  it  is  argued  that  the  term  was  used  only  to  indi- 
cate tlie  tenth  of  a  sestertius.  There  are  no  specimens  of  the 
libella  extant. 

Tlie  name  of  the  sestertius,  one-quarter  of  the  denarius,  is 
an  abbreviation  or  contraction  of  the  phrase  semis  lertius^  sig- 
nifying two  and  a  half.  The  symbol  of  the  sestertius  was  H. 
S.  or  I,  I.  S.,  indicating  two  pounds  and  a  half — i.  e.,  two  ases 
and  a  half. 

The  quinarius,  one-half  of  the  denarius,  was  called  victori»i- 
tus  as  Avell,  on  account  of  a  figure  of  victory  which  was  in- 
scribed upon  it  as  a  device.  These  coins  were  first  imported 
from  Illvria,  but  the  coinage  of  them  began  in  Rome  about 
B.C.  177. 

The  denarius,  which,  as  it  name  implies,  was  at  first  equal 
in  value  to  ten  ases,  was  coined  as  the  beginning  of  the  Ro- 
man silver  coinage,  five  years  before  the  first  Punic  war,  or 
B.  C  269.  Originally  a  Roman  pound  of  silver  was  coined 
into  8-i  denarii,  but  subsequently,  the  change  being  supposed 
to  have  been  made  in  the  reign  of  Nero,  A.D.  54  to  68,  no 
less  than  96  denarii  were  made  out  of  that  quantity  of  silver. 
The  denarius  was  the  type  of  the  Roman  silver  coinage,  and 
originally  about  966|  fine.  Silver,  which  was  at  first  the 
universal  currency  of  Greece,  had  been  imported  into  Rome 
in  drachm£e,  and  circulated  there,  long  before  the  Romans  un- 
dertook to  coin  it.  The  Greeks,  from  first  to  last,  coined  but 
little  copper,  the  country  and  its  islands  having  rich  silver 
mines.  There  were  silver  mines  in  Greece,  in  Siphnos,  Thes- 
saly,  Attica  and  elsewhere ;  besides  the  exceeding  rich  mines 
of  Laurion,  belonging  to  Athen?,  which  were  worked  as  late 
as  A.D.  200-  Rome  coined  a  great  quantity  of  copper,  but 
as  their  conquests  extended,  the  Romans  imported  silver  from 
the  colonies.  Jkfosl^of  the  silver  used  in  Rome  was  taken  from 
the  old  mines  in  Spain,  which,  before  the  Romans,  were 
Vv^orked  by  the  Piioenicians  and  Carthaginians,  and  though  sub- 
sequently abandoned  for  the  rich  placers  of  Mexico  and  Peru, 
are  not  yet  exhausted.  .    . 


m  DYE'S   com  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

The  denarius  was  coined  upon  the  standard  of  the  Greek 
drachma. 


Athenian  Drachma — Actual  Size. 

The  tjpe  of  the  Athenian  drachma  was,  in  the  earliest 
limes,  an  owl,  symbol  of  Minerva,  known  also  as  Athene. 
AfterAvards  the  head  of  Athene,  was  placed  upon  the  obverse 
and  the  owl  upon  the  reverse  of  the  piece.  The  Komans,  who 
laid  violent  hands  upon  the  institutions  and  property  of  their 
neighbors,  also  adopted  their  gods.  Eoma,  Athene  and  Min- 
erva were  the  same  divinity.  By  comparison  of  the  two  pre- 
ceding illustrations,  it  will  be  seen  the  only  sj^ecial  difference 
in  the  type  of  the  obverse,  is  in  the  wings  which  appear  in 
the  Roman  coin  upon  the  head  of  Roma.  The  denarius  and 
the  drachma  were  moreover  supposed  to  be  of  an  equal  value, 
but  aside  from  the  fact  that  the  Athenians  were  more  careful 
than  the  Romans  to  preserve  the  purity  of  their  coinage, 
ancient  specimens  of  the  drachma  and  denarius  show  the 
drachma  to  be  one-ninth  most  valuable ;  the  subsequent  falling 
off  of  the  drachma  made  these  Roman  and  Greek  coins  so 
nearly  equal,  that  they  were  probably  interchangeable  and 
current  together. 

.  The  early  types  of  the  denarii,  generally  bear  upon  the  ob- 
verse the  head  of  Roma,  wearing  a  helmet ;  otherwise,  the 
Dioscuri,  or  a  head  of  Jupiter.  On  the  reverse  appear  chari- 
ots drawn  by  two  or  by  four  horses.  Chariots  with  two 
horses  w^ere  li'jae  and  the  coin  bearing  ^such  device  hifjati. 
Four  horses  were  quadnijae  and  the  coin  bearing  that  device 
quadrifjati.  Some  of  the  denarii  had  their  edges  notched  like 
a  saw,  to  show  the  quality  of  the  coin,  or  as  a  guard. against 
mutilation.    Such  coins  were  called  serrati.    Many  denarii,  as 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  -87 

in  the  preceding  cut,  bear  upon  the  obverse  a  cross  or  letter 
X,  indicating  their  nominal  value  of  ten  ases. 

Roman  Gold  Coin  Before  Augustus. 

The  standard  Roman  gold  coin  before  Augustus,  was  called 
aureus  nummus,  or  denarius  aureus,  being  named  from  the 
Latin  words  aurum,  which  signifies  gold,  and  nummus,  which 
means  money  ;  or  from  denarius,  ten  ases,  and  aureus,  gold. 

The  aureus  nummus,  according  to  Pliny,  was  coined  40  to 
the  pound,  until  under  Nero  they  were  made  45  to  the  pound. 
At  40  to  the  pound,  the  aureus  nummus  should  be  as  much 
as  130,1  grains,  while  those  made  45  to  the  pound  should 
weigh  115.64  grains.  The  heaviest  aureus  nummus  known 
is  one  coined  under  Pompey,  which  weighs  128.2  grains. 
The  aureus  was  reckoned  double  the  weight  of  the  denarius, 
and  may  have  averaged  a  little  heavier.  As  the  denarius  is 
stated  to  have  been  of  60  grains,  this  would  make  the  aureus 
to  consist  of  120  grains.  The  aurei  in  the  British  Museum 
are  specimens  of  the  earlier  and  heavier  coinages ;  they  average 
121.26  grains.  It  is  argued  that  as  the  later  aurei  were  made 
lighter  than  the  older  mintages,  the  assumed  120  grains  aver- 
age weight  is  probably  a  very  close  calculation. 

Almost  the  only  method  of  purifying  gold  known  to  the 
ancients  was  the  grinding  of  the  ore,  or  of  the  metal,  and  then 
carefully  roasting  the  dust.  While  this  process  could  not  be 
relied  upon  for  chemical  perfection,  it  gave  a  very  good  pro- 
duct. The  art  of  mixing  metals  was  not  thoroughly  under- 
stood by  the  Romans,  and  their  purpose  seems  to  have  been 
to  make  gold  coin  of  perfect  purity.  From  the  nature  of  the 
ores  however,  and  from  the  character  of  the  process,  as  de- 
scribed, a  certain  percentage  of  silver  was  contained  in  all  the 
aurum  coined  into  Roman  gold  coin.  The  average  fineness 
of  the  Roman  gold  coin  before  Augustus  is  ^QQ.&Q^  or  one 
part  in  300  of  alloy,  that  is  299  parts  pure  gold,  and  one  part 
native  silver. 

The  aureus  nummus  was  reckoned  equal  in  value  to  25  de- 


88  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

narii' of  silver,  or  about  $4,31,  according  to  the  ratio  of  ten  on 
twelve  of  gold,  to  one  of  silver,  which  was  common  in  Rome 
before  Augustus.  According  to  the  modern  ratio,  of  about 
fifteen  of  gold,  to  one  of  silver,  the  value  of  the  aureus  num- 
mus  would  be  nearly  $5,13.75.  Dr.  Arbuthnot  reckons  the 
value  of  the  aureus  nummus,  according  to  the  proportion  of 
gold  to  silver  mentioned  by  Pliny,  and  finds  it  to  be  $5,89.6. 
According  to  the  proportion  which  now  obtains  among  us,  he 
makes  the  value  of  the  aureus  $5,03.  According  to  the  decu- 
ple proportion  of  one  to  ten,  mentioned  by  Livy  and  Julius 
Pollux,  he  finds  the  value  of  the  aureus  nummus  would  be 
$3,13.2.  According  to  the  proportion  mentioned  by  Tacitus, 
making  the  aureus  numinus  exchangeable  for  25  denarii,  he 
calculates  the  aureus  worth  $3,91.5.  As  has  already  been 
stated  regarding  the  calculations  of  the  value  of  ancient  coins, 
the  changes  in  the  respective  values  of  metals,  and  the  fluctua- 
tions in  the  standards  of  coinage,  make  the  problem  difficult 
and  results  uncertain.  Still  the  figures  given  may  be  relied 
upon  as  tolerably  accurate  approximations  to  the  facts. 

Pliny  states  that  the  coinage  of  silver  began  in  Home  269 
B.  C  ,  and  the  coinage  of  gold  into  the  aureus  nummus  com- 
menced 62  years  later,  or  207  B.  C.  Other  authorities  place 
the  date  of  the  earliest  Roman  coinage  of  silver  at  about  281 
B.  C,  and  state  that  the  first  gold  coinage  issued  from  the 
mint  of  Rome  was  made  about  90  B.  C,  and  consisted  of  the 
scrupulum,  equivalent  to  20  sestertii,  and  of  double  and  treble 
scrupula,  respectively  equivalent  to  40  or  60  sestertii.  "With- 
out entering  upon  the  criticism  requisite  to  warrant  a  decided 
expression  upon  the  subject  of  these  several  dates  for  the  same 
event,  it  may  be  stated  that  the  scrupulum,  or  more  j)roperly 
the  scripulum  or  scriplum,  was  the  smallest  denomination  of 
weight  among  the  Romans,  representing  the  twenty-fourth 
part  of  the  uncia,  or  the  288th  part  of  the  as,  poudus,  or  libra. 
It  was  about  17.5  or  18  grains  avoirdupois. 

In  the  same  way  that  the  word  as,  was  used  to  signify  a 
unit  of  any  kind  divisible  into  twelve  parts,  so  the  word 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  89 

scnipuluni,  was  rnaelc  to  denote  the  288th  part  of  any  whole. 
From  scru[)ulum  wc  derive  tlic  term  scruple,  the  third  ])artof 
a  dram.  Though  the  scrupulum  was  the  smallest  actual  Ro- 
man weight,  there  were  such  divisions  of  the  same  mentioned 
as  the  obelus  or  half  scruple,  the  scmi-obolus  or  quarter 
scru])lc,  and  the  siliqua  or  one-sixth  of  a  scruple,  originally 
like  the  old  Kngli.  h  pound,  the  average  weight  of  a  certain 
number  and  kind  of  seeds. 

The  British  Museum  contains  Roman  gold  coins  of  one 
scrupulum,  weighing  17.2  grains;  two  scrupula,  34.5  grains; 
three  scrupuin,  51.3;  and  four  scrupula,  68.9  grains.  The 
value  of  these  jneccs,  according  to  the  Roman  standard  and  ra- 
tio of  metals,  was  :  one  scrupulum,  of  20  sestertii — from  $0.78. 
20  to  $0,30.0177;  two  scrupula,  of  40  sestertii — from  $1,56. 
40  to  $1,73.235-1 ;  three  scrupula,  of  60  sestertii— from  $2,34. 
60  to  $2,59.8531 ;  four  scrupula,  of  80  sestertii— from  $3,12. 
fc4  to  $3,46.4703.  These  pieces  are  marked  respectively  XX, 
for  20  sestertii,  XXXX,  for  40  sestertii,  as  in  ttie  engraving 
here  presented,  for  60  sestertii ;  and  the  largest  piece,  as  in 
the  engraving,  but  with  an  additional  X,  for  80  sestertii. 


TRiPiiE  Scrupulum. 

The  Scrupulum  and  the  double,  treble,  and  quadruple 
scrupula,  were  of  the  same  design,  except  the  in.scription  de- 
noting their  value.  They  all  bear  the  head  of  Mars  upon  the 
obverse,  and  on  the  rever.se  an  eagle  standing  defiant,  wield- 
ing a  thunderbolt  in  midhcaven.  On  the  illustration  given,  a 
star  may  be  seen  abreast  of  the  eagle.  .The  meaning  of  the 
allegory  cxnres.scd  by  the  type  and  device  of  this  coin  is  ob- 
vious: "Mars,  the  god  of  war,  protects  the  commonwcalih  of 
Rome,  whose  eagle  wields  the  thunderbolt  of  power,  supreme 
amid  the  stars  of  fate  and  destiny  !" 


90  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

EoMAN  Money  of  Account  Befoke  Augustus. 

The  nature  of  a  money  of  account  has  been  described  in  this 
volume  in  the  Chapter  on  the  Thb  Origin  of  Money. 
Money  of  account  is  a  denominational  unit  of  value  not  ne- 
cessarily represented  by  a  coin  or  any  correspondence  of 
money.  The  Roman  unit  of  value  before  Augustus  was  the 
as,  originally  a  pound  of  copper,  subsequently  of  acs  or  bronze. 
The  grand  or  principal  money  of  account  in  the  Roman  com- 
monwealth or  republic  was  the  scsleriium,  which  signified 
money  to  the  value  of  a  small  fraction  over  $43,10.  The  ses- 
tertium  was  derived  from  the  sestertius,  of  which  it  was  the 
multiple,  1000  sestertii  being  accounted  a  sestertium,  and  con- 
sidered by  some  authorities  to  have  originally  represented  2  J 
pounds  of  silver  {sestertura  pondus  avjcmli). 

The  sestertium  was  never  more  than  a  mere  money  of  ac- 
count, having  no  coin  to  represent  its  denomination.  After 
Augustus,  the  sestertius  was  the  denomination  of  Roman 
money  almost  always  used  in  reckoning  any  considerable  sum. 
The  denarius  was  the  coin  in  which  large  payments  were 
made.  The  term  sestertius  was  used  not  only  to  express  2^ 
as,  2|  pounds  of  silver  or  the  thousandth  part  of  a  sestertium 
of  money  whatever  the  value  of  silver,  but  was  also  aj)plied 
to  any  measurement  always  meaning  two  and  a  half  of  any 
given  unit. 

Roman"  Coins  After  Augustus. 
During  the  reign  of  Augustus,  from  B.C.  44  to  A.D.  14, 
the  as,  which,  since  prehistoric  times,  had  been  the  monetary 
unit  of  Rome,  was  diminished  to  an  half  ounce  and  less  in 
weight,  and  becoming  of  quite  uncertain  value,  Avas  virtually 
superseded  in  circulation  by  the  copper  sestertius,  the  piece 
called  by  numismatists  the  first  bronze.  The  first  bronze  was 
about  the  size  of  an  English  penny,  and  the  as  still  remained 
a  constant  unit  of  value,  and  all  minor  accounts  were  kept  in 
ases,  as  larger  amounts  were  reckoned  in  sestertii  or  the  ses- 
tertium.    The  sestertius,  as  has  been  stated,  derived  its  ratio 


ANCIENT  COINAGES. 


'01 


from  the  silver  denarius,  being  at  first  of  2^  and  afterwards  4 
ases"  value.  The  dupondius,  half  of  the  sestertius,  is  called  by 
numismatists  the  second  bronze.  The  half  of  the  dupondius 
was  called  the  assarium,  an  old  name  of  the  as.  The  assarium 
is  known  to  numismatists  as  the  third  bronze. 


Aureus  of  Augustus. 

After  the  reign  of  Augustus,  when  ^he  denarius  had  been 
reduced  to  one-eighth  of  an  ounce  or  52.5  grains,  the  standard 
Roman  coins  were  of  the  following  denominations : 


Name  of  Coin. 

Metal. 

W't  is  Grains.            Value. 

Cts.    Decimals. 

Sextans, 

Bronze, 

35      or 

•  less.     00  .159713540 

Quadrans, 

u 

52.5 

00  .238046875 

Triens, 

(( 

70 

00  .319427083 

Semissis, 

(( 

105 

00  .479140625 

Assarium  (As), 

u 

210 

00  .95828125 

Dupondius, 

u 

420 

01  .9165625 

Sestertius,             0 

richalcum. 

840 

03  .833125 

Sestertius, 

Silver, 

13.125 

03  .833125 

Quinarius, 

t( 

26.25 

07  .66625 

Denarius, 

(( 

52.5 

15  .3325 

Aureus  Nummus, 

Gold, 

120.0 

$4,13  .36525 

U                        (( 

Present  ratio  of  metals, 

5,14  .024062495 

Sestertium  or  Mille 

Nummi  ( 

of  Accoun; 

t), 

38,01  .99312499 

In  the  table  of  Eoman  Coins  After  Augustus,  the  assarium 
as  the  unit  of  the  copper  coinage,  is  estimated  at  one-half  an 
uncia,  or  one  twenty-fourth  of  the  as,  or  pondusof  5040  grains 
Troy.  Of  the  copper  sestertius,  there  is  in  existence  a  mag- 
nificent series,  from  Augustus  B.  C.  44  to  Gallienus,  A.  D.  268. 


92  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

After  Gallienus,  the  first  bronze,  or  the  sestertius,  disappeared 
from  the  coinage  of  Rome.  The  second  bronze,  or  the  du- 
pondius,  was  not  issued  after  the  reign  of  Diocletian,  A.  D. 
284-305,  and  about  this  time  the  third  bronze,  or  the  assari- 
um,  was  reduced  to  one-twentieth  of  an  uncia,  or  about  21 
grains  Troy.  From  the  time  of  Commodius,  A.  D.  180-192, 
there  Avas  a  rapid  falling  off  in  the  general  character  of  the 
Roman  coinage,  and  in  the  reign  of  Caracalla,  from  A.  D.  211 
to  217,  base  silver  was  extensively  used  in  the  Roman  mints. 
Gallienus,  during  his  wretched  rule,  coined  copper  coins  and 
washed  or  plated  them  with  silver,  after  the  manner  of  other 
counterfeiters  of  the  present  day.  The  colonial  coinage  be- 
came even  worse  than  that  of  Rome,  though  there  was  great 
variety.  With  the  establishment  of  Christianity  as  the  Ro- 
man religion,  A.  D.  812,  a  few  Christian  types  were  placed 
upon  the  coin.  The  assarium,  or  third  bronze  of  Constantine, 
bears  the  laharum,  the  military  standard  of  Constantine, 
adopted  by  him  in  remembrance  of  the  vision  of  the  cross  in 
the  sky,  which  he  pretended  to  have  seen  Octobci  12,  A.  D. 
312,  during  his  march  against  Maxeniius.  The  labarum  rep- 
resented the  cross  and  the  "monogram  of  Christ,"  I.  U.S. ; 
also,  in  later  limes,  the  Greek  letters  Alpha  and  Omega.  In 
the  time  of  Constantine,  liarge  medallions  called  conLorniaU 
were  minted.  They  were  encircled  by  a  deep  groove,  and 
seem  to  have  been  intended  as  ])rizes  to  be  awarded  the  victors 
in  the  public  games.  Upon  the  accession  of  Julian  the  Apos- 
tate to  the  imperial  throne  of  Rome,  A.  T.  3()l-o(33,  the 
ancient  pagan  types  were  reproduced  in  the  coinage;  after  his 
time,  the  assarium,  or  third  bronze,  disappears,  and  the  ancient 
coinage  of  Rome  is  at  an  end. 

There  were  many  counterfeit  ancient  coins,  both  Greek  and 
Roman.  The  Greek  counterfeiters  were  very  skillful,  and 
many  specimens  of  their  work  exist  in  first-class  condition. 
The  Roman  counterfeit  money  was  mostly  cast.  In  modern 
times,  the  counterfeiting  of  ancient  coins,  has  been  a  regular 
art,  some  of  the  genuine  specimens  of  the  old  series  being  of 


ANCIENT  COIN  AGES,  93 

great  value.  At  this  business  have  been  employed  such  ex- 
perts as  Giovanni  Cavino  and  Alcssandro  Bassiano  of  Padua, 
Beuventito  Cellini,  Devrieux  and  "Weber  of  Florence;  Carte- 
ron  of  Holland;  Congornicr  of  Lyons;  Laroche  of  Grenoble; 
Caprare  of  Smyrnia  and  others,  their  productions  commanding 
high  prices,  even  when  known  to  be  imitations.  Almost  all 
kinds  of  rare  coins  are  counterfeited  successfully,  and  nothing 
is  more  common  in  this  way,  than  the  alteration  of  the  dates 
of  common  pieces,  to  resemble  such  as  are  scarce,  and,  there- 
fore, at  a  premium. 

§  On  the  death  of  Theodosius  the  Great,  A.D,  895,  the 
great  Roman  empire  was  permanently  divided.  The  eastern 
part,  with  its  capital  at  Constantinople,  was  bequeathed  to  the 
elder  son  of  Arcadius,  of  the  same  name,  who  was  the  first  of 
the  Byzantine  emperors.  The  territories  governed  by  the 
young  Arcadius  and  his  successors,  was  called  the  B3'zantine 
empire;  the  Roman  empire  of  the  East;  the  Eastern  empire; 
the  Greek  empire,  and  the  Lower  empire.  The  line  between 
the  Byzantine  empire,  and  the  Roman  empire  of  the  West, 
commenced  a  short  distance  above  Pcsth,  a  central  city  of 
Hungary,  135  miles  E,  S.  E.  from  Vienna,  capital  of  the  empire 
of  Austria,  and  followed  the  rivers  Danube,  Save  and  Drina, 
and  was  continued  on  a  line  from  Scutari,  running  near  the 
Adriatic  sea  toward  the  Greater  Syrtis  off  the  coast  of  Cyrena- 
eia  in  Africa. 

Under  the  empress  Pulcheria,  the  first  woman  who  was 
raised  to  that  dignity,  the  Byzantines,  though  ably  governed, 
were  compelled  to  pay  Attila,  the  king  of  the  Huns,  a  tribute, 
which  at  first  was  700  pounds  of  gold  a  year,  but  was  after- 
wards raised  to  2,100  pounds  of  gold  a  year,  although  a  prov- 
ince south  of  the  Danube  was  at  the  same  time  ceded  to  him. 
It  was  Marcian,  the  husband  of  Pulcheria,  who  persuaded  At- 
tila to  push  his  warlike  enterprise  to  the  regions  of  Italy  and 
the  west,  rather  than  desolate  the  Byzantine  countries.  The 
Byzantine  empire  attained  the  summit  of  its  glory,  under  Jus- 


94  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

tinian  I,  A.  D.  527-565.  During  this  long  reign,  industry 
flourished,  the  culture  of  silk  was  introduced  into  Europe, 
civilization  advanced,  while  scholarship  and  thought  were  pro- 
tected and  developed.  The  code  of  law  drawn  up  at  this  time 
has  ever  since  been  the  leading  authority  among  jurists  of  all 
civilized  nations. 

Afterwards,  the  Byzantine  empire  was  weakened,  and  fell 
into  disorder  through  theological  and  religious  controversies, 
about  "the  personal  will  of  Christ,"  and  other  abstract  ques- 
tions, out  of  which  grew  persecutions  and  bloodshed  by  assasi- 
nation  and  otherwise.  Afier  a  varied  and  warlike  history,  the 
Byzantine  empire  ended  with  the  conquests  of  the  Turks,  from 
A.  D.  1-453  to  1461,  and  with  its  fall,  perished  a  power  which, 
through  the  dark  ages,  had  preserved  civilization  and  fostered 
art  and  literature,  when  all  western  Europe  was  trampled  un- 
der the  feet  of  barbarian  hordes. 

The  money  coined  by  the  Byzantine  empire,  for  about  a 
thousand  years,  forms  the  connecting  link  between  ancient 
and  modern  coins.  The  chief  piece  among  Byzantine  coins, 
was  the  gold  solidus,  or  nomisma,  which  was  long  famed  for 
its  great  purity,  and  had  an  extensive  circulation  all  over  Eu- 
rope. The  general  type  of  Byzantine  coins,  is  the  head  of  the 
emperor  or  empress  on  the  obverse,  which,  after  the  tenth  cen- 
tury, is  supported  by  some  supposed  protecting  saint.  The 
reverse,  at  early  dates,  bore  the  representation  of  victory,  and 
a  cross;  afterwards,  entirely  Christian  designs  were  presented, 
among  them  Christ,  or  the  virgin  Mary,  the  last  being  some- 
times represented  as  upholding  the  walls  of  Constantinople. 
The  inscriptions  upon  the  first  Byzantine  coins  were  made  in 
liatin ;  those  of  a  later  date  were  in  either  Greek  or  Latin ; 
afterwards,  the  Greek  language  alone  was  used  upon-^iscoin- 
ajire.  The  term  solidus  is  a  Latin  word,  meaning  solid.  The 
Eoman  emperor  Alexander  Severus,  A.  D.  222-235,  coined 
pieces  of  one-half  the  gold  aureus,  which  were  called  semissis; 
also  pieces  of  one-third  the  aureus,  which  were  called  tremissis. 
From  this  time  the  aureus  was  called  the  solidus.     Constantino 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  95 

the  Great,  up  to  A.  D.  332,  coined  aurei  of  72  to  the 
pound,  or  70  grains  each,  at  which  standard  the  solidus  was 
nominally  coined  until  the  partition  of  the  empire  and  the 
establishment  of  the  Byzantine  government  in  the  east  of 
Europe. 


Coin  of  Constantine. 


Originally  worth  about  five  dollars,  the  aureus,  whether 
coined  by  that  name,  or  as  the  solidus,  like  all  other  ancient 
coins,  was  of  variable  weight,  fineness  and  value,  even  when 
the  attempt  was  made  to  coin  it  of  a  certain  standard.  More- 
over, the  standard  was  changed  from  time  to  time,  the  weight 
was  diminished,  the  aurum  or  gold  was  more  and  more  alloyed 
with  cuprum  or  copper,  and  thus  by  double  means  the  value 
of  the  coin  was  decreased.  The  soldi  formerly  in  use  in  Italy, 
were  lineal  historic  representatives  of  the  once  famous  and 
noble  Bzyantine  solidus,  and  finally  the  same  coin  appears  in 
modern  times,  in  the  degenerate  form  of  the  French  copper 
coin  the  sol  or  sou,  worth  less  than  a  cent  of  the  currency  of 
the  United  States.  During  the  period  called  the  Middle  Ages, 
from  the  fall  of  the  Roman  western  empire,  A  D.  476,  to  the 
discovery  of  America,  A.  D.  1492,  the  most  important  coin  of 
Europe  was  the  silver  denier  or  penny,  derived  from  the  Ro- 
man denarius.  The  half  of  the  denier  was  called  the  obole, 
which  was  at  first  coined  of  silver,  but  afterwards  of  billion  or 
soft  white  composition,  a  kind  of  spelter.  This  kind  of  coin 
was  set  in, circulation  in  the  German  empire,  in  France  and  in 
England ;  it  was  also  coined  by  the  Scandinavian  states,  and 
often  in  various  places  by  ecclesiastical  princes  and  feudal 
lords,  who  thus  assumed  the  prerogative  of  sovereigns,  with- 


96  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

out  due  authority.  The  workmanship  of  much  of  this  de- 
based and  irregular  coinage,  indeed  that  of  the  states  them- 
selves, was  little  if  any  superior  to  that  which  has  been  illus- 
trated on  a  former  page,  bearing  the  tortoise  emblem  of  Aph- 
rodite, and  struck  by  the  earliest  mint-masters  of  primitive 
Greece,  centuries  before  the  (Jhristian  era. 

The  regal  coin  of  the  early  middle  ages,  has  in  general  as 
the  type,  upon  the  obverse,  the  bust  of  the  sovereign,  the  re- 
verse bearing  the  figure  of  a  Greek  cross,  and  the  name  or 
title  of  the  king,  with  the  place  of  mintage,  or  the  name  or 
mark  of  the  master  of  the  mint.  The  practice  of  stamping 
the  arms  of  the  country  upon  a  coin,  with  the  Greek  cross,  be- 
gan in  the  12th  century,  but  was  superceded  for  a  time  after- 
wards. During  the  13th  and  14th  centuries,  coins  were  first 
issued  by  free  imperial  cities,  or  municipal  corporations.  The 
most  notable  piece  of  money  of  this  period,  was  a  thin  piece 
called  a  hracieate,  struck  in  relief  on  one  side,  while  hollow  or 
incused  on  the  other,  after  the  manner  of  the  coins  of  Taren- 
tum,  which  have  been  described  on  page  57. 

The  bracteate  were  a  very  inferior  coinage,  some  of  them 
bearing  no  inscription,  many  but  a  letter  or  two,  or  an  abbre- 
viation of  a  legend,  and  very  few  having  the  same  inscribed 
in  full.  The  mediaeval  coins  down  to  the  l-4th  century,  are 
struck  with  but  a  slight  impress  of  the  die,  making  the  de- 
sign very  light  in  relief;  the  pieces  are  quite  thin  and  the  art 
degraded. 

§  It  is  to  be  understood,  that  the  present  writing  makes  no 
pretense  of  anything  like  even  a  glance,  over  the  whole  field 
of  ancient  coinages.  Those  who  desire  full  information,  must 
devote  much  study  to  many  authors  in  various  languages. 
The  only  effort  here  made,  is  to  give  in  a  popular  manner,  a 
general  idea  of  the  most  remarkable  series  of  old  (;oins,  as  re- 
presentatioLS  of  the  most  common  standards  of  money  in  bye- 
gone  ages ;  the  work  intended,  is  mainly  with  the  commer- 
cially circulating  coins  of  the  present  era  of  the  world,  to 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  97 

which  this  sketch  is  part  of  an  introduction.  To  the  merely 
curious  and  critical,  an  interesting  subject  of  study  is  presented 
in  the  Hindoo  or  Indian  coinage  of  a  very  early  origin.  The 
ancient  Hindoo  coins  are  of  copper,  and  square  in  form,  bear- 
ing a  legend  in  the  Pali  language.  It  is  conjectured  that  they 
were  struck  about  300  B.  C,  but  the  date  is  quite  uncertain — 
the  antiquity  of  India  is  old  indeed ! 

Though  Abraham  was  one  of  the  first  of  men  mentioned  in 
history,  as  making  use  of  money,  and  the  most  famous  finan- 
ciers of  the  present  age  are  among  his  descendants,  yet  there 
is  no  absolute  proof,  that  the  Hebrews  had  a  coinage  of  their 
own,  until  the  time  of  the  Maccabees,  or,  more  properly,  the 
Asmonaeans,  when,  about  the  year  139  B,  C,  Antiochus  VII, 
Sidetes,  the  son  of  Demetrius  I,  king  of  Syria,  among  other 
privileges,  granted  the  Jews,  then  subject  to  his  power,  con- 
ceded "to  Simon  the  High  Priest  and  prince  of  his  nation," 
the  right  of  coining  money.  This  was  in  the  hundred  and 
seventy-fourth  year  of  the  Seleucidan  era. 

As  extensive  concessions  had  already  been  made  the  Jews 
by  Demetrius,  it  is  more  than  probable  that  Simon  the  As- 
monaean  aforesaid,  had  begun  a  coinage  before  the  formal  per- 
mission so  to  do  had  been  given  by  Antiochus.  The  reign  of 
Simon  Maccabaeus,  was  but  eight  years,  from  B.  C.  143  to  B. 
C.  135,  when  he  and  his  two  sons,  Judas  and  Mattathias,  being 
on  a  journey,  with  his  wife,  were  treacherously  murdered  at 
the  fortress  of  Doch,  in  the  middle  of  a  feast,  by  his  son-in-law 
Ptolemy,  governor  of  Jericho. 

The  coins,  made  under  the  government  of  Simon,  were 
struck  during  three  years  and  the  commencement  of  a  fourth. 
These  coins  are  dated  as  of  the  first,  second,  third,  or  fourth 
year,  but  whether  the  "first  year,"  was  the  first  of  Simon's 
reign,  or  the  first  year,  of  the  coinage,  is  unknown ;  they  are 
of  four  different  years,  but  whether  coined  during  the  first 
or  the  last  years,  during  which  Simon  led  and  protected  the 
Hebrews,  is  uncertain.  Thus  the  first  Hebrew  coinage,  and  tlie 
only  one  made  by  them  of  silver,  may  be  considered  to  have 
G 


98 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDJ/i. 


taken  place,  either  from  B.  C.  143  to  B.C.  139,  or,  from  B.  C. 
139  to  B.  C.  135.  The  denominations  were,  the  shekel,  half 
shekel,  quarter  shekel,  and  the  sixth  of  the  shekel. 


Hebrew  Shekel — First  Year. 

Obverse:  A  cup  or  chalice  ("Pot  of  Manna"),  above  which 
is  inscribed  a  Hebrew  letter,  signifying  one ;  meaning  either 
the  first  year  of  Simon's  reign,  or  the  first  3'ear  of  the  Hebrew 
coinage.     Legend:  /S'/^eAeZ/sraeZ,  "Shekel  of  Israel." 

Reverse:  A  trefoil,  triple  lily,  or  hyacinth  ("Aaron's  rod"). 
Legend :  Jerushalem  kedoshah,  "Jerusalem  the  Holy."     Silver. 


Hebrew  Half  Shekel — First  Year. 

Obverse:  A  cup  or  chalice  ("Pot  of  Manna"),  above  which 
is  inscribed  the  Hebrew  letter,  signifying  one.  Legend  :  Chatzi 
ha-Shekel,  "Half-Shekel." 

Keverse:  A  triple  lily  or  hyacinth  ("Aaron's  rod").  Le- 
gend: Jerushalem  kedoshah,  "Jerusalem  the  Holy.    Silver. 


Hebrew  Shekel — Second  Year. 
Obverse :  A  cup  or  chalice,  above  which  two  Hebrew  letters 


'ANCIENT  COIN  AGES. 


^ 


are  inscribed,  in  an  abbreviation  for  Shenath  IShethaim  ;  mean- 
ing the  "year  two."  Legend:  Shekel  Israel,  "Shekel  of 
Israel." 

Reverse:  A  triple  lily  or  hyacinth.     Legend-  Je'-ushalaim 
ha-kedoshah,  "Jerusalem  the  Holy."     Silver. 


Hebrew  Half  Shekel — Second  Year. 

Obverse:  A  cup  or  chalice,  above  which  is  inscribed,  in  aa 
abbreviation,  Shenalh  Shethaim]  meaning  the  "year  two." 
Legend:   Chatzi  ha-Shekel/'RaliShekeV 

Reverse:  A  triple  lily  or  hyacinth.  Legend:  Jerushalaim 
ha-kedoshah,  "Jerusalem  the  Holy."    Silver. 


Hebrew  Shekel — Third  Year. 

Obverse:  A  cup  or  chalice,  above  which  is  inscribed,  in  an 
abbreviation,  Shenath  Shelosh;  meaning  the  "year  three.^' 
Legend:  Shekel  Israd,  "Shekel  of  Israel." 

Reverse :  A  triple  lily  or  hyacinth.  Legend :  xTerushalaim 
ha-kedosha,  "Jerusalem  the  Holy."     Silver. 


Hebrew  Half  Shekel — Third  Year. 
Obverse :  A  cup  or  chalice,  above  which  is  inscribed,  in  ab- 


100  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

breviation,  Shenath  Shelosh  ;  meaning  tlie  "year  three."     Le- 
gend:  Chatzi  ha- Shekel,  "Half  Shekel." 

Reverse :  A  triple  lily  or  hyacinth.     Legend :  Jerushalaim 
ha-kedoshah,  "Jerusalem  the  Holy."     Silver. 


Hebrew  Shekel — Fourth  Year. 

Obverse :  A  cup  or  chalice,  above  which  is  inscribed/  an 
abbreviation  for  Shenath  arha ;  meaning  the  "year  four." 
Legend:  Shekel  Israel^  "Shekel  of  Israel," 

Reverse :  A  triple  lily  or  hyacinth.  Legend :  Jerushalaim 
ha-kedoshah,  "Jerusalem  the  Holy."  Silver. 
•  There  are  both  silver  and  copper  coins  extant,  which  bear 
the  types  and  legends  of  the  Hebrew  shekels  of  the  fourth 
3'ear,  but  of  these,  the  copper  pieces,  are  by  some  considered 
counterfeits.  It  is  supposed,  as  history  gives  no  information 
upon  the  subject,  that  the  Jews,  who  were  at  that  time,  under 
very  heavy  war  expenses,  may  have  been  compelled  to  strike! 
copper  money  to  meet  financial  emergencies ;  but  it  is  regarded 
as  quite  unlikely,  that  they  should  strike  both  silver  and  cop- 
per shekels  during  the  same  year.  The  silver  shekel  of  the 
fourth  year  is  the  last  coin  of  that  metal  struck  by  the  He- 
brews until  the  first  and  second  revolts,  A.  D.  60  and  A.  D.  115. 

As  to  the  legend  "Jerusalem  the  Holy,"  upon  the  coins 
already  described,  it  refers  to  a  title  given  Jerusalem  at  a  very 
early  time.  Demetrius  Soter  (Demetrius  the  Savior),  king  of 
Syria,  B.C.  162,  decreed  the  city  should  be  "holy  and  free." 
It  was  common  for  many  Greek  cities,  in  particular  those 
along  the  Mediterranean,  exempt  from  taxes,  to  be  described 
as  holy  and  inviolable.  In  the  gospel  of  Mathew,  Jerusalem 
is  called  "the  holy  city,"  and  the  Arabs  still  call  it  by  the 
name  El-Kuds,  "the  holy,"  The  Greek  cities  inscribed  the 
title  of -Holy,  upon  their  coinage,  and  in  the  same  way  "i/isrw- 


*  ANCIENT  COINAGES. 


101 


shalaim  ha-kedoshah^''  upon  the  coins  of  Simon  Maccabaeus, 
was  not  a  case  of  pretentious  self-righteousness,  on  the  part  of 
the  Hebrews,  but  an  assertion  of  the  guaranteed  freedom  and 
independence  of  their  capital.  However,  as  the  Hebrew  gov- 
ernment was  ideally  Theocratic,  the  political  affairs  of  the  peo- 
ple acquired  a  certain  religious  importance  and  significance. 
The  types  of  Hebrew  coins  are  taken,  either  from  the  utensils 
of  the  temple,  or  from  the  plants,  fruits  and  flowers  of  their 
country,  emblems  of  religious  faith  or  of  material  prosperity 
and  happiness-  In  later  times,  Soman  and  other  types  were 
blended  on  a  coinage  not  purely  Hebraic. 

The  copper  half  shekels,  quarter  shekels  and  sixths  of  she- 
kels, coined  in  the  fourth  year  only,  are  of  different  types  and 
varieties  from  the  preceding  silver  coinage  of  the  same  series, 
and  may  be  described  as  follows : 


Hebrew  Half  Shekel — Fourth  Year. 

Obverse :  Two  boquets  of  branches  and  leaves  (Lulah) ;  be- 
tween them  a  citron  (^Ethrog).  Legend :  Shenath  arha  Chatzi. 
*'In  the  fourth  year — one- half." 

Reverse :  A  palm  tree,  on  each  side  of  which  there  stands 
a  basket  full  of  dates  and  fruits  of  other  kinds.  Legend:  Li- 
yullath  Zion,  "The  redemption  of  Zion."     Aes  or  copper. 


T>;*+ 


Hebrew  Quarter  Shekel — Fourth  Year.  •  / 

Obverse:  Two  boquets  of  branches  and  leaves.     Legend: 


108  DTE*S  com  ENCTCLOF^DIA. 


XQkemaA  fltis  JBeiut;  mraning,,  in  indicitioii  of  the  date  and 
-isdoe^  "in  flic  fiyiirth  jear — one-qnarta-." 

Bevcatse:  A  citnm  or  eikrog.    L^;end:    XdymUath   Ziwu 
"Tlie  mfaiiiion  of  ZionJ*    Acs  cr  aappetm 


&XTH  OF  A  ShEEKL — ^FOUBTH  TSAK. 

Ofafcaae:  A  cap  vr  chalice.  L^end:  LiyuUaih  Zion, 
"Hie  redemption  otZxoaf 

BevBse:  A  boqoet  of  brandies  between  two  otroBS  ^m*  dh- 
royg,  Jjtgeadz  Sbemalkaria.  "In tbe foorlh  jear.*  Aesor 
copper. 

Under  John  Hjieanns,  B.  G.  135  to  B.  C.  106^  the  Hebrews 
atmdk  alar^genamberof  ecMns;,  which  were  aes<Mr<9opper<Mi]j. 
The  obverae  bears  an  insoiptioD,  Jehoekamatn  Hakkohtn  Hay- 
gadol  «edbc£er  Jlajekmiim^  *' Johanan  Hi^  Priest  and  the  Con- 
federation of  the  Jewa^**  enclosed  bj  a  wreath  of  huirel  or  olive. 
The  lerevse  di^htjs  two  e(Nii*ia-<'^iae^  with  a  pc^pj  head 
between  them.  The  inscriptioa  oo  the  obverse  Taries  upon 
the  eoans  ctf  this  soies  at  different  issues^  bat  the  geno^al  par- 
poit  is  the  kmie.  The  tjpe  of  the  doable  ewnoaret^nae  ori- 
^nated  in  E^pt^  and  was  probaUj  adopted  bj  the  HetMews 
in  imitation  of  the  eoina^  of  Sjria^  and  maj  have  been  in- 
iecdedasan  emllemof  the  prosperitj  of  Jadea  under  the  role 
cf  John  HjrcannsL 

Jodas  Aristobohis  soeoeeded  John  Iljreanas^  taking  the 
fitleof  king;  he  n^ned  from  B. C.  106  to  B.  C.  105,  onij  one 
jear ;  his  crana^  is  of  the  pmecedent  tjpe,  cxoe^  the  neees- 
aarjr  diai^e  of  name  on  the  obrerse. 

An  anchor;  an  cig^t-rajed  star;  an  am;  coTeted  Tesels; 
^of  the  temple?)  on  stands;  tripods;  oomnion  five-pmnted 
stais;^  hdmefsj^  the  Tom^  or  crux  cauaia — the  Aasjiian  s%n 


ANCIENT  com  AGES.  103 

<^  fife;  Maoedoniaii  shields;  the  winged  c^mceos;  pome- 
gnuutes  with  leaiTes;  the  prow  of  a  gaUej  wiih  a  indent; 
galkjs  with  oars„  and  others  with  oars  and  sails ;  faonches  of 
giapes,  and  gnqoe  leaves^  are  saooessave  types  of  the  Ilebrew 
coinage  under  Alexander  Jannaenis,  B.  C.  105  to  B.  G.  73  ;  his 
wife  Alexandia,  B. C.  78  to  B. C.  69 ;  Hjitanns  11,  B.C.  69 
to  B.C.  65;  Aristobalas  11  and  Alexander  11,  B.  C.  65  to  B. 
C.  49;  Hjrcanos  11  (iihe  lestorationX  B.G.  47  to  B.C.  40; 
Anttigonus,  B.  C.  40  to  B.C.  37 ;  Herod  (the  GmiitX  B.a  37 
to  B.  C.  4^  and  bj  their  gradnall/  increisingl j  Boman  or 
foreign  character,  indicate  the  encroachments  of  Boman  con- 
quest and  the  growing  suhsenrioicj  of  the  kin^  of  Judea. 

A  small  copper  coin  exists  supposed  to  he  IlelHaic,  and  to 
hare  licen  struck  under  Alexander  Jannaeusi,  or  Alexander  II, 
which  bears  upon  the  obverse  a  human  head,  and  on  the  re- 
Terse  an  eight-rajed  star.  No  le^nd  is  visible.  If  this  coin 
is  reallj  Hebraic^  it  is  the  earliest  Tiolation,  in  the  making  of 
Jewish  money,  of  the  Mosaic  commandment :  ''Thou  shall  not 
make  unto  thysdf  any  graven  image  or  any  fiken^s  of  any- 
thing etc,'*  though  another  instance  may  be  noted  hereafter- 
Under  Alexander  Jannaena;,  the  coins  at  first  bore  inscriptiona 
in  modernized  Hebrew;  afterwards  Hebrew  and  Greek  in> 
scriptions  were  struck  together,  after  which  Greek  inscrip- 
tions became  general  and  were  used  excliiisaTely. 

Undsr  the  Herod  Philip  II,  B.  C.  4  to  B.  C.  S4^  :hc  coinage 
for  the  Hebrews  bore  the  head  of  Tiberius,  the  Boman  em« 
peror,  on  the  obverse,  and  a  view  of  a  ite*;iastjle  temple  on  the 
reverse.  The  coins  bear  various  iiosexiplions  in  Greek,  and 
the  date.  The  name  of  the  emperor  is  inscribed  upon  one 
specimen.  As  has  been  already  staiedL,  the  placing  of  the 
figure  of  any  human  being,  or  even  an  animal,  npaa  the  He- 
brew coin,  was  a  violation  of  the  Mosaic  law,  which  must 
have  been  exceedingly  obnoxious  to  the  Jews  <^  '^Jerusalem 
the  Holy.'^  But  the  mintage  was  not  always  done  at  Jerusa- 
lem, and  as  in  the  case  of  all  the  belter  Boman  coins,  the  ar- 
tists were  Greek,  while  Herod  doubtless  much  preferred  to 


104  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

flatter  the  head  of  Rome,  and  thus  secure  his  own  position, 
rather  than  observe  any  law  whatever.  In  keeping  with  this, 
the  tetrastyle  temple  on  the  reverse  of  his  coinage,  was  sup- 
posed to  be  a  representation  of  one  built  by  Herod  I,  and  dedi- 
cated to  Caesar, 

A  fringed  umbrella;  threefold  heads  of  wheat;  the  figure 
of  Fortune ;  quadrigae  or  four-horse  chariots ;  victory  flying ; 
clasped  hands ;  scenes  of  sacrifice,  and  an  eagle,  are  the  types 
used  for  the  reverse  of  Ilebrew  coins,  with  the  heads  of  the 
emperors  of  Rome  upon  the  obverse,  until  Agrippa  II  as- 
cended the  throne  as  king  of  the  Jews,  to  reign  under  Roman 
protection,  from  A.D.  48  to  A.  D.  100.  'ihis  Agrippa,  was 
the  last  prince  of  the  Herodian  line,  the  one  before  whom  Paul 
had  his  trial,  and  to  whom  he  made  his  great  speech  in  de- 
fense of  Christianit3^  Agrippa  II  placed  his  own  likeness 
upon  the  Hebrew  coin,  A.  D.  58,  but  was  doubtless  promptly 
forbidden  so  to  do  by  the  Romans,  as  in  A.  D.  59,  and  after- 
wards, up  to  A.  E,  95,  his  coins  either  bear  the  emblem  of  the 
town  where  they  were  minted,  a  female  head,  or  the  head  of 
the  Roman  emperor,  with  other  types  and  inscriptions  charac- 
teristic of  a  Roman  colonial  coinage. 

The  copper  coins  struck  in  Judea  ny  the  Roman  Procura- 
tors, from  A.  D.  6  to  A.  D.  65,  were  designed,  according  to  the 
orders  of  the  Roman  Senate,  with  respect  for  ;he  Hebraic  na- 
tional law  and  popular  sentiment,  and  hence  bore  as  types, 
only  such  objects  as  ears  of  corn ;  palm  trees ;  bunches  of 
dates ;  an  altar ;  vases ;  urns ;  the  lituus  (a  short,  crooked  staff 
used  by  Boman  augurs  and  astrologers  in  divining) ;  the  corn- 
ua-copiee  and  poppy  head,  and  shields. 

The  Jews  revolted  against  the  Romans  A.  D.  QQ^  but  were 
again  subjugated,  and  Jerusalem  destroyed  by  the  Romans  un- 
der Titus,  A.  D.  70.  The  Eleazars,  High  Priests,  with  Simon 
son  of  Gioras  and  other  leaders  of  faction,  as  well  as  the  Syn- 
hedrium  or  Supreme  Authority  at  Jerusalem,  during  the  re- 
volt coined  both  silver  and  copper  coins,  to  which  they  re- 
stored the  Lulab  (bunch  of  branches  and  leaves),  and  the  Eth- 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  105 

rog  (citron),  which  had  been  the  prominent  types  of  the  glo- 
rious reign  of  Simon  Maccabaeus.  Palm  trees ;  lyres  ;  bunches 
of  grapes ;  grape  leaves ;  urns ;  pitchers ;  cups  ;  chalices  and 
temples  were  also  stamped  upon  this  coinage  of  the  revolt,  all 
suggestive  to  the  Jews  of  the  ancient  glories  of  their  religion, 
and  calculated  to  inspire  them  to  most  desperate  efforts  for 
the  independence  of  their  country.  Some  of  these  coins  bear 
such  legends,  in  Hebrew  or  Samaritan,  as:  Elezar  Jlakkohen, 
"Elezar  the  High  Priest";  Shenath  Achath  Liyullalh  Israel^ 
"First  year  of  the  redemption  of  Israel"  ;  Lacherutli  Jerusalem^ 
"The  deliverence  of  Jerusalem"  ;  Schin  Beth  Lacherulh  Israel^ 
"Second  year  of  the  deliverance  of  Israel,"  etc.,  etc.,  according 
to  the  authority  by  whose  orders  they  were  coined  and  the 
date  of  their  issue. 

The  Roman  coins  struck  during  the  reign  of  Vespasian,  to 
commemorate  the  capture  of  Jerusalem  by  Titus,  were  minted 
in  Judea  and  in  Rome ;  those  struck  in  Judea  had  for  an  ob- 
verse, a  laureated  head,  and  on  the  reverse  was  a  palm  tree, 
supporting  a  shield,  wliereon  victory  was  making  an  appro- 
priate inscription.  These  pieces  were  of  aes  or  copper.  The 
coins  of  this  series  struck  at  Rome,  were  of  gold,  silver,  aes  or 
brass.  The  obverse  bore  the  emperor's  head  and  titles  ;  the 
reverse  a  Roman  trophy,  and  Judea,  represented  as  a  captive 
female,  sitting  on  the  ground.  Underneath  the  device  is  in- 
scribed IYDAEx\,  "Judea." 

On  the  reverse  of  some  of  these  coins,  the  captive  sits  at  the 
foot  of  a  palm  tree,  her  hands  bound  behind  her  back.  Some 
have  the  captive  standing,  the  hands  being  tied  before  her,  and 
the  legend  lYDAEA  DEVICTA.  On  some  pieces,  she  sits  be- 
neath  the  palm,  her  hands  being  free,  while  a  Roman  soldier 
stands  guard  over  her.  On  others,  a  Jew  and  Jewess  are  near 
the  palm,  his  hands  tied  behind  him  as  he  stands,  while  she 
sits  weeping,  the  legend  being,  IVDAEA  CAPTA,  "Judea 
Captive." 

Similar  coins  were  struck  under  the  Roman  emperor  Domi- 
tan,  until  A.  D.  85  or  somewhat  later.     There  are  coins  com- 


106  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCI.OPjEDIA. 

memorative  of  the  conquest  of  Jerusalem,  •whereon  Judea  is 
seated  at  the  foot  of  the  palm,  the  legend  being,  IVDAEA 
NAVALIS,  though  the  Jews  never  were  a  naval  power. 
Also,  one  of  Titus,  his  foot  on  the  prow  of  a  vessel,  victory 
in  one  hand,  a  spear  in  the  other,  and  Jews  suppliant  before 
him. 

In  the  je.ir  A.D.  115,  began  the  second  revolt  of  tlic  Jews, 
while  Trajan  was  engaged  in  a  Parthian  expedition.  The  re- 
volt was  suppressed  A.  T).  135.  During  its  continuance,  Si- 
mon Bar-cochab,  the  leader  of  the  Jews,  rccoincd  silver  and 
copper  money,  striking  over  Grecian  and  Roman  designs,  the 
types,  symbols  and  legends  of  the  coinage  during  the  first  re- 
volt and  that  anciently  done  under  Simon  Maccabajus,  with 
the  additional  device,  in  some  cases,  of  trumpets,  such  as  were 
used  in  the  armies  of  Israel. 

The  imperial  colonial  coins  struck  in  Judea  during  the  time 
of  Hadrian,  from  A.  D.  136,  and  those  issued  under  his  suc- 
cessors down  to  A.  D.  251,  are  of  Roman  types,  though  a  ^qw 
under  Iladriaa  refer  to  the  suppression  of  the  second  Jewish 
revolt. 

The  series  of  ancient  Jewish  coins,  closes  with  the  copper 
money  struck  at  Jerusalem  by  the  conquering  Arabs. 


Arabic  Copper  Coin  Struck  at  Jerusalem. 

Obverse:  The  standing  figure  of  a  Caliph,  facing  front. 
Supposed  to  be  the  effigy  of  Alxlel-melik,  circ.  A.  D.  Q>'d7),  or 
Muawiyeh.  Legend:  In  Cufic characters :  "Mahomraed apos- 
tle of  God." 

Reverse:  The  crescent  upturned  above  the  letter  Af.  Le- 
gend: In  Cufic  characters:  "Palestine"  and  "iElia." 

The  type  of  the  crescent  above  the  letter  M,  much  resembles 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  107 

the  device  used  upon  the  contemporaneous  coins  of  the  By- 
zantine empire. 


Arabic  Copper  Coin  Struck  at  Jerusalem. 

Obverse:  The  standing  figure  of  a  Caliph,  focing  front. 
Legend :  Wanting  in  part  oa  the  specimen,  and  in  the  illus- 
tration, but  was  doubtless  the  same  as  on  the  preceding  piece, 
as  described,  viz :  "Mahommed  apostle  of  God." 

lieversc :  The  crescent  upturned  above  the  letter  M.  Le- 
gend :  "Palestine."  Inscribed  in  Cufio  characters  on  each  side 
of  the  device. 


Arabic  Copper  Coin  Struck  at  Jerusalem. 

Obverse:  Inscription  in  Cufic  characters:  "Mahomraea 
apostle  of  God." 

Keversc:  A  five-branched  candelabrum. 

The  legend  upon  the  obverse  of  this  and  the  two  coins 
already  described,  should  be  read :  "  Mahommed  is  the  apostle  of 
God" ;  a  most  orthoJo.x  Mo:ilcm  statement.  The  candelabrum 
of  five  or  more  branches  was,  however,  pa^t  of  the  furniture 
of  the  Ilcbrcw  temple:  it  was  inscribed  on  monuments  of  the 
Roman  time,  as  avcU  as  upon  these  coins,  where  ii  may  have 
been  placed  as  in  some  manner  an  allusion  to,  or  recognition 
of,  the  religion  and  institutions  of  the  children  of  Abraham, 
between  whom  and  the  sons  of  Islam,  there  was  not  only, 
through  Ilagar,  an  afTmity  of  blood,  but,  as  both  were  icono- 
clasts, Thcists  aiiil  Unitarians,  a  correspondence,  in  degree,  of 
religious  sentiment  also.     In  a  corresponding  manner  the  Mo- 


108  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

hammedans  acknowledged  the  prophetic  character  of  the  Old 
Testament,  and  speak  and  write  of  Jesus  as  a  brother  of  the 
divinely  inspired  founder  of  their  own  religion. 


Arabic  Copper  Coin  Struck  at  Jerusalem. 

Obverse:  Four  trees  equidistant  from  each  other,  across 
the  field. 

Reverse:  A seven-oranched candelabrum.  Legend:  Most- 
ly obliterated,  and  quite  undecipherable  on  the  only  known 
specimen. 

The  coinage  of  Judea,  as  has  been  noted  on  preceding  pages, 
was  mostly  of  copper;  the  current  silver  was  principally  de- 
rived from  the  cities  of  Phrenicia  and  Syria.  The  Grecian 
drachma  was  in  use  at  Jerusalem,  and  is  mentioned  in  the 
original  Greek  New  Testament,  Luke  xv,  8:  "Either  what 
woman  having  ten  (drachmse\  pieces  of  silver,  if  she  lose  one 
piece,  doth  not  light  a  candle  and  sweep  the  house,  and  seek 
diligently  till  she  find  it."  Every  male  among  the  Eebrews 
paid,  according  to  the  ancient  law.  Exodus  xxx,  13-15,  a  half- 
shekel  of  silver  yearly  to  the  Lord  as  a  ransom  for  his  soul. 
This  offering  to  the  Temple  was  quite  distinct  from  the  tribute 
exacted  for  the  Roman  emperor,  which  was  a  denarius  or  one 
Attic  drachma.  The  half  shekel  of  silver,  ransom  for  the 
soul,  had,  by  the  first  years  of  the  Christian  era,  been  con- 
verted into  the  payment  of  two  Attic  drachmae ;  four  of  which, 
according  to  Josephus,  made  tiie  equivalent  of  a  shekel  of 
Israel,  which  was  tlie  Jewit^h  stater,  or  standard  of  money. 
The  shekel  of  Israel,  described  by  Joseph tis  as  four  Attic 
drachmas,  as  a  coin,  is  estimated  to  have  weighed  on  an  aver- 
age some  220  grains.  The  Jews,  when  dispersed  throughout 
the  world,  still  continued  to  pay  the  half  shekel,  or  two 
drachmas,  for  the  use  of  the  Temple,  or  the  support  of  their 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  109 

religion,  and  while  under  the  Roman  yoke,  were  ordered  by 
Vespasian,  wlierever  they  might  be,  to  pay  the  like  amount 
to  the  temple  of  Jupiter  Capitolinus,  which  last  tax  was 
sternly  exacted  under  Domitan  afterwards,  and  continued  to 
be  paid  as  late  as  Alexander  Severus,  A.D.  226. 

In  the  account  pf  the  miracle  given,  Matt.  xvii,24:-27,  we  read: 

"2-1:  ^  And  when  they  were  come  to  Capernaum,  they  that 
received  tribute- money,  came  to  Peter,  and  said,  Doth  not 
your  master  pay  tribute? 

"  25  He  saitli.  Yes.  And  when  he  was  come  into  the  house, 
Jesus  prevented  him  saying,  What  thinkest  thou  Simon?  of 
whom  do  the  kings  of  the  earth  take  custom  or  tribute?  of 
their  own  children,  or  of  strangers  ? 

"26  Peter  saith  unto  him,  Of  strangers.  Jesus  saith  unto 
him,  then  are  the  children  free. 

"27  Notwithstanding,  lest  we  should  oflfend  them,  go  thou  to 
the  sea,  and  cast  a  hook,  and  take  up  the  fish  that  first  cometh 
up :  and  when  thou  hast  opened  his  mouth,  thou  shalt  find  a 
piece  of  money  :  that  take  and  give  unto  them  for  me  and  thee.*' 

According  to  the  Greek  text,  the  coin  referred  to  was  a  stater. 
Thedidrachma,  having  fjilleu  into  disuse,  the  silver  currency  of 
Palestine  at  this  time,  consisted  of  Greek  Imperial  tetradrach- 
raae,  or  staters,  of  the  same  weight  as  the  Jewish  stater  or  she- 
kel; and  the  Roman  denarius  of  one-fourth  the  value.  Conse- 
quentlv,  the  best  authorities  conclude  that,  doubtless,  the  piece 
of  money  said  to  have  been  taken  by  Peter  from  the  fish,  was  a 
tetradrachma  of  the  cities  of  Syria,  such  as  is  here  illustrated: 


Syrian  City  Tetradrachma. 
The  tax  to  the  Temple  could,  it  is  true,  be  paid  only  in 


110  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Jewish  money,  a  h.alf  shekel  of  Israel  for  every  male,  but  as 
there  were  many  kinds  of  coia  brought  by  the  Jews  from 
foreign  countries,  there  were  persons  who,  as  "money 
changers,"  Matt,  xxi,  12;  Mark  xi,  15;  John  ii,  15,  sat  in 
tlie  porches  of  the  Temple,  and  for  an  obolus  or  so  of  com- 
mission on  each  piece,  sold  half  shekels  of  Jsrael  for  foreign 
coin.  To  those  money  changers,  Peter  must,  according  to 
every  probability  of  the  narrative,  have  had  recourse,  and  it 
would  seem  that  their  business  thus  far,  could  have  been  man- 
aged without  offense  to  the  august  dignity  of  the  place  where 
it  was  conducted.  One  would  hardly  suppose  Jesus  would 
have  availed  himself  of  their  services  and  afterwards  have 
driven  them  forth  from  their  places  with  blows  and  indignity, 
as  he  is  said  to  have  done.  (Mark  xi,  15).  It  may  have  been 
that  the  money  changers  abused  the  privilege  granted  them 
for  the  accommodation  of  the  pilgrims,  and  made  the  porches 
of  the  Temple  a  place  of  general  exchange,  brokerage  and  bar- 
ter, usury  and  fraud — "a  den  of  thieves,"  trebly  infamous  on 
account  of  the  place  they  disgraced,  and  well  deserving  the 
castigation  and  expulsion  described. 

The  "Mite,"  two  of  which  the  widow  is  said  to  have  cast  into 
the  treasury,  Mark  xii,  42 ;  John  ii,  14,  15,  was  derived  from 
the  Greek  Lepton,  one-seventh  of  the  Chalchus,  according  to 
the  Attic  standard,  and  originally  the  smallest  Greek  copper 
coin.  The  Lepton,  supposed  to  have  formed  part  of  the  Greek 
Imperial  coinage,  was  represented  in  the  Jewish  currency 
by  a  series  of  small  copper  coins,  presumably  of  Alexander 
Jannaeus,  though  the  exact  date  of  their  issue  is  uncertain. 
There  were  other  small  copper  coins  of  semi-barbarous  work- 
manship, considered  as  belonging  to  a  later  time,  which  may 
have  passed  as  of  the  same  denomination.  The  weight  of 
these  lepla,  or  mites,  was  from  15  to  20  grains,  according  to 
specimens,  18  grains  being  the  most  common  amount  of  cop- 
per in  a  piece.  These  coins  were  common  in  Judea  B.  C.  69 
to  B.  C.  40,  but  at  the  time  of  the  Evangelists  are  said  to  have 
nearly  gone  out  of  circulation. 


ANCIENT   COINAGES.  Ill 

The  Greek  Imperial,  or  GrEeco-Roman  coins,  and  the  money 
struck  at  Rome,  circulated  together  in  Palestine,  In  the  time 
of  Augustus  and  that  of  Tiberius,  emperor  of  Rome,  A.  D.  14 
to  A.  D.  37.  The  lepton  and  the  quadrans  are  both  mentioned 
in  the  Greek  version  of  the  New  Testament,  Mark  xii,  42,  but 
commentators  and  pritics  disagree  as  to  the  proper  translation 
of  the  text.  The  term  "farthing"  is  merely  a  transcription 
of  the  Latin  quadrmis^  and  some  have  it  that  Mark  thus  made 
the  quadrans  equal  to  two  lepta.  Enthjmius  Zigabenus,  an 
ancient  commentator,  concluded  the  lej)la  equaled  the  quad- 
rans^ in  which  theory  the  numismatist,  Cavedoni,  concurs; 
but  Frederic  W.  Madden,  M.  R.  G.  L.  of  the  British  Museum, 
said  to  be  the  best  authority  on  Hebrew  coins,  while  waiving 
the  question  of  translation  in  favor  of  Biblical  critics,  accepts 
the  conclusion  that  '■'■two  lepta  went  to  the  quadrans^^  and  tha:t 
"two  distinct  coins  are  meant." 

After  the  reign  of  Augustus,  the  denarius  being  one- 
eighth  of  an  ounce,  or  less,  the  quadrans  may  be  estimated  as 
worth  one-quarter  of  a  cent,  United  States  currency',  or  making 
the  calculation  according  to  the  ancient  ratio  of  metals,  .2376- 
220  of  a  cent.  Then,  if  two  lepta  went  to  the  quadrans^  the 
value  of  the  "widow's  mite"  would  have  been  about  the  eighth 
of  a  cent,  or,  .1188110  of  the  same — a  very  small  donation  in- 
deed, in  comparison  with  the  rich  offerings  of  the  proud,  and, 
after  all,  graceless  and,  spiritually  considered,  illiberal  Pharisees. 

The  "penny"  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament  (king  James' 
version),  was  the  Roman  denarius.  Under  the  empire,  the 
type  of  the  denarius  on  the  obverse,  was  the  head  and  title  of 
the  reigning  Caasa;*.  It  is  written.  Matt,  xxii,  19-21,  that 
when  the  Pharisees  sent  a  penny  unto  Jesus  to  tempt  him, 
they  were  met  by  the  question:  "Whose  is  this  image  and 
superscription  ?"  and  they  say  unto  him,  Caesar's.  Then  saith 
he  unto  them,  "Render  unto  Ciesar  the  things  which  are  Cae- 
sars, and  unto  God  the  things  which  are  God's."  The  Cajsar 
Augustus  of  the  time  this  is  recorded  as  having  taken  place, 
was  Tiberius,  and  the  denarius  of  Tiberius  here  illustrated,  is 


112  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

supposed  by  Biblical  critics  to  have  been  tbe  coin  and  type  ac- 
tually presented  to  Jesus. 


EoMAN  Denarius  of  Tiberius. 

Tlie  denarius  was  the  poll  tax  demanded  of  eacli  man  of  the 
Jews,  aside  fiom  the  two  Attic  drachmae  they  were  compelled 
to  pay  to  the  Temple  of  Jupiter  at  Rome,  just  as  they  volun- 
tarily paid  the  half  shekel,  of  the  same  value,  to  their  own 
Temple  at  Jerusalem.  The  object  of  the  Pharisees  is  repre- 
sented to  have  been  to  induce  Jesus  to  commit  himself,  in  op- 
position to  the  payment  of  taxes  to  the  Eomans,  for  thus  they 
could  have  secured  his  death  for  inciting  to  insurrection.  The 
answer  said  to  have  been  given,  could  have  given  them  no 
ground  for  such  a  complaint  against  him,  yet  it  is  recorded 
that  before  Pilate,  Luke  xxiii,  2,  "forbidding  to  give  tribute 
to  Caesar,"  was  one  of  the  grave  offenses  charged  against  Jesus. 

§  The  Romans  introduced  their  money  into  Britain  when 
they  made  the  conquest  of  that  country,  a  work  which  com- 
menced under  Caesar  Augustus,  B.  C.  55,  was  not  completed 
even  in  England  and  Wales,  until  more  than  a  century  after, 
or  at  about  A.  D.  33.  Constantine,  emperor  ot  Rome  from 
B.C.  306,  or  B.  C.  308  to  B.  C.  337,  is  supposed  to  have  had 
a  mint  in  London.  The  Romans,  who  had  never  been  able  to 
subjugate  and  hold  that  part  of  Britain  north  of  a  line  from 
the  frith  of  Clyde  to. the  frith  of  Forth,  abandoned  the  country 
before  the  middle  of  the  fifth  century  of  the  Christian  era, 
when  the  Britons  became  independent  and  made  a  bold  stand, 
through  the  help  of  the  Saxons,  against  the  invasions  of  the 
Scots,  the  country  meantime  reverting  to  heathenism  for  a 
period. 

The  Roman  currency  continued  to  circulate  for  a  time  after 


ANCIENT  COINAGES.  113 

the  country  had  been  abandoned  to  the  Britons.  The  first 
independent  English  coinage,  was  not  derived  from  Roman 
types;  it  consisted  of  two  small  coins,  the  sheatta  of  silver, 
and  the  styca  of  copper,  both  belonging,  as  is  supposed,  only 
and  entirely  to  the  Saxon  kingdom  of  Northumbria.  The  art 
of  these  Saxon  coins,  is  of  the  most  primitive  kind ;  the  types 
are  birds,  rude  profiles  and  several  unintelligible  symbols. 
They  bear  no  inscriptions  or  anything  of  the  nature  of  a 
legend. 

The  earliest  coins  of  the  other  six  kingdoms  of  the  English 
heptarchy,  were  silver  pennies,  which  were  at  first  struck  240 
to  the  pound,  or  were  intended  so  to  be  made.  Afterwards, 
half-pennies  were  occasionally  issued,  and  as  the  skeattre  and 
stycae  in  time  passed  out  of  circulation,  the  penny  and  half- 
penny, became  the  sole  currency  of  England,  and  so  remained 
down  to  the  time  of  the  reign  of  Edward  III,  A.  D.  1*327-1377. 
These  pennies  of  the  heptarchy,  bore  the  name  of  the  king  or 
of  the  mint-master,  on  the  earliest  types ;  after  the  introduc- 
tion of  Christianity,  the  cross  was  sometimes  used  as  a  type; 
in  later  times,  the  obverse  bore  the  rudely  executed  device  of 
the  head  of  the  king  or  queen.  The  pennies  of  the  Saxon 
and  Danish  kings  of  all  England,  from  Egbert  I,  about  A.  D. 
827,  are  somewhat  similar  in  character.  The  earlier  coins  of 
king  Alfred,  A.  D.  871-901,  bear  as  the  device  of  the  obverse 
a  grotesque  portrait. 


Pexxy  of  King  Alfred  of  England. 

Obverse:  Grotesque   portrait,   very   rudely  executed.     Le- 
gend :  Alfrd  Hex,  "  Alfred  king." 

Reverse :  Monogram  of  the  city  of  London. 
In  the  later  coinage  of  Alfred,  a  cross  and  circle  occupies 
H 


114  DYE'S  com  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 

the  place  of  the  head  upon  the  obverse.  Edward  III,  A.  D. 
1327-1377,  issued  silver  pennies,  half-pennies,  and  farthings, 
groats  and  half-groats,  the  coinage  showing  a  great  advance 
upon  the  work  done  under  his  predecessors.  The  reign  of 
this  king  belongs  to  the  middle  ages,  and  some  account  of  his 
coin,  and  that  of  other  potentates  of  his  time,  will  be  given  on 
succeeding  pages,  in  connection  with  the  description  of  the 
commercially  circulating  coins  of  the  several  countries  once 
included  in  their  respective  dominions. 


British  Colonial  Coinages. 


BERMUDA  OR  SUMMER  ISLANDS. 

It  is  to  the  Bermuda  islands,  we  are  indebted  for  the  earliest 
coinage  intended  for  America.  History  gives  but  one  notice 
of  this  coinage,  that  in  a  history  of  Virginia,  New  England 
and  the  "Summer  Isles,"  by  Capt.  John  Smith,  of  Virginia, 
published  in  London  in  1624.  Smith  considers  the  islands  to 
have  been  named  from  a  Spanish  ship,  the  Bermudas,  which 
was  wrecked  upon  them.  This  ship  was  carrying,  as  is  re- 
jiorted,  a  quantity  of  hogs  to  the  Spanish  West  Indian  colonies. 
What  became  of  the  Spaniards  is  uncertain,  but  the  "black 
hogges"  swam  ashore,  and  running  wild,  became,  by  breeding, 
very  numerous.  The  first  Englishman  in  Bermuda,  whose 
name  is  mentioned,  was  Henry  May,  wrecked  there  December 
17th,  1592. 

In  the  summer  of  1609,  Sir  Thomas  Gates  and  a  company 
of  one  hundred  and  fifty  persons,  part  of  an  expedition  to  Vir- 
ginia, were  wrecked  on  the  Bumudas,  where  they  subsisted 
for  nine  months  on  the  wrecked  stores  of  their  ship,  wild 
fruits,  and  the  over-abundant  flesh  of  some  five  hundred  black 
wild  hogs.  Two  cedar  vessels  were  constructed,  and  Sir  Thom- 
as Gates  and  his  company,  reached  Virginia  in  May,  1610; 
thence.  Sir  George  Summers  returned  to  Burmuda  for  pro- 
visions, where  Sir  George  died,  as  is  reported,  from  an  ex- 
cessive eating  of  fresh  pork.     In  1612j  during  the  early  days 

(115) 


116  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

of  July,  Master  Eichard  More  and  sixty  colonists  of  the  Vir- 
ginia Company,  landed  on  the  Bermudas,  where  they  settled 
on  "Smith's  Island." 

In  May,  1616,  Captain  John  Smith  appointed  Master  Daniel 
Tucker  Governor  of  Bermuda.  This  Governor  enforced  labor, 
and  under  him.  Smith  states,  the  colonists  had  "beside  meat, 
drink  and  clothes,  a  certaine  kinde  of  brasse  money,  with  a 
hogge  on  one  side,  in  memory  of  the  abundance  of  hogges  was 
found  at  their  first  landing."  Gov.  Tucker  ruled  about  two 
years,  and  in  1624,  Smith  published  an  account  of  the  "brasse" 
(copper)  "money"  as  something  which  had  been,  in  the 
past. 

Though  coined  in  Europe  for  Virginia,  or  the  Bermudas, 
somewhere  about  1615,  the  exact  time,  place  and  circumstances 
of  the  production  of  the  "Hogge  money"  are  impossible  to 
discover.  It  had,  it  would  seem,  a  limited  circulation,  both 
as  to  time  and  quantity,  and  the  pieces  which  now  represent 
the  issue,  are  almost  unique. 

But  two  denominations  are  known — the  shilling  and  six- 
pence. 


Bermuda  Shilling — ("  Hogge-penny  "). 

Obverse :  Device — A  hog,  standing,  facing  left,  above  which 
are  displayed  the  Roman  numerals  "XII,"  the  whole  surround- 
ed by  a  beaded  circle.  Legend:  SOMMER  -^  ISLANDS  >|- 
around  which  is  a  beaded  circle  like  that  enclosing  the 
device. 

Reverse :  Device — A  full-rigged  ship  under  sail  to  the  left, 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  117 

a  flag  flying  from  each  of  lier  four  masts — enclosed  in  a  beaded 
circle,  the  beads  larger  than  on  the  obverse.  Copper ;  size,  19 ; 
weight,  177  grains. 

,  But  two  of  these  pieces  are  known,  and  in  1875,  belonged 
respectively  to  William  H.  Appleton  and  Sylvester  S.  Crosby, 
of  Boston. 


Bermuda  Sixpence..  , 

The  design  of  this  piece  is  similar  to  that  of  the  shillings, 
but  has  the  numerals  "VI"  above  the  hog.  Legend:  SOM 
MER  4*  ILA     NDS  »J* 

The  only  known  specimen  of  this  sixpence,  was  dug  up  in 
a  garden  in  Bermuda,  twenty-five  j^ears  ago,  and  in  1875,  was 
owned  by  Benjamin  Betts,  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

As  the  first  coin  struck  for  American  circulation,  these 
pieces  are  remarkable  and  excite  peculiar  interest. 

VIEGINIA  COMPANY. 

Although  in  possession,  by  virtue  of  royal  grant,  of  the 
right  of  coinage,  and  much  inconvenienced  for  the  want  of  a 
medium  of  exchange,  the  Virginia  Company,  aside  from  the 
Bermuda  shillings  and  sixpences,  made  no  attempt  to  create 
money  for  nearly  forty  years.  The  people  of  the  colony  made 
their  bargains  with  tobacco  as  a  financial  basis,  a  pound  of 
that  article  being  regarded  as  the  unit  of  valuation.  By  rea- 
son of  variation  in  the  value  of  the  tobacco,  and  finally  of 
overproduction  of  that  article,  great  fluctuations  in  property 
took  place,  and  much  trouble  was  caused  in  many  directions. 
At  one  time  Orders  were  issued  for  the  destruction  of  a  large 


118  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

amount  of  tobacco,  "all  of  the  bad  and  part  of  the  good,"  with 
a  view  to  enhance  the  value  of  the  currency. 

With  these  troubles  and  disorders  in  view,  the  Governor, 
Council  and  Burgesses  of  the  Grand  Assembly  of  Virginia,  at 
a  session  begun  at  James  City,  November  20th,  1645,  passed 
an  act  to  provide  a  more  convenient  medium  of  exchange. 
The  first  paragraph  of  this  "Act  XX,"  recites  the  state  of  af- 
fairs inducing  the  enactment,  "to  prevent  the  farther  miseries," 
fixes  the  value  of  foreign  coins,  declares  for  a  local  copper 
coinage,  and  prohibits,  under  penalty  of  confiscation  of  goods, 
the  **trading  for  tob'o,"  the  property  confiscated  to  be  divided 
between  the  informer  and  the  state. 

The  paragraph  in  relation  to  the  coinage  reads  as  follows : 
"The  quoine  to  be  erected  after  this  manner,  100001b.  of 
copper  to  be  bought  by  the  publique  at  the  rate  of  18d  per 
lb.  which  amounts  to  ;£750  sterl.  which  to  be  paid  in  tob'o.  at 
the  rate  of  Id.  1-2  per  lb.  120000  of  tob'o.  which  being  col- 
lected per  pole  accounting  5000  persons  in  this  collony  it 
comes  to  24  lb.  of  tob'o  per  pole  evry  pound  of  copper  to  make 
20s.  and  to  allow  for  the  mintage  12d.  per  pound  soe  there  will 
remaine  £9.500  sterl.     The  mintasre  allowed  and  deducted. 

O 

The  stocke  to  be  Equallie  divided  amongst  the  adventurers  to 
be  quoined  in  two  pences,  three  pences,  sixe  pences  and  nine 
pences. .  And  if  it  shall  happen  at  any  time  hereafter  that  the 
aforesaid  quoine  be  called  in  and  become  not  currant.  Yet  the 
republique  shall  make  good  the  quantity  of  so  much  (vizt.) 
£10000  to  be  levied  per  pole,  And  that  it  may  be  provided 
that  this  quoine  may  not  be  counterfeited  and  brought  in.  Be- 
sides the  inflicting  of  capitall  punishment  vpon  these  who 
shall  be  found  delinquents  therein,  That  vppon  every  peece  of 
coyne  there  be  two  rings,  The  one  for  the  motto,  The  other 
to  receive  a  new  impression  which  shall  be  stampted  yearly 
with  some  new  ffigure,  by  one  appointed  for  that  purpose  in 
each  county.  And  that  the  hon'ble  Sir  William  Berkeley,  Knt. 
Gov'r,  shall  have  the  disposall  and  placing  of  such  and  soe 
manie  officers  as  shall  be  necessarilye  required  for  performing 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  119 

and  finishing  the  aforesaid  service,  Onely  Capt.  John  Upton 
is  hereby  confirmed  Mint  Master  Generall :  we  reposing  much 
confidence  in  his  care,  ability  and  trast  for  the  performance  of 
the  said  office." 

There  is  nothing  to  prove  tha't  the  part  of  the  above  law 
which  provides  for  a  coinage,  was  ever  carried  into  effect. 
No  specimens  of  the  coin  described  are  mentioned  in  history ; 
none  exist  in  the  cabinets  of  the  numismatists,  or  are  known 
by  them.  Virginian  legislations  for  a  full  generation  after 
1645,  are  directed  to  the  relief  of  just  such  "miseries"  as  the 
want  of  a  local  currency  had  entailed,  the  whole  being  aggra- 
vated by  the  reduction  of  tobacco  to  a  mere  commodity  in 
law — and  finally,  Thomas  Jefferson,  writing  in  1782,  declared 
(works,  vol.  I,  p.  136),  that,  "In  Virginia  coppers  have  never 
been  in  use."  As  to  the  coins  commonly  designated  "Vir- 
ginia Half  Pennies,"  they  are  of  uncertain  origin,  and  though 
showing  a  considerable  number  of  dies,  are  doubtless  an  unau- 
thorized issue — mere  tokens,  and  could  never  have  been  in 
any  extensive  circulation  in  the  territory  from  which  their 
name  has  been  given  them, 

COLONIAL  SILVEE  COINAGJE  OF  MASSACHUSETTS. 

The  want  of  a  proper  and  sufficient  currency,  was  an  evil 
which  affiicted  all  the  American  colonies  during  the  early  pe- 
riod of  their  existence.  Massachusetts,  one  of  the  oldest  and 
most  enterprising  of  these  incipient  states,  most  sharply  re- 
alized the  want  of  a  supply  of  money,  and  was  the  first  to 
make  an  effective  movement  in  establishing  a  local  and  ori- 
ginal currency. 

The  primitive  legislation  of  Massachusetts  in  this  direction, 
was  in  the  form  of  orders  emanating  from  the  General  Court 
of  the  Colony,  fixing  the  value* of  commodities  made  current 
by  custom  or  by  law.  In  1627,  the  Dutch  settlers  at  "Man- 
hadoes,"  now  the  city  of  New  York,  introduced  in  Massachu- 
setts the  use  of  the  Indian  "Sewan,"  of  Suckauhock,  Wam- 
pum  or   Wampumpeage,   as   a  current    article,    which   was 


120  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

adopted  and  subsequently  recognized  bj  legislation.  But  the 
first  enactment  upon  the  subject  of  small  currency  was  made 
March  -ith,  1634-35,  as  follows,  in  part:  "It  is  ordered  that 
hereafter  farthings  shall  not  passe  for  currant  pay." 

"It  is  likewise  ordered,  that  muskett  bulletts  of  a  full  boare 
shall  passe  currantly  for  a  farthing  apeece,  provided  that  noe 
man  be  compelled  to  take  above  Xlld  att  a  tyme  in  them." 

In  a  community  exposed  to  war  at  any  moment's  notice, 
this  order  may  be  considered  to  have  been  as  much  a  military 
precaution,  as  a  financial  provision — more  of  an  arrangement 
for  the  distribution  of  ammunition,  than  a  discrimination 
against  the  little  "brass"  or  copper  English  coin,  of  itself  a 
far  better  currency  than  heavy  balls  of  lead. 

,  The  value  of  the  Sewan,  Suckauhock,  or  Wampum,  was 
first  fixed  by  order  of  the  General  Court,  November  15th, 
1637;  according  to  the  record,  "It  was  ordered  that  "Wam- 
pampege  should  pass  at  6  a  penny  for  any  sume  vnder  12d:" 

In  1639,  there  was  a  failure  of  the  crops,  and  in  consequence 
the  currency  of  "Corn,"  as  the  cereals  in  general  were  called, 
became  very  scarce,  and  hence  both  it  and  the  Indian  currency, 
were  enhanced  in  value.  Therefore,  on  October  Hh,  161:0,  it 
was  ordered  "  that  white  Wampampege  shall  passe  at  4  a  pen- 
ny and  blewe  at  2  a  penny,  and  not  above  12d.  at  a  time  ex- 
cept the  receiver  desire  more. 

On  June  2nd,  1641,  "It  is  ordered  that  Wampampege  shall 
pass  currant  at  6  a  penny  for  any  sume  under  101.  for  debts 
hereafter  to  be  made."  On  September  27th,  1642,  "It  was 
ordered  for  the  payment  of  the  rate,"  that  farm  produce  should 
be  received  at  certain  fixed  prices,  and  "in  these  at  these 
prices,  or  in  beaver  money,  or  Wampam  pay  is  to  bee  made." 
On  October  17th,  1643,  an  order  was  passed,  continuing  the 
legal-tender  quality  of  the  "Wampam,'^  but  modifying  the 
former  act  as  to  amount.  The  record  is  mutilated  at  this 
point. 

In  1648,  the  crops  were  plentiful,  and  the  Indian  currency 
depreciated.     On  October  27th,  1648,  "It  is  voted  for  tryall, 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  121 

until  the  next  Co'te,  that  all  pasable  or  payable  peage  hence- 
forth shalbe  intire  wthout  breaches  both  the  white,  &  black, 
wthout  deforming  spots  sutablj  strung,  in  eight  knoune  peels 
the  penny  3d.  12d  5s  in  white  the  2d  6d  2|s  &  10s  in  black." 
May  4th,  1649,  it  was  "Voted  that  peage  shall  still  Remayne 
passable  from  man  to  man  according  to  the  lawe  in  force,"  yet 
on  May  16th,  1619,  it  was  "Ordered  that  it  shall  not  be  in  the 
liberty  of  any  Toune  or  pson  to  pay  peage  to  the  Country 
rate,  nor  shall  the  Treasurer  accept  thereof  from  time  to  time." 

On  October  26th,  1650,  it  was  "Ordered  that  Wampam 
peage  fiiffteene  dajes  after  this  present  sessions  of  Courte  shall 
passe  Currant  in  pajmeat  of  debts  to  the  vallew  of  forty  shil- 
lings the  white,  at  eight  a  penny ;  and  the  black  at  fower  so 
as  they  be  entire  without  breaches  or  deforming  spotts  except 
in  pajmentof  countrje  rates  to  the  Treasurer  which  no  Towne 
nor  person  may  doe  nor  he  accept  thereof  from  time  to  time." 

On  Afay  22nd,  1661,  the  law  authorizing  the  use  of  Wam- 
pum as  a  legal  tender  was  repealed.  It  however  continued  to 
circulate  until  the  American  Revolution  and  is  still  an  article 
of  Indian  manufacture  and  use  for  ornament,  as  was  long  ago 
the  aboriginal  custom.  A  pound  of  the  best  black  Indian 
beads  (Suckauhock)  was  worth  at  the  best  rates  ten  per  cent, 
more  than  the  same  weight  of  silver  coin. 

The  fisheries  of  Massachusetts  were  extensive  and  profitable 
from  a  very  early  date ;  the  colony  also  had  a  considerable 
trade  to  trio  West  Indies  and  elsewhere.  In  the  West  Indies 
and  the  Spanish  Main  the  buccaneers  and  pirates  were  at  this 
time  numerous,  and  large  amounts  of  bullion  and  coin  cap- 
tured by  them  from  the  Spaniards  found  its  way,  through  the 
channels  of  trade,  into  the  ports  of  Massachusetts.  Thus  the 
wealth  of  the  people  increased  and  enterprise  was  encouraged; 
considerable  sums  of  various  foreign  coinages  were  put  in  cir- 
culation, but  the  variety  of  coins,  some  worn,  clipped,  or  other- 
wise made  light,  some  degraded,  and  very  many  counterfeit, 
was  a  source  of  boundless  annoyance,  and  exceeding  loss  and 
hinderance  to  business. 


122  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

On  September  27th,  1642,  the  General  Court  passed  an  order 
fixing  the  value  of  certain  foreign  coins,  and  subsequently, 
probably  late  in  1651,  or  in  1652,  a  circular  was  issued,  order- 
ing that  foreign  pieces  should  have  stamped  upon  them  the 
value  fixed  by  an  Inspector  of  Currency.  This  law  was  not 
weU  received  by  the  public,  and  remained  inoperative.  Under 
the  circumstances,  other  measures  of  relief  became  an  impera- 
tive necessity,  and  the  magistrates  and  delegates,  with  other  in- 
terested and  competent  persons,  were  compelled  to  takeinto  prac- 
tical consideration  the  project  of  establishing  a  Colonial  Mint. 

On  the  26th  or  27th  of  May,  1652,  the  General  Court  passed 
an  act,  establishing  at  Boston,  in  Massachusetts,  the  first  mint 
ever  put  in  operation  on  the  territory  now  the  United  States. 
John  Hull,  of  Boston,  was  made  "master  of  the  sajd  mint"  by 
this  act.  The  standard  of  coinage  was  to  be  "the  just  alloy 
of  new  sterling  English  money."  The  pieces  were  to  be  "for 
forme  &  flatt  &  square,"  of  the  denominations  of  "  12d  :  6d  : 
&  3d  peeces,"  on  one  side  of  which  was  to  be  stamped  "  N.  E." 
and  on  the  other  "the  figure  Xlld,  VI,  &  III"  according  to 
the  value  of  the  piece,  together  with  "a  privy  marke"  to  be 
appointed  every  three  months,  and  known  only  to  the  gov- 
ernor and  the  sworn  officers  of  the  mint.  The  coinage  was 
ordered  to  be  made  by  weight,  of  three  pence  in  a  shilling 
"lesser  vallew  "  than  the  English  coin  then  in  circulation, 
"viz:  euery  shilling  weighing  the  three  penny  troj  weight 
&  lesser  peeces  proportionably."  As  the  British  shilling  of 
that  time  weighed  93  grains,  the  terms  of  the  law  indicate  a 
miscalculation.  By  the  original  draft  of  the  law  the  mint- 
master  was  allowed  "  to  take  one  shilling  and  sixpence  out  of 
evry  twenty  shillings  which  he  shall  stampe  as  aforesaid." 
This  allowance  the  deputies  reduced  to  one  shilling  from  the 
same  amount. 

The  mint  was  ordered  to  accept  for  assay  refining  snd  coin- 
age "bulljon  plate  or  Spanish  Cojne  "  and  the  depositor  of  the 
same,  was  allowed  to  be  present  "  to  see  the  same  melted  Re- 
fined &  AUajed  and  to  receive  a  receipt  for  the  weight  of  good 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  123 

silver  allayed  as  afforesaid."  A  resposible  Committee  of  four 
men  was  appointed  to  carry  this  law  into  effect,  who,  on  June 
20th,  1652,  issued  an  order  for  the  construction  of  a  "house" 
for  the  mint  "sixteene  ffoote  square,  tenn  foote  high."  The 
allowance  for  coinage  payable  to  John  Hull,  which  had  been 
reduced  to  one  shilling  in  twenty,  was  raised  to  fifteen  pence 
for  the  same  amount  of  coinage,  and  an  allowance  of  a  penny 
in  every  ounce  made  for  waste  in  melting  metals.  This  prac- 
tically restored  the  allowance  made  Hull  to  the  original  terms 
of  one  shilling  and  sixpence  in  twenty. 

The  Mint-house  was  ordered  to  be  erected  on  Hull's  land, 
his  residence  having  been  just  south  of  the  entrance  to  the 
present  Pembroke  Square  in  Boston.  On  June  11,  1652,  the 
Committee  prepared  a  form  of  oath,  binding  John  Hull  and 
Kobert  Saunderson,  as  equal  officers  of  the  mint,  to  the  faithful 
performance  of  their  general  duties  as  such,  and  in  particular, 
that  they  should,  by  the  help  of  God,  coin  every  shilling  "of 
three  penny  troj  weight,  and  all  other  peeces  proportionably, 
according  to  the  order  of  Courte  so  neere  as  yow  Cann."  Un- 
der date  of  June  11th,  1652,  the  Committee  also  took  upon 
themselves  to  modify  the  order  of  the  Court  that  the  coin 
should  be  "flatt  and  square,"  directing  that  the  pieces  should 
be  made  of  a  "Round  forme"  ;  they  also  authorized,  as  far  as 
they  could,  the  issue  of  Silver  Two  penny  pieces.  The  doings 
of  this  Committee  were  approved  by  the  General  Court,  on  Octo- 
ber 28th,  1652,  and  the  operations  of  the  mint  were  continued. 


New  England  Shilling. 
The  N.  E.  shilling  is  a  plain,  thin  planchet  of  silver,  ham- 


124  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

mered  or  rolled  to  the  requisite  thickness,  an  inch  or  more  in 
diameter,  clipped  to  an  irregular  "Round  forme"  and  trimmed 
to  size  and  weight.  Obverse :  A  depressed  field,  bounded  at 
the  top  by  the  curved  bortfer  of  the  piece ;  the  other  sides  are 
straight  lines,  about  half  an  inch  lonj]',  forming  ric;ht-angled 
corners.  Legend :  N  E  in  relief;  the  diagonal  line  of  N  curves 
under  and  beyond  E,  while  the  top  of  the  right  limb  of  N  bends 
forward,  connects  with  E  and  forms  the  upper  part  of  that  let- 
ter. Reverse :  A  depressed  field,  as  on  the  obverse,  but  half- 
size  and  square,  though  struck  near  the  border  of  the  planchet. 
Legend :  The  Roman  numerals  XII,  in  relief.  Having  been 
made  simply  with  a  punch,  the  impressions  described  were 
not  struck  opposite  each  other,  but  at  the  top  and  bottom  of 
each  other,  upon  their  respective  sides,  though  frequently 
struck  out  of  line  in  relation  to  each  other  and  the  center  of 
the  piece.  Size,  16  to  19 ;  weight,  72  grains ;  fineness,  925 ; 
value,  18J  cents. 


P^^Vv* 


New  England  Sixpence. 

The  N.  E.  Sixpence  and  Threepence  resembled  the  Shilling 
of  the  same  coinage.  Obverse :  A  small  depressed  field  of 
irregular  outline,  conforming  to  the  shape  of  the  letters  of  the 
device.  Legend:  N  E  as  on  the  shilling.  Reverse:  Field  as 
on  the  shilling,  but  according  to  size  of  the  planchet.  Legend : 
The  Roman  numerals  VII  or  III,  according  to  the  value.  Size : 
sixpence,  12  to  14;  threepence,  about  the  same  diameter. 
"Weight,  sixpence  36  grains;  threepence,  4S  grains;  fine- 
ness, 925;  value,  9|  cents  .and  4  9-16  cents  respectively. 

All  the  N.  E.  coinage  above  described  is  extremely  scarce; 
the  general  character  is  as  stated,  but  owing  to  the  simple  na- 
ture of  the  dies  or  punches  used,  and  the  entirely  primitive 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  125 

methods  of  mintage  employed,  as  well  as  the  rarity  of  speci- 
mens, no  perfect  account  of  the  types  and  varieties  can  be 
given.  The  dies  were  not  numerous,  and  but  six  or  eight  va- 
rieties are  noted.  But  two  genuine  N.  E.  Threepence  are 
known,  one  of  which  belongs  to  Yale  College, 

The  plain  and  simple  character  of  the  N.  E.  currency,  made 
it  liable  to  mutilation,  and  immediately  after  the  issue  of  the 
same,  much  of  it  was  made  light  by  dishonest  practices.  For 
the  prevention  of  such  frauds,  the  General  Court,  under  date 
of  October  19th,  1652,  passed  an  order  that,  "henceforth  all 
peices  of  mony  Cojncd  as  afore  sajd  shall  have  a  double  "Ring 
on  either  side,  with  this  inscription — Massachusetts,  and  a  tree 
in  the  Center  on  the  one  side,  according  to  this  draught  heere 
in  the  margent,"  A  rude  sketch  of  the  proposed  coin  was 
given  and  the  general  directions  of  the  act  were  carried  into 
effect,  but  none  of  the  coins  subsequently  struck  under  it,  bear 
any  inscription  of  the  word  Massachusetts  spelt  as  provided  in 
this  law.  The  law  designates  "a  tree"  as  the  device  of  this 
coinage,  and  Willow,  Oak,  and  Pine  Tree  coins,  were  minte(3 
in  the  order  in  which  they  are  here  mentioned. 

TEE  WILLOW-  TEEE  COINS. 


Massachusetts  Willow  Tree  Shilling. 

Shillings  :  Three  Types.     Seven  Varieties. 

Obverse :  An  exceedingly  rude  representation  of  a  willow 
tree — a  mere  mass  of  irregular  curves  and  lines  on  some  types ; 
this  device  is  encircled  by  a  grained  ring.  Legend :  "Massa- 
chusetts" or  "Massachusetts  Ix,"  in  varied  orthography 
and  abbreviation.     Border :  Another  grained  ring.     Eeverse : 


126 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


1652  XII  in  two  lines,  in  the  field  encircled  by  a  grained  ring. 
Legend :  New  England,  Exergue,  An  Dom,  in  varied  or- 
thography. Size,  16J  to  17;  weight,  72  grains;  fineness, 
916§  ;  value  1S>\  cents.  Edge  plain  trimmed  to  an  irregular 
circele  and  to  size  and  weight. 


"W-'-^:. 


e,l  vf  /2; 


^^^ 


Massachusetts  Willom'  Tree  Sixpence. 

Sixpence :  One  Type  and  One  Variety. 

Similar  in  general  to  the  Shilling  of  the  same  coinage  ex- 
cept VI  instead  of  XII  on  the  field  of  the  reverse.  Size,  7  to 
7| ;  weight,  36  grains;  fineness,  916|;  value,  9^  cents. 

Owing  to  the  bungling  manner  in  which  the  Willow  Tree 
coins  were  struck,  the  inscriptions  of  "  Massachusetts  "  or 
"  New  England,"  which  were  attempted  upon  them  often, 
appear  as  a  mere  jumble  of  letters.  This  coinage  was  con- 
tinued but  a  short  time  and  was  followed  by  an  improved 
mintage. 

THE  OAK  TREE  COINS. 


Massachl-^etts  Oak  Tree  Shilling. 

Shillings:  Nine  Types.  Also,  two  slight  variations  of 
Type.     Nine  Varieties,  and  one  minor  Variety. 

Obverse:  A  rude  representation  of  an  oak  tree.  Other- 
wise, as  Willow  Tree  Shillings. 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  127 

Eeverse :  Similar  to  Willow  Tree  Shilling.  Size,  16  to  18 ; 
weight,  72  grains;  fineness,  916§;  value,  18J  cents. 

Sixpence :  Six  Types.     Six  Varieties. 

Obverse :  Similar  in  general  to  the  Shilling. 

Reverse :  Similar  to  the  Shilling  except  VI  in  the  field  in- 
stead of  XII.  Size,  12  to  14;  weight,  86  grains;  fineness, 
916| ;  value,  9^  cents. 


Massachusetts  Oak  Tree  Threepence. 

Threepence :  Six  Types.     Six  Varieties. 

Obverse :  Similar  in  general  to  the  Shilling. 

Reverse :  Similar  in  general  to  the  Shilling  except  III  in 
the  field  instead  of  XII.  Size,  9  to  11 ;  weight,  18  grains* 
fineness,  916| ;  value,  4  9-16  cents. 

Twopence:  One  Type.  One  Variety.  Three  minor  Va- 
rieties. 

Obverse :  Similar  in  general  to  the  Shilling. 

Reverse:  Similar  in  general  to  the  Shilling  except  1662  in 
the  field  instead  of  1652.  Size,  4|  to  o| ;  weight,  12  grains; 
fineness,  916f ;  value,  3  1-24  cents. 

The  Oak  Tree  Coinage  was  minted  for  about  ten  years,  and 
in  volume  formed  about  one-third  of  all  the  silver  currency 
emitted  by  Massachusetts  colony.  The  whole  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts colonial  currency  except  the  Oak  Tree  Twopence, 
was  stamped  with  the  figures  1652,  the  date  of  the  establish- 
ment of  the  mint.  This  Twopence  is  supposed  to  have  been 
struck  near  the  last  of  the  Oak  Tree  Coinage  and  dated  with 
the  year  of  its  issue. 

Charles  II  having  been  restored  to  the  throne  of  Great 
Britain,  became  very  much  displeased  with  the  people  of  New 
England.  The  agents  of  the  English  Court  inflamed  the  mind 
of  the  king  by  their  invidious  reports  of  the  disloyalty  of  the 


128  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

colonists.  Among  other  things,  the  spies  accused  the  magis- 
trates of  Massachusetts,  of  having  practically  asserted  the  in. 
dependence  of  the  colony,  and  encroached  upon  the  royal  pre- 
rogative, by  setting  up  a  mint  and  creating  a  coinage  of  their 
own,  not  having  the  royal  permission  to  make  money,  which 
had  been  conceded  by  charter  to  Virginia.  The  king  Avas  in- 
formed, moreover,  that  all  this  coinage  bore  but  one  date,  that 
of  1652,  stamped  upon  it  in  honor  of  the  sovereignty  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, assumed  to  have  been  established  the  year  in  which 
the  mint  was  founded.  These  reports  to  the  king  were  for- 
warded by  one  Edward  Eandolph,  and  were  published  in  Bos- 
ton, Massachusetts,  in  1769,  in  a  work  entitled  "A  Collection 
of  Original  Papers  relative  to  the  history  of  the  Colony  of 
Massachusetts  Bay."  The  reports  of  Eandolph,  gave  occasion 
for  an  incident  the  following  narrative  of  which,  though  once 
declared  "a  ridiculous  story,"  proves  to  be  historical. 

In  1662,  Sir  Thomas  Temple,  who,  during  Cromwell's  ad- 
ministration, resided  several  years  in  New  England,  was  in 
England,  to  which  he  returned  after  the  restoration  of  mon- 
archy. The  king  sent  for  Sir  Thomas,  and  conversed  with 
him  regarding  affairs  in  the  colonies.  During  the  interview, 
his  Majesty  manifested  great  displeasure  with  his  New  Eng- 
land subjects,  accusing  them,  among  other  things,  of  having 
invaded  the  royal  prerogative  by  an  unauthorized  coinage. 
Sir  Thomas,  who  was  a  good  friend  of  the  colonists,  sought 
to  excuse  them,  on  account  of  their  ignorance  of  law,  as  they 
had  only  made  a  little  money  they  considered  they  had  a  right 
to  create,  for  their  own  necessary  use.  He  took  a  number  of 
Oak  Tree  Shillings  from  his  pocket,  and  exhibited  them  to 
the  king,  who  inquired  the  meaning  of  the  device.  Sir 
Thomas  stated  the  authorities  of  Massachusetts,  not  pre- 
suming to  use  the  royal  name  or  effigy  upon  their  coins,  had 
adopted  the  oak  as  an  emblem  of  their  loyalty,  inasmuch  as  a 
tree  of  that  kind  had  providentially  saved  the  life  of  their 
king.  This  put  his  Majesty  in  great  good  humor ;  he  called 
the  Massachusetts  people  "a  parcel  of  honest  dogs,"  and  after- 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  129 

wards  listened  more  patiently  to  what  their  apologist  had  to 
say  in  their  favor. 

THE  PINE  TEEE  COINAGE. 


Massachusetts  Pine  Tree  Shilling. 

In  1662,  or  thereabouts,  a  new  variety  of  Massachusetts 
Colonial  Silver  Coin  was  produced,  consisting  of  Shillings 
Sixpences,  Threepences  and  Twopences,  bearing  the  device  of 
a  Pine  tree  and  the  common  date  1652.  The  law  authorizing 
the  Coinage  of  this  whole  currency  designated  "a  tree,"  as 
the  device,  and  ordered  a  privy  mark  to  be  struck  upon  the 
coin,  to  be  changed  every  three  months.  The  kind  of  tree  to 
be  used  for  a  device,  being  left  to  the  option  of  the  Mint- 
master,  the  varieties,  noted,  as  well  as  many  of  ihe  changes 
made  in  the  orthography  and  punctuation  of  the  legends  and 
inscriptions,  or  the  other  features  of  the  coin,  are  due  perhaps 
to  the  attempts  made  to  conform  to  the  requirement  of  a  privy 
mark,  to  be  effected  by  alteration,  arrangement  and  rearrange- 
ment of  details,  or  the  addition  of  minor  points.  'Ihus  the 
Pine  Tree  Coinage,  originally  called  also  the  Boston  or  Bay 
Shilling,  Sixpence,  Threepence  or  Twopence,  may  have  been 
introduced,  and  thus  the  numerous  types  and  varieties  therein 
may  in  part  have  been  rendered  necessary. 

The  Pine  Tree  Coinage,  which  was  more  elaborate  in  de- 
sign than  either  of  those  which  had  preceded  it,  and  an  im- 
provement upon  tliem  both,  was  minted  to  a  very  large 
amount  for  about  twenty-two  years.  Had  its  issue  been  con- 
tinuous and  the  law  in  relation  to  the  privy  mark  strictly 
I 


130  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

complied  with,  there  would  have  been  three  and  a  half  times 
the  variation  in  the  types  and  varieties  of  the  coinage  now 
noted.  Doubtless  this  provision  of  the  law  was  often  disre- 
garded, in  view  of  convenience  and  economy  in  the  practical 
working  of  the  mint.  A  like  regard  for  the  saving  of  labor 
and  expense,  is  manifest  in  the  manner  the  dies  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Colonial  Mint  were  used.  Primarily  mere  punches, 
used  upon  the  rude  Willow  Tree  Coinage,  these  dies  gradually 
improved  in  the  Oak  Tree  Coinage,  and  were  made  still  better 
in  the  later  years.  However,  they  all  were  quite  thoroughly 
used,  and  whatever  the  defect,  seem  never  to  have  been  thrown 
aside  so  long  as  alteration  or  repair  could  anyway  keep  them 
in  service.  This  and  some  other  peculiarities  about  the  mint 
and  its  issues,  may  have  been  due  the  fact  that  from  1652  to 
1682,  or  1684,  the  mint,  instead  of  being  conducted  directly 
at  the  cost  of  the  state,  was  carried  on  upon  the  basis  of  a 
percentage,  of  about  one  in  twenty,  allowed  the  Mint-masters, 
John  Hull  and  Eobert  Saunderson.  Of  course,  the  interest  of 
these  officers  was  to  do  the  largest  possible  amount  of  coinage, 
at  the  least  possible  expense,  and  hence  they  must  have  been 
opposed  to  all  costly  innovations  and  troublesome  improve- 
ments, and  they  resisted  with  great  firmness  and  pertinacity, 
the  frequent  attempts  of  the  Committees  of  the  General  Court 
to  secure  some  modification  of  the  contract  to  the  advantage 
of  the  commonwealth.  Tenacious  of  their  price,  these  men 
were  true  to  their  oath,  and  even  the  officers  of  the  British 
Mint  testified  to  the  uniform  standard  purity  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Colonial  Coinage. 

The  Colonial  Coins  which  were  ordered  by  the  General 
Court  to  be  twopence  in  a  shilling,  or  one-sixth  less  value  by 
weight  than  the  British  Shilling,  were  found  at  the  British 
Mint  to  be  twopence  three  farthings  in  the  shilling,  or  22|  per 
cent,  light,  a  not  excessive  variation  perhaps,  considering  the 
circumstances.  This  coinage  was,  however,  rated  in  general 
at  twenty- five  per  cent,  less  value,  according  to  its  denomina- 
tion, than  the  British  standard  money.     To  prevent  the  ex- 


BRITISH  COLONIAL  COINAGES.  ISl 

portation  of  coin,  and  augment  the  volume  of  the  currency, 
provision  was  made  by  law  for  stamping  all  foreign  coin,  of 
Spain,  Mexico,  etc.,  not  the  product  of  the  British  Mint,  with 
the  letters  NE  and  the  true  weight  and  fineness  of  the  piece, 
to  pass  current  for  its  proportionate  value,  with  the  Colonial 
money.  The  General  Court  took  action  upon  this  matter  at 
different  times,  and  yet,  though  attempted  in  different  ways, 
there  is  nothing  to  show  foreign  coin  was  stamped  in  the 
manner  proposed. 


Massachusetts  Pine  Tree  Shilling. 

John  Hull  and  Eobert  Saunderson  were  equal  officers  in  the 
"gainful  business"  of  the  mint.  How  much  they  coined  in 
all  for  the  colony,  or  the  exact  amount  of  their  profits  under 
the  contract  they  carried  out,  cannot  be  determined.  The 
coinage  was  certainly  large  in  amount,  and  they,  as  was  well 
understood,  became  men  of  wealth  and  substance.  When  the 
daughter  of  John  Hull  was  married  to  Judge  Samuel  Sewall, 
the  founder  of  the  town  of  Newbury,  Mass.,  the  prosperous 
Mint-master  gave  the  bride  a  dowery  of  her  weight  in  silver". 
At  the  concluion  of  the  wedding  ceremony,  a  large  steel-yard 
was  brought  into  the  room,  and  the  blushing  bride  placed  upon 
one  of  the  platforms  of  the  same,  while  into  a  tub  upon  the 
other  side,  were  poured  the  Pine  Tree  Shillings,  until  the 
steel-yard  balanced. 

John  Hull  died  October  1st,  1683,  about  which  time  the 
operations  of  the  mint  were  discontinued.  After  varied  un- 
successful efforts  to  further  establish  a  currency,  and  a  free  coin- 
age of  their  own,  the  authorities  of  Massachusetts  turned  their 
attention  to  the  prevention  of  counterfeiting,  debasing,  and 


132  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

mutilating  coin,  and  the  regulation  of  the  current  value  of 
various  moneys.  On  June  18th,  1704,  queen  Anne,  of  Eng- 
land, issued  a  royal  proclamation,  reducing  to  one  uniform 
rate  of  valuation  the  coins  circulating  in  the  British  Colonies 
in  America. 


Massachusetts  Pixe  Tree  Sixpence. 

The  general  description  of  the  Pine  Tree  Coinage  of  various 
denominations,  corresponds  with  that  of  the  Willow  and  Oak 
Tree  Coinages,  except  that  the  mintage  is  improved,  and  a  pine 
tree  substituted  on  the  obverse  as  the  device. 

Shilling:  Twenty-five  Types.  Twenty-five  Varieties,  and 
other  pieces  with  minor  difierences. 

Sixpences :  Two  Types.     One  Variety. 

Threepences :  Two  Types.  Two  varieties,  and  other  pieces 
with  minor  differences. 

These  coins  were  struck  for  twenty  years  or  more,  and  con- 
stituted about  two-thirds  of  the  Silver  Coinage  issued  from  the 
Mint  of  Massachusetts  Colony.  They  all  bore  the  date  1652. 
The  earlier  Pine  Tree  Shillings,  were  of  size  18,  or  one  inch 
and  a  quarter  in  diameter,  from  which  they  decreased  to  a 
diameter  of  one  inch,  size  16,  keeping  the  original  weight, 
however,  and  of  course  increasing  in  thickness ;  this,  it  has 
been  been  concluded,  was  to  secure  the  safety  and  economy  of 
smaller  dies,  which  are  more  durable  and  less  liable  to  break- 
age. The  weight,  fineness,  and  value,  of  the  Pine  Tree  Coin- 
age, was  in  general  similar  to  that  which  preceded  it.  Sam- 
ples of  the  Pine  Tree  Coinage  may  easily  be  secured,  but  some 
of  the  types  and  varieties  are  rare,  very  rare,  exceedingly  rare, 
or  even  unique,  as  the  case  may  be.  They  have  long  been  out 
of  circulation  as  money,  and  are  found  only  in  the  cabinets  of 


BRfTISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES  133 

the  numismatologists.  As  part  of  the  original  Silver  Coinage 
by  English-speaking  people  upon  the  American  continent,  they 
are  worthy  of  all  the  attention  given  them. 

Massachusetts  Shillings  have  been  discovered,  bearing  the 
date  of  1650,  but  for  manifest  reasons,  these  pieces  are  con- 
sidered modern  counterfeits.  There  are  also  pieces  called 
Good  Samaritan  Shillings,  of  the  same  general  type  and  va- 
riety as  the  Pine  Tree  Shilling,  but  bearing  upon  the  obverse 
a  well-executed  device,  illustrating  the  parable  of  lhc  Good 
Samaritan;  but  two  or  three  specimens  of  this  coin  have  been 
known,  two  of  which  are  in  existence  and  of  unique  varieties; 
they  are  supposed  to  have  been  pattern  pieces,  struck  at  the 
origin  of  the  Mint  of  Massachusetts  Colony,  when,  as  appears 
by  one  of  the  pieces,  the  die  of  one  variety  was  broken.  This 
last-named  piece  was  sometime  since  in  the  possession  of  the 
careful  collector  and  author,  Sylvester  S.  Crosby,  of  Boston, 
Mass.  There  are  two  old  pieces  in  existence  denominated 
pennies,  and  assumed  to  be  of  the  Oak  or  Pine  Tree  Coinage. 
From  their  size  and  appearance,  they  are  supposed  to  have 
been  struck  as  Twopences  of  the  Oak  Tree  Coinage,  which 
have  already  been  described. 

There  can  be  no  authority  found  among  the  Colonial  enact- 
ments of  Massachusetts  for  the  issue  of  a  silver  penny,  yet 
such  a  piece  was  described  and  illustrated  by  Folkes,  in  1763. 


Massachusetts  Pine  Tree  Penny.  (?) 
The  device  of  the  obverse  of  this  supposed  coin  somewhat 
resembles  the  "pine  tree"  of  Massachusetts  coins,  and  the  date 
of  the  reverse,  1652,  coincides,  but  if  such  pieces  were  struck, 
none  have  been  preserved  until  the  present  generation. 

In  1690,  the  colony  of  Massachusetts  first  issued  paper 
money,  for  the  purpose  of  paying  off  the  troops  employed  in 
an  expedition  against  Canada,  fitted  out  with  hope  of  a  booty 
they  had  failed  to  obtain. 


J 34  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

'fsmtilo,    SILVER  COINAGE  FOR  MARYLAND. 

On  March  27th,  1634,  the  settlement  of  Maryland  began  at 
tlie  Indian  town  of  Yoacomoco,  twelve  miles  from  the  Poto- 
mac, on  the  river  now  called  St.  Marys.  The  Colonial  Char- 
ter which  had  been  granted  to  Lord  Baltimore,  June  20th, 
1632,  by  Charles  I  of  England,  was  exceedingly  liberal,  se- 
curing popular  liberty,  and  in  Yoacomoco,  or  the  town  of  St. 
Marys,  religious  freedom  "for  all  Christian  sects"  first  became 
historical.  From  their  first  settlement  the  colonists  endeav- 
ored to  remedy  the  distress  caused  by  the  scarcity  of  money, 
\>j  using  tobacco  and  furs  at  a  fixed  valuation  as  a  medium  of 
exchange,  as  had  been  the  custom  in  Virginia.  The  same  evils 
which  had  afflicted  Virginia,  followed  in  due  time,  as  the  pro- 
duction of  tobacco  increased,  or  the  cost  of  furs  fluctuated. 
Soldiers  were  at  one  time  paid  in  his  Lordship's  cattle,  the 
taxes  were  paid  in  corn,  powder  and  shot  were  current  as  cash, 
and  were  the  only  tender  accepted  for  ship  duties.  At  the 
suggestion  of  some  of  the  principal  citizens  of  the  colony.  Lord 
Baltimore  took  into  consideration  the  furnishing  of  Maryland 
with  a  proper  currency. 

Although  the  right  of  coinage  was  not  expressly  conceJed 
by  the  charter  of  Maryland,  the  terms  of  that  concession  were 
generally  very  broad,  and  the  Proprietor,  considering  the  al- 
lowance made  to  Virginia,  concluded  that  the  powers  conveyed 
to  him  justified  the  creation  of  a  currency,  and  as  Cecil  was 
ever  active  in  all  that  could  promote  the  good  of  his  colonists, 
he  had  dies  prepared  in  London  and  sample  coins  struck  there, 
from  which,  on  October  12th,  1659,  were  forwarded  to  the  au- 
thorities of  Maryland,  with  letters  of  advice  to  them,  and  to 
his  brother  Philip  Calvert,  Esq.,  then  the  Colonial  Secretary 
of  State  in  Maryland.  Though  approving  the  use  of  the 
coinage  ho  thus  created,  the  second  Lord  Baltimore  was  par- 
ticular to  direct,  "Yet  it  must  not  be  imposed  upon  the  people 
but  by  a  Lawe  there  made  by  their  consents  in  a  Generall  As- 
sembly." The  adoption  of  this  currency  was  postponed  by 
the  disorders  in  Maryland  which  followed  the  death  of  Crom- 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  135 

well,  when  Governor  Fendall  and  his  party,  attempted  to  revo- 
lutionize the  government  of  the  colony. 

,.  Philip  Calvert  became  Governor  of  Maryland,  November, 
1660,  and  the  following  April,  a  "Generall  Assembly"  was 
convened  at  St.  Johns.  The  governor  favored  the  wishes  and 
designs  of  his  brother,  Lord  Baltimore,  the  Proprietary,  and 
the  Assembly,  on  May  1st,  1661,  passed  an  act  for  setting  up 
a  mint  in  the  Province  of  Maryland.  This  act  was  in  part  a 
petition  to  Lord  Baltimore,  that  he  would  "take  order  for  ye 
setting  up  of  a  mint,"  and  the  further  provisions  of  the  law 
were  made,  as  stated,  under  the  authority  of  the  Proprietor, 
with  the  consent  of  the  General  Assembly.  It  was  ordered 
that  the  coin  should  "be  of  as  good  silver  as  the  currant  coyn 
of  English  sterling  money,"  every  shilling  to  be  above  nine- 
pence  in  value,  by  weight,  of  such  silver,  with  other  pieces  in 
proportion.  The  penalty  of  death  and  the  confiscation  of  all 
estate  in  the  colony  to  Lord  Baltimore,  was  provided  for  any 
one  who  should  clip,  scale,  counterfeit,  wash,  or  in  any  way 
diminish  the  coinag^;  and  further,  the  Lord  Proprietary  of 
the  province,  was  to  accept  said  money,  in  payment  of  all  dues 
accruing  to  him  as  such. 

The  record  of  these  proceedings  was  forwarded  to  Lord 
Baltimore,  and  he  prepared  to  send  a  sufficient  amount  of  coin 
to  supply  the  wants  of  the  colonists.  To  set  this  currency  in- 
circulation  at  once,  an  act  was  passed  by  the  General  Assem- 
bly, on  April  12ih,  1662,  which  provided  that  "every  House- 
holder and  Freeman  in  the  Province,  should  take  up  Ten 
Shillings  per.  Poll  of  the  Said  Money,  for  evry  Taxable  under 
their  Charge  and  Custody,  and  Pay  for  the  same  in  good 
Casked  Tobacco,  at  2d.  per  Pound,  to  be  paid  upon  Tender  of 
the  Said  Sums  of  Money,  proportionably  for  evry  such  re- 
spective Family."  There  were  about  five  thousand  taxable 
persons  in  the  colony,  and  according  to  this  law,  each  of  these 
was  to  exchange  sixty  pounds  of  tobacco,  for  ten  shillings  of 
the  new  currency,  which,  if  all  conformed  to  the  law,  would 
have  relieved  the  colony  of  300,000  pounds  of  tobacco,  and 


136  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

liave  set  in  circulation  X2500  Maryland  currency  of  the  actual 
value  of  £1875  sterling.  The  new  issue  was  a  great  convenience 
and  doubtless  quite  popular,  but  many  of  the  public  dues  were 
still  payable  in  tobacco,  which  continued  to  be  an  article  of  ex- 
change, especially  current  in  large  transactions.  The  amount  of 
the  new  coinage  in  circulation  at  any  time  after  its  first  intro- 
duction, or  when  that  kind  of  money  fell  into  disuse,  is  unknown. 

There  are  reports  that  a  mint  was  actually  established  in 
Maryland,  but  whether  they  were  based  upon  anything  more 
than  an  inference  from  the  enactment  authorizing  the  mint, 
and  the  subsequent  coinage,  is  doubtful.  The  coinage  was 
originally  done  in  England,  under  the  supervision  of  Lord 
Baltimore,  whose  apprehension  for  having  "made  and  trans- 
ported large  sums  of  money,"  was  ordered  October  4th,  1659. 
As  the  Shilling  contained  but  seventy-five  per  cent,  of  its 
nominal  value  in  silver,  and  as  there  is  no  record  of  any  other 
proceedings  against  him,  or  injunction  upon  his  work,  it  may 
be  supposed  the  Proprietary  continued  to  make  and  transport 
large  sums  of  money  to  Maryland,  and  tc^mport  large  amounts 
of  colonial  tobacco  in  return.  If  the  Maryland  Mint  had  an 
actual  existence  in  the  colony,  and  was  subsequently  used,  it 
is  certain  "it  was  never  made  much  use  of." 

The  Coinage  of  Lord  Baltimore  for  his  colony  of  Maryland, 
.consisted  of  Shillings,  Sixpences,  Groats  and  Pennies,  to  be 
described  as  follows : 


Maryland  Shilling. 

Maryland  Shilling,     One  Type.     One  Variety. 

Obverse:  A  profile  bust  tif  Lord    Baltimore,   facing   left 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  137 

slightly  draped.  Legend:  "CECILYS:  Dns:  TERRJE- 
.  MARINE  :  &:CT.  *^  "  Mint-mark :  A  Cross  patee  or  formee, 
as  in  the  legend. 

Eeverse:  An  Escutcheon  with  the  Baltimore  arms — a  loz- 
enged  shield,  surmounted  by  a  crown.  To  the  left  of  this, 
the  Roman  numeral  "X";  to  the  right  "II,"  the  shield  divi- 
ding thus  the  figures  denoting  the  value  of  the  coin.  Legend : 
"CRESCITE :  ET :  M VLTIPLICAMTNL".  Border,  milled ; 
Edge,  plain.  Silver ;  size,  17  ;  weight,  66  grains ;  fineness, 
925 ;  value,  16.73  cents. 

The  Maryland  Sixpence.     One  Type.     One  Yariety. 

Obverse:  A  profile  bust  of  Lord  Baltimore,  facing  left, 
slightly  draped,  as  on  the  Shilling.  Legend:  "CECILYS: 
Dns:  TERRE-MARIyE  :  &C. -I^  " 

Reverse :  Similar  in  general  to  that  of  the  Shilling,  except 
insize.  Legend:  "CRESCITE:  ET:  MVLTIPLICAMINI" 
the  period  being  omitted.  The  numerals  YI  are  substituted  in- 
stead of  XII.  Border,  milled ;  Edge,  plain.  Silver;  size,  14|; 
weight,  34  grains ;  fineness,  925 ;  value,  8.618  cents. 


Maryland  Groat. 

The  Maryland  Groat.     Two  Types.     Two  Yarieties. 

No.  1.  Obverse :  Same  in  general  as  the  Sixpence,  except  in 
size — large  head. 

No.  1.  Reverse :  Same  in  general  as  the  Shilling,  except  in 
size — large  shield.     The  numerals  lY  are  substituted  instead 

ofxn. 

No.  2.  Obverse:  Same  in  general  as  the  Sixpence, except  in 
size — small  head. 

No.  2.  Reverse:  Same  in  general  as  the  Shilling,  except  in 


138  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

size — small  shield.     The  numerals  IV  are  substituted  instead 
of  XII. 

The  Groat  Obverse  No.  2  and  Reverse  No.  2  is  extremely 
rare.  Border,  milled ;  Edge,  plain.  Silver ;  size,  11 ;  weight, 
25  grains ;  fineness,  925 ;  value,  6.3368  cents. 


Maryland  Penny. 

The  Maryland  Penny.     One  Type,     One  Variety.     Unique. 

Obverse :  Similar  to  that  of  the  Sixpence. 

Reverse:  A  Ducal  Coronet,  upon  which  are  erected  two 
masts,  each  bearing  a  flying  pennant.  Legend :  Denarivm  : 
Terre-Masi^  ^     Copper;  size,  13. 

The  only  specimen  of  this  piece  extant,  was  imported  into 
America  from  England,  at  a  cost  of  £75,  and  was  sold  for 
$370  with  the  collection  of  J.  J.  Mickley,  Esq.,  of  Philadel- 

The  British  Museum  has  impressions  in  copper  of  dies  for 
the  Maryland  Shilling  and  Sixpence.  There  was  also  an  im- 
pression of  a  die  for  the  Shilling,  in  the  collection  of  Dr.  Clay, 
of  Manchester,  England.  Of  the  varieties  of  these  pieces  we 
are  not  informed. 

COINAGE  FOR  THE  COLONY  OF  CANADA. 

The  French,  who  as  early  as  1504  enriched  themselves  by 
the  fisheries  of  Newfoundland,  drew  a  chart  of  the  Gulf  of  St. 
Lawrence  in  1506,  explored  the  coast  of  North  America  iu 
1523  and  1524,  and  on  July  12th,  1534.  at  a  point  near  the 
lesser  inlet  of  Gaspe  Bay,  set  up  a  lofty  cross  bearing  a  shield 
with  the  lilies  of  France  and  an  appropriate  inscription,  took 
possession  of  the  country  and  began  the  colonization  of  Cana- 


BRITISH  COLONIAL  COINAOES.  139 

da,  which,  they  retained  until,  in  1763,  that  province  was  ceded 
to  England.  In  order  to  facilitate  commerce  in  Canada,  Louis 
XI Y,  king  of  France,  ordered,  in  1670,  the  coinage  of  "a  hun- 
dred thousand  livres  worth  of  Louis  of  15  sous,  and  5  sous, 
and  Doubles  of  pure  copper.  These  coins  were  of  the  same 
value  in  weight  and  fineness  with  those  of  France.  On  the 
silver  Louis  of  15  sous,  and  5  sous,  in  place  of  Sit  nomen  Dom- 
ini henedictum^  there  was  Gloriam  regni  tui  dicent,  and  on  the 
Doubles,  Doubles  de  VAmeriqite  Francoise."  The  silver  Louis 
of  fifteen  and  five  sous  of  this  Coinage,  were  described  by  Le 
Blanc,  in  his  "Historic  Treatise  on  the  Coins  of  France,'' 
Paris,  1703,  and  said  to  be  of  the  year' 1670,  and  familiar. 
The  Doubles  or  pieces  of  Two  Deniers,  on  the  contrary,  were 
noted  as  unknown  coins,  of  which  a  more  exact  description 
would  be  highly  interesting. 

While  the  record  of  the  origin  and  character  of  these  Coins 
for  Canada  has  been  well  preserved,  the  currency  itself  has  be- 
come, "except  two  or  three  specimens,"  quite  extinct — at  least 
in  America.  Diligent  and  careful  collectors  "have  met  with 
but  one  denomination  of  the  silver  pieces — that  of  five  sous," 
and  of  these,  but  two  specimens  from  slightly  different  dies. 
Of  the  genuine  copper  Double,  no  specimen  is  known.  Syl- 
vester S.  Crosby,  Esq.,  in  his  valuable  work,  "The  Early 
Coins  of  America,"  Boston,  1875,  describes  a  copy  owned  by 
M.  Jules  Marcou,  of  Cambridge,  Mass.  The  French  authority 
upon  this  coinage  is  Le  Blanc's  'Traite  Ilistorique  des  Mon- 
uoyes  de  France,'  published  in  Paris,  1703. 

The  Louis  of  five  Sous.     Two  slightly  different  dies  known. 

Obverse :  A  bust  of  Louis  XIV,  facing  right,  laureated — 
above  lliis  a  small  figure  of  the  sun.  Legend  :  "LYD-XIIII" 
D-G  O  F  P^'  E  T-NA V-RLX."  {Ludovicus  XIIII Dei  Grataie 
FrauJae  ct  Navarre  King),  [Louis  XIIII,  hy  the  Grace  of  God, 
of  France  and  Navarre  King). 

Reverse :  French  coat-of-arms  surmounted  by  a  crown.  Be- 
neath the  shield  the  Paris  Mint-mark  A.  Legend  :  "Gloriam* 
Regni*  y*  Tri*Dicext*  1670  "i  "  and  a  character  of  unknown 


140  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

significance.  Borders,  milled ;  Edge,  plain.  Silver;  size,  13; 
weight,  35  grains. 

The  Double  of  Two  Deniers.     Unknown. 

Obverse:  Device,  thus — "16  L  70."  Above  is  a  crown, 
and  beneath,  the  Mint-mark  of  Paris  "A."  Legend  :  "LVDO- 
VICVS-  Xllir  D-  GR-  FRAN-  ET-  NAV-fiEX 

Reverse:  Inscription  in  four  lines,  "DE*  LA  MERIQVE* 
FR  ANCOISE  "  Under  the  legend  the  Mint- mark  of  Paris  "A" 
witli  finer  de  lis  at  each  side  and  one  below  it.  Border,  milled. 
Copper;  size,  14 J. 

ST.  PATRICK'S'OR  MARK  NEWBY  HALF-PENCE. 

V 

On  November  19th,  1681,  a  party  of  emigrants  from  Dub- 
lin, Ireland,  consisting  in  part  of  one  Mark  Newby  and  his 
family,  arrived  in  the  colony  of  New  Jersey.  This  Newby 
brought. with  him  a  quantity  of  coins,  which  were  called  St. 
Patrick's  Half-pence;  and  as  small  money  was  exceedingly 
scarce  at  the  time,  the  authorities  of  New  Jersey,  on  May 
8th,  1682,  passed  an  act  "for  the  more  convenient  Payment  of 
small  Sums,"  by  which  it  Avas  provided  "That  Mark  Newbie's 
half-pence,  called  Patricks  half- pence,  shall,  fiom  and  after  the 
said  Eighteenth  Instant,  pass  for  half-pence  current  pay  of 
this  Province,  provided  he  the  said  Mark,  his  Executors  and 
Administrators,  shall  and  will  change  the  said  half-pence  for 
pay  Equivalent,  upon  demand :  and  provided  also,  that  no 
Person  or  Persons  be  hereby  obliged  to  take  more  than  five 
Shillings  in  one  Payment," 

The  date  and  origin  of  these  St.  Patrick's  or  "Mark  New- 
bie's" Half- pence  is  unknown,  and  has  been  the  cause  of  much 
discussion  without  agreement.  Whether  they  were  coined 
"by  the  Papists  when  they  rebelled  in  Ireland,  and  massacred 
the  Protestants,"  "struck  as  medals,"  "minted  for  the  Con- 
federate Assembly,"  or  "issued  in  Dublin  sometime  between 
the  Restoration  (1660)  and  the  year  1680,"  merely  as  private 
tokens,  is  undecided.     Considering  the  amount  of  them  brought 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    GO  IN  AGES.  141 

over  by  Newby,  it  would  seem  that  they  originated  not  very 
long  before  the  date  of  his  emigration  in  1681. 

This  coinage  is  very  irregular,  of  numerous  types  and  va- 
rieties, struck  in  various  metals  from  similar  dies,  viz :  silver, 
copper,  brass,  and  occasionally,  as  a  proof  probably,  in  lead. 

St.  Patrick's  Halfpence.  Large  Size.  Four  Types.  Six 
Varieties. 


St.  Patrick's  Half  Pence. 

Obverse :  A  crowned  king,  kneeling,  facing  left,  and  play- 
ing the  harp.  A  bove  the  harp  is  a  crown.  Legend :  "  FLORE 
AT  REX"  variously  divided  and  punctuated  on  different  dies. 
The  letters  also  vary  in  size  on  different  specimens. 

Reverse :  St.  Patrick  with  a  trefoil  in  his  hand  and  a  crozier 
in  his  left,  surrounded  by  a  crowd  of  people.  To  the  left  is  a 
shield,  witb  three  castles  or  six  flaming  alters.  Legend:  EC- 
CE  GREX"  variously  punctuated  on  different  dies.  Edges, 
either  milled  or  plain.  Only  specimens  in  copper  known  to  be 
extant.     Size,  17  to  20;  weight,  144  grains,  or  somewhat  less. 

St.  Patrick's  Half-pence.  Small  size.  Twenty-two  Types. 
Twenty-three  Varieties. 


St.  Patrick's  Half  Pence. 


142  DYE'S  com  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Obverse :  Similar  to  that  of  the  larger-sized  piece  of  this 
coinage.  Upon  some  specimens  a  bird  appears,  sometimes  ac* 
companied  bj  three  circles,  all  placed  beneath  the  figure  of  the 
king. 

Reverse :  St.  Patrick,  his  right  hand  outstretched,  banish- 
ing serpents  and  reptiles,  shown  upon  the  ground.  In  his  left 
hand  he  carries  a  double  or  metropolitan  cross ;  at  the  ex- 
treme right  is  a  church.  Legend:  "QUIESCAT  PLEBS" 
variously  punctuated  on  dififerent  dies.  Edges,  either  milled  or 
plain.  Silver  and  Copper;  size,  16;  weight,  silver  piece,  98 
to  14-i  grains — the  copper  piece,  98  grains. 

The  extreme  irregularity  of  the  silver  pieces  of  this  coinage 
suggests  the  idea  that  they  could  hardly  have  been  coined  for 
circulation,  as  money,  but  rather  struck  for  preservation  as 
medals.  The  copper  coins  were  more  regular,  and  better 
adapted  for  use  as  currency,  for  which  they  were  employed  in 
New  Jersey  from  1681  indefinitely  afterwards,  the  coinage  of 
New  Jersey,  for  its  own  use,  not  being  established  for  more 
than  a  century  from  that  time. 


PROPOSALS  FOR  COLONIAL  COINAGES. 

Notwithstanding  the  various  plans  and  contrivances  for  a 
supply  of  currency,  the  scarcity  of  small  coin  which  inconve- 
nienced the  primitive  settlers  continued,  and  was  a  very  great 
hindcrance  to  minor  business  about  the  beginning  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  As  early  as  July  5th,  1700,  John  Fy- 
sack  laid  before  the  British  Board  of  Trade,  a  scheme  for  the 
erection  of  a  mint  at  some  point  in  the  English  plantations 
upon  the  continent  of  America.  This  plan  failed  to  secure 
the  approval  of  the  Board  of  Trade,  but  another  was  proposed. 
May,  21,  1701,  to  the  Lords  of  the  Treasury,  by  J.  Stanley  Is. 
Newton  and  Jn.  Ellis,  who  suggested  the  coinage  in  England, 
of  "  halfe  pence  and  pence  of  Copper,  or  a  Mixed  Metall,  and 
of  halfe  ye  value  the  English  Small  Money  is  made,"  a  special 
issue  to  be  struck  for  each  of  "Ye  Severall  Colonys."     Being 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  143 

submitted  to  the  officers  of  the  mint,  this  scheme  was  not  fully 
approved,  and  no  action  was  taken  to  carry  it  into  effect. 
About  the  year  1715,  a  project  was  discussed  for  organizing 
and  establishing  "  a  private  Bank  in  New  England,"  but  this 
was  presently  abandoned. 

On  July  1-i,  1748,  Alexander  Cuming,  Bart.,  suggested  that 
a  coinage  of  £200,000  sterling  should  be  struck  in  the  Tower 
of  London,  to  serve  as  the  basis  of  a  Provincial  Bank  for  all 
the  British  Plantations  of  America,  to  be  a  bank  of  issue,  re- 
deeming its  bills,  on  demand,  in  gold  and  silver,  the  said  bills 
to  be  made  current  in  all  the  colonies  to  the  abolishment  of 
local  issues  of  inferior  value  like  those  of  New  England  and 
Carolina,  then  sometime  in  use.  This  suggestion  was  regarded 
as  chimerical,  being,  perhaps,  too  honest  and  business-like,  to 
suit  the  grasping  policy  generally  followed  toward  America  by 
the  Lords  of  the  British  Treasury. 

In  1754,  Arthur  Dobbs,  Esq.,  then  Governor  of  North 
Carolina,  asked  official  approval  "for  a  coinage  of  copper 
money  for  that  colony,  the  pieces  coined  to  be  of  the  value  of 
two-pence,  one  penny,  and  an  half  penny  Carolina  currency, 
which  was  one-fourth  less  value  by  denonrination  than  the 
British  standard.  The  amount  of  this  coinage  was  to  be  lim- 
ited to  fifty  tons  weight.  Upon  reference  of  this  matter  to 
the  officers  of  the  mint,  such  a  coinage  was  planned,  to  consist 
one-fourth  of  two-pence,  one-fourth  of  pennies,  and  one-half 
of  half-pence — the  half-pence  were  to  be  of  such  a  size,  that 
sixty-one  of  them  should  weigh  one  pound  avoirdupois,  the 
other  pieces  being  made  in  proportion.  The  copper  being  de- 
livered to  the  mint  free  of  cost,  was  to  be  minted  as  described, 
at  the  usual  rate  of  five  pence  per  pound,  with  an  allowance 
for  necessary  waste  of  one  part  in  forty-five,  or  less,  as  should 
be  found  actual  in  practice.  The  obverse  of  these  coins  were 
to  bear  the  king's  effigies,  and  the  legend  GEORGIUS  IJ. 
BEX,  and  on  the  reverse  the  arms  of  North  Carolina  inscribed 
SEPT.  CAEOLINA,  and  in  Exergue  beneath  the  date  of  the 
coinage. 


144  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

After  all,  tliere  is  no  evidence  that  any  part  of  llio  fifty 
tons  of  small  change  thus  arranged  for  was  ever  produced. 

Still  another  effort  was  made  to  supjjly  Korth  Carolina 
with  minor  coin,  and  on  September  29th,  1786,  it  was  reported 
that  Mr.  Borel  had  completed  his  contract  of  coinage  for  that 
state  in  Switzerland,  to  the  amount  of  80,0001.  in  silver  and 
copper,  to  be  exchanged  for  the  paper  currency.  No  coin 
struck  under  this  contract  can  be  found,  and  soon  after  tlio 
sole  right  of  coinage  was  assumed  by  the  Government  of  tlu 
United  States. 

On  July  12,  1722,  William  Wood,  of  Wolverhampton,  in 
the  county  of  Stafford,  England,  Esq.,  having  been  engaged 
in  experiments  in  metallurgy  and  coinage  as  early  as  1/77, 
represented  to  George  I,  that  he  had  "invented  a  certain  com- 
position or  mixture,  consisting  partly  of  fine  virgin  silver, 
partly  of  superfine  brass,  made  of  pure  copper,  and  partly  of 
double-refined  linck,  otherwise  called  tutanaigne  or  spelter." 
In  a  mass  of  twenty  ounces  avoirdupois  of  Wood'j  metal,  ho 
stated  there  should  be  one  pennyweight  Troy  of  virgin  silver, 
fifteen  ounces  avoirdupois  of  fine  brass,  and  the  rest  of  the 
speller  described.  Through  the  influence  of  the  duchess  of 
Kendall,  a  frail  beauty,  a  German  baroness,  who  camo  to  Eng- 
land with  George  I  before  he  was  crowned,  Wood  obtained 
letters  patent,  giving  him  a  monopoly  of  coining  "tokens,"  to 
be  used  as  currency  in  Ireland  and  in  America.  The  emolu- 
ments to  arire  from  this  coinage  for  Ireland,  were  given  offi- 
cially and  directly  to  the  duchess  of  Kendall;  the  considera- 
tion for  the  privilege  of  a  like  issue  for  America,  doubtless 
was  paid  the  same  royal  favorite. 

The  patent  granted  Wood  for  America,  was  made  to  cover 
his  rights  for  fourteen  years  from  the  date  of  its  issue,  during 
which  term  he  might  utter  and  disperse  therein  "Three  Ilun- 
dred  Tunns-"  of  the  coinage  thus  authorized.  Of  thi.s,  two 
hundred  tons  might  issue  the  first  four  years,  and  ten  tons 
each  year  of  the  'term  thereafter.  These  coins,  as  authorized 
by  the  king,  were  to  go  for   "half  pence,  pence  and  Two 


BRITUm   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  145 

pences,"  and  be  made  of  such  a  size  that  twenty  ounces  avoir- 
dupois of  metal,  should  produce  but  sixty  pence  by  actual 
count,  and  of  the  other  pieces  a  proportionate  number,  accord- 
ing to  their  denominated  value,  or  as  elsewhere  provided,  "of 
such  a  bigness  that  thirty  Two  pences,  sixty  pence,  and  one 
hundred  and  twenty  half  pence,  may  weigh  sixteen  ounces 
avoirdupois,"  the  variation  allowed  the  coiner  being  not  more 
than  one  penny  in  the  above  number,  over  or  under.  The 
metal  was  to  be  of  the  composition  stated,  and  of  such  a  quali- 
ty that  when  heated  red  hot  it  would  spread  thin  under  the 
hammer  without  cracking,  which  test  was  to  be  applied  to  the 
coins  directly  by  persons  authorized  by  the  Commissioners  of 
the  Treasury  from  time  to  time,  and  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Comptroller  so  appointed;  said  William  Wood  was  to  pay 
Two  hundred  pounds  per  Annum.  The  coinage  was  to  bear 
"on  the  one  side  the  EflEigies  or  Portraiture  With  the  name  or 
Title  of  his  Majestic  "  and  on  the  other  side  "  the  ffigure  of  a 
Crown  With  the  Word  America  and  the  TTear  of  our  lord  and 
any  other  marks  or  Addicions  as  may  be  proper."  Counter- 
feiting this  coinage  was  forbidden  under  penalty  of  confisca- 
tion of  "  the  Tools  or  Instruments  for  making  thereof,"  find 
of  the  coins  made  in  imitation  of  the  genuine,  the  property  to 
accrue  to  William  Wood  or  his  representatives.  In  consid- 
eration of  these  concessions,  rights  and  privileges,  William 
Wood  was  to  pay  his  Majesty  the  sum  of  one  hundred  pounds 
per  annum,  over  and  above  the  amount  paid  the  Comptroller 
named.  Having  given  security  as  required,  William  Wood 
I'cceived  a  formal  license,  according  to  the  terms  of  his  con- 
tract, and  presently  began  operations  in  the  business  of  Coin- 
age upon  an  extensive  scale. 

There  were  several  partners  engaged  in  the  manufacture  of 
this  coinage ;  the  dies,  which  were  quite  numerous,  were  made 
by  Lammas,  Standbroke  and  Harold,  and  the  mintage  done  by 
a  drop  press,  the  metal  being  struck  while  hot  for  the  sake  of 
expedition  in  the  work.  The  mint  was  established  at  the 
French  Change,  in  Hogg  Lane,  Seven  Dials,  London,  England. 
J 


146  DVK'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

The  first  Comptroller  of  this  Currency  was  Sir  Isaac  Newton, 
but  at  his  request  Mr.  Barton,  his  nephew,  was  presently  ap- 
pointed in  his  stead.  The  first  attempt  was  a  coinage  for 
America,  in  1722 ;  a  Fmall  issue  of  the  same  date  was  also 
made  for  Ireland.  Circumstances  in  America  favored  the  in- 
troduction of  small  coin  at  this  time.  So  great  was  the  scar- 
city of  minor  currency,  that  the  same  year  Massachusetts,  by 
an  act  which  passed  the  House  of  Eepresentatives  at  the  ses- 
sion of  May,  1722,  authorized  the  issue  of  bills  of  the  denomi- 
nation of  a  penny,  two-pence  and  three-pence,  the  same  to  be 
printed  on  parchment,  to  the  amount  in  value  of  five  hundred 
pounds.  These  were  to  be  issued  in  redemption  of  other  bills 
of  the  colony,  which  were  to  be  burnt.  There  were  to  be; 
'Forty  Ihousand  and  One  Pennies,  to  be  Round,  Twenty 
Thousand  Two  Fences,  Four  Square,  Thirteen  Thousand 
Three  Hundred  and  Thirty-three  [Three]  Fences,  Sex-angu- 
lar." These  bills  were  ordered  to  issue  in  sums  not  less  than 
twenty  shillings ;  to  counterfeit  them  was  punishable,  in  the 
first  instance,  as  forgery,  and  for  the  second  offense,  "  as  those 
that  Counterfeit  the  other  Bills  of  this  Frovince."  Repre- 
sentations of  the  proposed  bills  were  drawn  upon  the  copy  of 
the  act,  but  in  the  engraving  for  the  bills  themselves  some  or- 
naments were  added.  Great  as  the  necessity  was  indicated  by 
the  introduction  of  such  a  series  of  bills,  "  Mr.  Wood's  Copper 
Money  "  was  not  well  received  in  America.  It  was  made  a 
cause  of  complaint  that:  "he  had  the  Conscience  to  make 
Thirteen  Shillings  out  of  a  Found  of  Brass."  Although  his 
coinage  wa.s  disliked  by  the  Americans,  Wood  continued  his 
efforts  to  circulate  the  same,  and  as  late  as  1725,  the  officers  of 
his  Majesty  in  Massachusetts,  were  directed  to  assist  Mr,  Wood 
in  the  enjoyment  of  his  privileges  ;  however,  there  is  no  rea- 
son to  supj)ose  that  his  American  business  was  ever  a  profita- 
ble speculation. 

Upon  the  appearance  of  Wood's  coinage  in  Ireland,  great 
objections  were  at  once  raised  to  such  a  currency  ;  Bean  Swift 
was  a  leading  spirit  in  arousing  and  keeping  active  the  discon- 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  147 

tent  of  the  people.  The  matter  became  a  subject  of  contro- 
versy between  Lord  Carteret,  the  duke  of  Grafton,  and  Lord 
Townsend,  who  passed  the  patent.  Townsend  complained 
that  Carteret  slurred  the  duke  of  Grafton,  flung  dirt  upon  him^ 
and  made  "somebody  imeasy,  for  whose  sake  it  (the  patent) 
was  done."  In  consequence  of  this  great  disturbance,  the  king 
reduced  the  amount  of  this  coinage  for  Ireland  from  £100,000 
to  £40,000,  but  without  appeasing  the  malcontents,  who  kept 
up  so  strenuous  an  opposition,  that  in  1725,  the  king  was  glad 
to  purchase  the  privilege  obtained  from  his  Majesty  through 
the  royal  mistress,  by  settling  a  pension  of  £3,000  per  annum 
uDon  William  Wood,  the  same  to  be  continued  and  made  pay- 
able for  the  term  of  eight  years.  For  this,  three  warrants  for 
£1,000  each,  were  issued  October  12-21,  1725;  these  were 
made  chargeable  upon  the  establishment  of  Ireland,  and  thus 
the  peo})le  of  that  island  were  in  effect  fined  for  the  disfavor 
they  had  shown  the  new  currency  provided  for  them. 

Although  resigning  for  valuable  consideration,  his  privi- 
leges in  Ireland,  Wood  still  continued  to  prosecute  his  enter- 
prise and  assert  his  rights  in  America.  As  there  had  been  a 
large  amount  of  coin  struck  for  Ireland,  and  made  uncurrent 
there,  it  was  afterwards  shipped  to  America,  where  an  effort 
was  made  to  introduce  it  into  circulation,  and  where  it  became 
known  as  "Wood's  money,"  in  distinction  from  the  Rosa 
Americana  Series,  coined  especially  for  America.  In  the  Ar- 
chives of  Massachusetts,  is  preserved  an  order  from  the  duke 
of  Newcastle,  dated  "Whitehall  29th  Oct.r  1725,"  directed  to 
the  Governor  of  Massachusetts,  ordering  in  the  name  of  the 
king  of  England,  that  Mr.  William  Wood  should  be  protected, 
encouraged  and  assisted  in  the  legal  exercise  of  the  powers 
and  privileges  granted  him. 

In  1733,  other  coins  were  struck,  and  a  renewed  endeavor 
made  in  behalf  of  the  interests  of  Mr.  Wood,  but  the  scarcity 
of  pieces  of  this  date  indicate;-  a  small  coinage  at  the  time,  and 
these  may  all  have  been  pattern  pieces.  Thus  ended  a  busi- 
ness which  having  proved  the  ruin  of  some,  and  imposed  hard- 


148  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

ships  upon  many,  seems  to  have  been  of  small  satisfaction  to 
any  one,  unless  indeed  the  duchess  of  Kendall,  for  all  the  un- 
easiness caused  her  by  the  reflections  of  Lord  Carteret,  had  in 
her  receipts  from  Wood  and  his  partners,  substantial  reason 
to  be  well  pleased.  Although  a  large  amount  of  coin  was 
struck  under  the  patent  granted  William  Woo.l,  the  amount 
actually  put  in  circulation  is  unknown.  The  part  of  this  cur- 
rency struck  for  America  is  known  as  The  Rosa  Americana 
Series,  and  on  account  of  its  historical  interest,  beauty  of 
design,  style  of  execution  and  rarity,  is  very  much  desired  by 
antiquarians  and  numismatologists. 

THE  ROSA  AMERICANA  COINAGE. 
The  first  supposed  examples  of  this  coinage,  are  several 
pieces  said  to  have  been  struck  by  William  Wood,  for  pattern 
pieces,  as  early  as  1717.  Of  these,  but  five  specimens,  of  three 
denominations,  exist.  These  rare  coins  are  Two-pence,  Pen- 
nies, and  a  Half- Penny.  As  the  Ilalf- Penny  was  the  largest 
copper  coin  then  used  in  England,  the  Two-Pence  and  Penny 
indicate  that  the  series  must  have  been  intended  for  an  espe- 
cial issue  and  circulation. 

Wood's  Rosa  Americana  Pattern  Pieces.  (?) 

The  Two-pence.  Obverse:  Well  executed  laureated  head 
of  George  I,  facing  right.  Legend:  "GEORGIVS-D:G  M:B: 
FR:  ET-fl:REX'" 

Reverse :  The  Roman  numerals  II  surmounted  by  a  crown, 
above  this  on  the  border,  the  date  1717.  Legend:  "MAG* 
BRIT-FRA-ET-HIBER-REX:"  The  legend  is  between  two 
plain  circles.  Border,  milled ;  Edge,  plain.  "Bath  Metal"  or 
Wood's  Composition.     Size,  17 J  ;  weight,  107  grains. 

The  Penny.  No.  1.  Obverse:  Head  of  king  George  I,  as 
on  the  two-pence,  but  magnified.  Legend :  "  GEORGVIS-D:G: 
M:BRI:FRA:  ET.  HIB:  REX" 

Reverse :  The  Roman  numeral  I,  surmounted  by  a  crown. 
Legend:   "DAT.  PACEMET-NOUAS.  PREBET.  ET'AU- 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  149 

GET-OPES."  Border,  beaded;  Edge,  plain.  "Bath  Metal." 
Size,  16| ;  weight,  109  grains. 

The  Penny.     N9.  2.     Obverse :  As  that  of  the  Penny  No.  1. 

Eeverse:  Numeral  "I,"  as  on  Penny  No.  1,  but  at  each  side 
of  the  same,  a  branch,  the  stems  crossing  beneath.  Legend : 
"BRVN:  ET-LVN:  DVX-SA:IlOM:MI:ARC==TnE:ET-PR: 
ELEC."  Border,  beaded ;  Edge,  plain.  "Bath  Metal."  Size, 
16| ;  weight,  109  grains. 

It  will  be  noted  that  these  Pennies  weigh  two  grains  more 
than  the  Two-pence,  an  odd  fact  indicating  the  experimental 
nature  of  the  coinage  thus  far. 

The  Half-pence,  Obverse :  Head  of  king  George  I,  facing 
right.     Legend:  "GEORGIVS  REX-" 

Reverse:  "|"  surmounted  by  a  crown.  Legend:  "DAT* 
PACEM-ET-AUGET-  OPES'"  Border,  milled;  Edge,  plain. 
"Bath  Metal."     Size,  13|;  weight,  72  grains. 

There  is  also  an  impression  of  the  Penny  No.  2,  in  brass. 

AUTHORIZED  ROSA  AMERICANA  COINAGE. 

• 

The  regular  authorized  coinage  by  William  Wood  for 
America  and  Ireland,  began  in  1722,  and  has  been  described 
as  the  Penny,  Half-penny  and  Farthing,  but  the  value  of  the 
various  coins  was  fixed  by  the  royal  letters  patent  as  "two- 
pence, pence  and  half-pence." 

The  Two-Pence  of  1722. 
Four  Types.    Four  Varieties. 


EosA  Americana  Two- Pence,  1722. 


150  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Obverse:  Laureated  head  of  king  George  I,  facing  right. 
Legend :  " GEORGIUSD:G:MAG:BRI:FEA:ETHIB:REX-" 

Reverse:  A  fall  double  rose;  from  this  project  five  barbed 
points.  Legend:  "HOSA-AMERICANA-1722-"  in  the  field 
over  the  rose,  upon  a  label  beneath  the  same  "  UTILE  DULCL" 
Border,  beaded;  Edge,  plain.  "Bath  Metal."  Size,  18  to  20; 
weight,  255  grains. 

Beside  this  principle  type  and  variety  of  the  Rosa  Ameri- 
cana Twopence,  there  are  three  others  with  the  rose  un- 
crowned. One  of  these  bears  the  date  1722,  and  two  are  with- 
out date.  The  devices  and  legends  of  all  three  of  them,  are 
the  same  as  those  of  the  Two-pence  already  described,  except 
slight  variations  in  minor  features  or  in  punctuation.  The 
dateless  pieces  are  respectively  of  size,  14 ;  weight,  270  grains, 
and  size,  20  ;  weight,  244  grains.  The  largest  of  these  is  called 
the  Iron  Rosa  Americana,  although  composed  of  pure  copper. 
The  motto  "UTILE  DULCI"  appears  in  the  field  of  this 
piece,  and  not  upon  a  label,  as  is  the  case  with  the  Two- pence 
of  the  Rosa  Americana  Series  dated  1722.  The  curious  mis~ 
named  "Iron  Rosa  Americana "  is  unique,  its  composition,  ex- 
tra size,  and  rudeness  of  execution  indicate  its  character  as  a 
trial  piece. 

The  Penny  of  1722. 
Thirty  Types.    Twenty -eight  Varieties  described.    Numer- 
ous Dies. 


Rosa  Americana  Penny,  1722. 

Obverse:  Laureated  head  of  king  George  I,  facing  right 
Legend :  "GEORGIUS-DEI'GRATI A-REX-" 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  151 

Reverse :  A  fall  double  rose ;  from  this  project  five  barbed 
points.  Legend:  "ROSA  AMERICANA-  UTILE-DULGI- 
1722v>"  which  encircles  the  piece.  Border,  beaded ;  Edge, 
plain.     *'Bath  Metal."     Size,  16  to  18;  weight,  139  grains. 

The  Half-Penny  of  1722. 
Eight  Types.     Eight  Varieties. 


Rosa  Americana  Half-Penny,  1722. 
Devices :  Same  as  those  of  the  Pennj  of  this  coinage.     Le- 
gends :  Same  import  as  those  upon  the  Penny,  but  varied  hy 
abbreviations   and   in   punctuation.     Border,    beaded;    Edge, 
plain.     "Bath  Metal."     Size,  13  to  14;  weight,  75  grains. 
First.  Obverse:  "GEORGIUS-DEI'GEATIA-REX-"    Rare. 
Reverse :  "ROSA-AMERI:VTILEDVLCI1722-" 
Second.  Obverse:  "GEORGIUS-D:G:REX."  Quite  rare. 
Reverse:  "ROSA-AMERL  UTILE-DULCri722  " 
Third.  Obverse:  "GEORGIUS-DEI-GRATIA-REX-", 
Reverse:  "ROSA-AMERICANA- UTILE- DULCI-1722K-" 
The  first  and  second  of  the  Half-pennies  here  mentioned 
are  rare,  especially  the  first.     Of  the  third,  there  were  six  pair 
of  dies,  from  all  of  which  varied  impressions  are  retained. 

Rosa  Americana  Two-Pence,  1723. 

Three  Types.     'J  hree  Varieties.     Ten  Pair  of  Dies. 

Obverse:  Laureated  head  of  king  George  I,  facing  right. 
Legend :    "GEORGIUS-D:G:MAG:BRl:FRA:ET-niB:REX." 

Reverse :  A  full  double  rose  with  barbs,  surmounted  by  a 
crown.  Legend:  "ROSA-AMERICAN A-1723-"  in  the  up- 
per half  of  the  field,  and  upon  a  label  beneath  the  rose  the 
motto  "UTILE-DULCI"  Border,  beaded ;  Edge,  plain.  "Baih 
Metal."     Size,  19  to  21 ;  weight,  220  grains. 


152 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


EosA  Americana  Penny,  1723. 

Obverse:  Laureated  head  of  king  George  1,  facing  right. 
Legend :     "GEORGIUS-DEI-GRATIA-REX-" 

Reverse :  A  full  double  rose  with  barbs,  surmounted  by  a 
crowu.  Legend:  "ROSA-AMERICANA-1723,"  upon  a  la- 
bel beneath  the  rose,  the  motto  "  UTILE  LULCI,"  the  legend 
almost  encircling  the  device.  Border,  beaded;  Edge,  plain. 
''Bath  Metal."  Size,  16  to  18  ;  weight,  148  grains.  There  is 
a  unique  specimen.     Size,  20| ;  weight,  148  grains. 

The  Half-Penny  of  1723. 
One   Type.    Two   Varieties.     Minor   Differences.     Eleven 
and  a  half  Pairs  of  Dies.     Very  scarce. 


Rosa  Americana  Half-Penny,  1723.    No.  1. 
An  extremely  rare  type  and  variety  of  this  Half-penny 
bear^  an  uncrowned  rose,  as  on  those  of  1722.     One  obverse 
and  two  reverse  dies. 

Obverse:  Legend:  "GEORGIUS'DEI-GRATIA-REX-" 
Reverse:  ROSA' AMERICAN  A  v:  UTILE-DULCI1723  •?. 
Otherwise,  in  general,  as  other  Half- pennies  of  the  same  series 
and  date.  Size,  14;  weight,  51  grains.  The  motto  "UTILE 
DULCI"  is  never  sliown  upon  a  label  on  the  Pennies  or  Half- 
pence which  bear  an  uncrowned  rose. 


Rosa  Americana  Half-Penny 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES. 


153 


The  Rosa  Americana  Half-Penny  of  1723  is  usually  of  the 
same  device,  legend  and  general  features  as  the  Penny  of  the 
same  series  and  date,  but  with  minor  differences  not  sufficient 
to  establish  a  variety.     Size,  14 ;  weight,  64  grains. 

The  Penny  of  1724. 

Two  Types.     Two  Varieties.     Earely  found. 

Similar  in  design  to  the  Penny  of  the  same  series  dated  1723. 

Obverse :  "  GEORGIUS'  EEI-GRATIA-REX-" 

Reverse:  "ROSA:AME  RICAJS A- 1724  UTILE  DULOI" 
The  cross  upon  the  crown  divides  the  word  Americana. 

In  all  this  issue  thus  far  described,  the  figure  1  resembles 
the  Roman  letter  J. 


The  Two-Pence  of  1733. 
One  Type.     One  Variety. 


Rosa  Americana  Two-Pence,  1733. 

Obverse :  Laureated  head  of  George  II.  facing  left.  Legend: 
"GEORGIVS-IiDG-REX-" 

Reverse :  A  rose  branch,  at  its  top  a  full  blown  rose,  at  the 
left  a  stem  bearing  four  leaves,  another  at  the  right  having 
three  leaves  and  a  bud.  Legend  :  "ROSA  AMER  10 ANA- 
1738-"  Upon  a  scroll-formed  label  beneath  the  rose  branch 
appears  the  motto  "UTILE  DULCI"  Border,  beaded.  Edge, 
plain.     "Bath  Metal."     Size,  18  to  21 ;  weight,  266  grains. 

But  two  specimens  of  this  coin  known,  but  there  are  beside 
three  impressions  of  the  obverse  die  struck  in  steel. 


164  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

The  Eosa  Sine  Spina. 

One  Type.     One  Variety.     Excessively  rare. 

This  dateless  coin,  of  uncertain  origin,  has  been  confounded 
with  the  Bosa  Americana  Series,  being  sometimes  mistak-en 
for  the  Two-pence  of  1733,  the  reverse  of  which  it  somewhat 
resembles. 

Obverse:  Laureated  head  of  king  George  I  facing  right. 
Legend :  "GEORGIUS-DEJ-GRATIA-REX-" 

Reverse:  A  rose  bush  planted  in  the  earth,  bearing  at  the 
top  a  full-blown  rose;  below  are  two  stems,  each  bearing  a 
closed  bud,  and  a  bud  half  oj)cned.  Legend:  "ROSA:SINE: 
SPINA."     Border,  beaded;  Size,  16^;  weight,  120  grains. 

There  are  two  coins,  a  medal,  and  the  reverse  of  another 
piece  somewhat  similar  to  the  Rosa  Sine  Spina,  and  supposed 
to  belong  to  the  same  coinage.  Obverse ;  Almost  identical 
with  the  Rosa  Sine  Spina.  Reverse :  A  sceptre  and  trident 
crossed,  interlaced  wiih  a  three-looped  cord,  with  jiendant  ta.'^- 
sels.  Legend:  REGIT;::  VNVS  v:  VTROGVh  v.-  The  largest 
coin  is  the  only  known  specimen ;  others  may  be  found  in 
Europe  perhaps.  Size,  17|;  weight,  127  grains.  The  small 
coin  is  described  as  half  the  size.  The  date  of  the  metal  re- 
ferred to  is  1628.  Though  diligently  sought  by  all  collectors 
of  coins  struck  in  or  for  America,  the  Rosa  Sine  Spina  is  sel- 
dom seen  even  in  the  best  cabinets.  But  three  or  four  can  be 
found  in  the  United  States. 

LAWS  OF  PENNSYLVANIA. 

The  colony  of  Pennsylvania  made  no  provision  for  a  local 
coinage,  but  the  authorities  passed  a  number  of  orders  and 
laws  directed  to  the  regulation  of  the  value  of  copper  coin, 
and  the  abolition  of  base  coin,  as  well  as  the  severe  })uuish- 
ment  of  counterfeiters.  In  1741,  English  Half-pence  were  de- 
creed to  pass  at  the  rate  of  fifteen  to  the  shilling.  By  this 
means  it  was  proposed  to  prevent  the  importation  of  great 
quantities  of  these  Half-pence,  as  had  been  the  practice,  to  the 


BRITISH  COLONIA'L    COINAGES.  155 

depletion  of  the  province  of  large  amounts  of  gold  and  silver 
money.  However,  certain  "uneasy  and  ill  disposed  Persons," 
were  not  content  with  .  so  high  a  valuation  of  the  Half- pence, 
and  declining  to  receive  them,  were  denounced  by  the  Mayor 
and  Commonalty  of  Philadelphia  as  disturbers  of  the  public 
peace. 

Any  person  convicted  of  counterfeiting  any  coin  of  gold  or 
silver  in  the  province  of  Pennsylvania,  was  doomed  to  suffer 
death  without  the  benefit  of  clergy,  and  any  person  knowingly 
passing  such  counterfeits,  was  on  conviction  thereof,  to  be 
sentenced  to  stand  in  the  pillory  for  the  space  of  one  hour, 
having  both  their  ears  cut  off  and  nailed  to  the  pillory,  and 
beside,  receive  twenty-one  lashes  in  public  on  the  bare  back, 
and  also  pay  one  hundred  pounds  as  a  fine,  one-half  to  go  to 
the  use  of  the  Governor,  and  one  half  to  the  informer,  with 
costs  and  charges  of  prosecution  assessed  upon  the  convict. 

In  July  14th,  1781,  the  Supreme  Executive  Council  of  the 
Commonwealth  of  Pennsylvania,  issued  a  Proclamation  pro- 
hibiting the  issue  and  circulation  of  base  coin  "in  the  fimili- 
tude  of  British  half-pence,  but  much  inferior  in  value  and 
weight  to  the  genuine."  From  this  cause,  this  coin  was  de- 
preciated to  the  enhancement  of  the  necessaries  of  life,  and  the 
great  distress  of  many,  especially  among  the  poorer  classes. 
Genuine  British  Half-pence,  made  at  the  Tower,  were  made 
forty-eight  to  the  pound.  Those  of  the  base  sort  were  made 
at  Birmingham,  England,  seventy-two  of  them,  or  even  more, 
bemg  minted  from  a  pound  of  copper,  which  metal  could  at 
that  date  be  purchased  in  America  for  one-eighth  of  a  dollar 
a  pound.  Thus  the  base  coinage  was  imposed  upon  the  peo- 
ple of  the  provinces,  at  about  six  times  the  intiinsic  value  of 
the  material  from  which  the  coins  were  produced.  There  was 
no  me; hod  by  which  to  learn  the  amount  of  such  currency 
imported  to  the  Confederated  States  of  America  during  the 
decade  succeeding  the  war  of  the  Revolution.  Sundry  ship- 
ments were  reported  to  the  value  of  a  thousand  guineas  each, 
and  it  was  stated  that  no  packet  arrived  from  England,  wiih- 


156  DYE'S  com  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

out  some  hundred  weight  of  the  base  Half- pence.  It  was  offi- 
cially estimated  that  the  loss  to  the  country  at  large  by  this 
"commerce  of  vile  coin,"  was  not  less  than  thirty  thousand 
dollars  per  annum — a  very  large  sum  for  the  times.  In  view^ 
of  these  facts,  and  the  consequent  disappearance  to  a  large  ex- 
tent, of  standard  coins  of  the  more  valuable  metals,  the  subject 
of  a  copper  coinage  of  a  national  character  was  suggested  at  an 
early  date  to  the  financiers  of  the  country,  and  for  action,  to 
the  Congress  of  the  American  Confederation. 

Proposed  Coinage  for  Pennsylvania. 
In  April  5th,  1786,  Thomas  Smyth,  Jr.,  and  Thomas  Har- 
wood  3rd,  citizens  of  Maryland,  who  represented  themselves 
as  the  owners  of  rich  mines  of  silver  and  copper  in  that  state, 
offered  a  petition  to  the  General  Assembly  of  Pennsylvania, 
asking  an  exclusive,  yet  limited  right  of  coinage  for  the  state, 
the  currency  produced  to  be  one-fourth  as  much  silver  as  cop- 
per, the  coins  of  either  metal  to  be  equal  in  purity  and  weight 
to  any  circulating  at  the  time  in  America,  the  copper  coins  in 
particular  to  be  equal  if  not  superior  to  those  made  at  Tower 
Hill,  London.  The  petition  was  awarded  a  reading,  but  no 
decided  action  was  taken  by  the  Assembly  in  the  case,  nor 
does  it  appear  that  any  subsequent  effort  was  ever  made  to  es- 
tablish a  coinage  in  the  state  of  Pennsylvania. 

COPPER  COINAGE  OF  NEW  HAMPSHIRE. 


Design  for  New  Hampshire  Copper  Coin. 

The  colony  of  New  Hampshire  considered  the  subject  of 
copper  coinage  about  the  time  of  the  Declaration  of  Indepen- 


BRITISH  COLONIAL  COINAGES.  157 

dence  by  the  American  Republic.  On  the  loth  of  March, 
1776,  the  House  of  Bepresentatives  of  New  Harapshire,  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  join  a  committee  of  the  Honorable 
Board,  to  confer  upon  the  expediency  of  making  copper  coin. 
It  was  reported  expedient  to  make  copper  coin  for  the  benefit 
of  small  change,  the  Continental  and  other  bills  being  so  large. 
It  was  recommended  that  one  hundred  and  eight  of  the  pro- 
posed copper  coin,  should  be  made  equal  in  value  to  "one 
Spanish  milled  Dollar,"  and  be  struck  from  pure  copper  of  the 
weight  of  English  Half- pence,  to  bear  such  device  as  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly  might  approve. 

On  the  28th  of  June,  1776,  the  House  of  Eepresentatives 
of  New  Hampshire,  voted  that  the  Treasurer  of  the  colony 
should  receive  in  exchange  for  its  Paper  Bills,  any  quantity 
of  copper  coin  made  in  the  colony,  of  the  weight  of  five  pen- 
nyweight and  ten  grains  each,  not  to  exceed,  however,  £1000 
lawful  money  in  all.  Three  such  copper  coins  were  to  be  re- 
ceived and  paid  for  two-pence  lawful  money.  The  New 
Hampshire  copper  coinage  thus  made  current,  was  ordered  to 
bear  on  the  Obverse  "A  Pine  tree  with  the  word  American 
liberty"  and  on  the  Reverse  a  harp,  and  the  figures  1776. 


Moulton's  Pattern  Piecp:.. 

Some  years  ago,  a  laborer,  in  removing  a  bank  of  earth  in 
Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  found  an  old  copper  coin,  having  on  the 
obverse  a  tree,  and  the  date  1776,  and  on  the  reverse  the  le- 
gend "AMERICAN  LIBERTY,"  with  an  inscription  "  W.  M.," 
presumably  the  initials  of  William  Moulton,  the  person  to 
whom  it  was  proposed  to  grant  the  right  of  coinage  in  New 
Hampshire.     The  piece  found  was  much  defaced  and  corroded. 


158  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

and  is  supposed  to  be  a  pattern  piece  struck  by  Moulton, 
though  not  of  the  design  suggested  by  the  committee  of  -the 
Assembly.  Other  pattern  pieces  were  made  as  specified  in 
the  report  of  the  committee,  of  which  one  specimen  struck 
from  dies,  though  worn,  still  is  overweight,  being  of  155 
grains. 


Engraved  Pattern  Piece 

Another  specimen  was  engraved,  and  is  now  much  abraded. 
Size,  18  J ;  weight,  127  grains. 

Although  the  action  noted  was  taken  by  the  Assembly,  and 
the  pattern  pieces  prepared  as  described,  there  remains  no  evi- 
dence of  a  regular  coinage  for  New  Hampshire,  and  if  any  was 
minted,  the  coinage  must  have  been  very  limited,  and  little  if 
any  of  it  found  its  way  into  circulation. 

COPPER  COINAGE  OF  YERMONT. 

Though  not  one  of  the  original  thirteen  states,  and  only  ad- 
mitted to  the  Union  in  1791,  Vermont  was  the  first  state  to 
issue  a  copper  coinage  upon  its  own  authority.  On  June  10th, 
1786,  the  House  of  Representatives  of  Vermont,  then  sitting 
at  the  town  of  Norwich  in  that  state,  received  and  had  read  a 
petition  from  Reuben  Harmon,  Jr.,  of  the  town  of  Rupert  in 
the  county  of  Bennington,  praying  for  leave  to  coin  a  quantity 
of  copper,  which  memorial  was  referred  to  a  committee  of 
three,  to  meet  a  like  committee  from  the  Council  and  consider 
the  matter,  and  make  a  report  of  the  facts  and  of  their  opinion 
to  the  House. 


.     BRITISH  COLONIAL    COIN  AGES.  159 

On  June  15th,  1785,  a  Bill  was  brought  in,  granting  to 
Reuben  Harmon,  Jr.,  the  right  of  coining  copper  and  provi- 
ding regulations  for  the  issue  of  the  same.  The  bill  passed 
the  same  day,  and  by  it  Reuben  Harmon,  Jr.,  received  the  ex- 
clusive right  of  coining  copper  in  the  state  of  Vermont  for  the 
terra  of  two  years  from  July  1st,  1785,  the  pieces  struck  by 
him  to  be  of  the  weight  of  one-third  of  an  ounce  Troy  each, 
with  such  devices  and  mottoes,  as  should  be  agreed  upon  by 
the  committee  of  the  Assembly.  For  the  fullness  of  weight  in 
his  coinage,  and  for  the  good  and  genuine  quality  of  the  metal 
to  be  used  therein,  the  said  Reuben  Harmon,  Jr.,  was  required 
to  give  bonds,  in  the  sum  of  five  thousand  pounds,  with  good 
securities.  On  the  16th  of  June,  1785,  the  sureties  of  Reuben 
Harmon,  Jr.,  entered  their  names  on  his  bond,  and  the  busi- 
ness of  the  mint  was  forwarded  accordingly. 

In  the  course  of  the  summer,  the  Representatives  of  Ver- 
mont became  informed  that  they  had  made  their  coin  of  a 
greater  weight  than  those  circulating  in  the  "  United  States 
of  America,"  (of  which  Union  Vermont  was  not  then  a  party), 
and  therefore,  to  prevent  the  deportation  of  their  coinage,  they, 
on  October  27th,  1785,  passed  an  act  providing  that  the  coin 
to  be  struck  by  Reuben  Harmon,  Jr.,  should  weigh  not  less 
than  four  pennyweight  of  fifteen  grains  each.  The  Treasurer 
was  to  enter  into  a  new  bond  with  Harmon,  but  this  appears 
not  to  have  been  done,  though  the  work  of  the  Vermont  Mint 
was  carried  forward,  as  will  hereafter  be  described. 

Reuben  Harmon,  Jr.,  as  stated  by  his  grandson,  came  to 
Vermont  from  Sandisfield,  Mass.,  with  his  father,  Reuben 
Harmon,  Sen.,  about  the  year  1760,  and  settled  in  the  north- 
east part  of  the  town  of  Rupert,  Benningtoji  county,  where  he 
became  a  man  of  considerable  note  and  influence.  He  was  a 
delegate  to  the  Independence  Convention  of  1776  in  Vermont, 
and  a  Representative  to  the  Legislature  of  that  state  in  1780. 
From  1780  to  1790,  he  was  a  justice  of  the  peace,  beside  which 
he  filled  several  minor  offices  from  time  to  time.  In  1790,  or 
about  that  time,  Harmon  emigrated  to  "  New  Connecticut,"  in 


160  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

the  northern  part  of  the  state  of  Ohio,  where  he  engaged  in 
making  salt,  at  the  "Salt  Springs  ""J'ract"  in  Weathersfield 
township,  Trumbull  county,  which  business  he  followed  until 
his  death,  October  29th,  1806,  in  the  56th  year  of  his  age. 

The  first  mint  in  Vermont,  was  erected  by  Reuben  Uarmon, 
Jr.,  in  1785,  at  a  point  on  the  bank  of  a  stream  called  Mill- 
brook,  or  Pillet  river,  three  rods  from  his  residence,  in  the 
town  of  Rupert.  The  Mint-house  stood  a  little  east  of  the 
main  road,  between  the  towns  of  Dorset  and  Pawlett,  where  a 
dam  was  thrown  across  Pillet  river,  and  a  water  wheel  set  to 
drive  the  machinery  to  be  used  in  the  coinage.  The  building 
erected  was  a  story  and  a  half  high,  of  unpainted  boards  and 
rough  timber,  and  was  about  eighteen  feet  long,  by  about  six- 
teen feet  wide.  In  the  eastern  end  of  this  small  structuie,  was 
a  furnace  for  melting  copper,  and  machinery  for  rolling  the  in- 
gots and  burs  of  the  same  into  sheets ;  in  the  center  stood  a 
machine  for  cutting  the  sheets  into  planchets,  nnd  in  the  west 
part  of  the  house,  the  press  in  which  the  coins  were  struck. 
The  machinery  for  working  the  metal  was  driven  by  the 
water  wheel,  but  the  press  for  striking  the  coins  was  worked 
by  hand.  The  impression  of  the  pieces  was  effected  by  means 
of  a  large  iron  screw  operated  against  a  bearing  in  a  heavy 
timber  framework,  braced  from  above.  This  screw  had  long 
arms  on  two  opposite  sides  of  its  head,  from  these  arms  strong 
ropes  depended,  and  each  of  them  being  hauled  in  reverse  di- 
rection from  the  other  by  a  stout  man,  the  screw  was  raised 
or  driven  down,  at  will. 

Beside  the  two  men  actuating  the  screw  in  this  manner, 
another  person  was  required  to  place  the  copper  planchets  un- 
der the  die  and  watch  the  work.  The  press  described,  as 
operated,  could  be  made  to  produce  some  sixty  impressions  in 
a  minute,  though  thirty  pieces  per  minute  was  the  average 
number  struck  when  in  regular  operation.  One  of  the  parties 
employed  in  working  the  press,  was  a  person  named  William 
Buel,  a  refugee  from  Connecticut,  and  a  son  of  Abel  Buel,  of 
New, Haven,  in  that  state.     The  elder  Buel  was  known  in 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  161 

Connecticut,  where  a  private  copper  coinage  began  as  early  as 
1737,  as  a  die  sinker  and  engraver  as  well  as  a  general  mechani- 
cal genius ;  to  him  are  to  be  attributed  a  number  of  the  de- 
signs and  dies  for  the  early  copper  coinage  of  America.  He 
also  invented  a  number  of  machines,  and  devices,  by  which  he 
became  involved  in  pecuniary  troubles,  from  which  he  was 
not  delivered  even  by  his  successful  imitation  and  counter- 
feiting of  the  Continental  Bills  of  the  Federal  Congress,  an  en- 
terprise which  involved  him  in  unpleasant  consequences. 

Abel  Buel  manufactured  the  "Sun-dial"  or  "Mind-Your- 
Business"  coppers,  common  about  the  close  of  the  last  century, 
which  he  made  at  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  from  dies  of  his 
own  designing  and  engraving.  William  Buel  was  concerned 
in  the  working  of  the  mint  belonging  to  his  father,  and  may 
subsequently  have  been  engaged  upon  a  private  coinage  of  his 
own.  It  seems  that  in  consequence  of  his  work  as  a  coiner, 
"William  Buel  was  obliged  to  expatriate  himself  from  his  na- 
tive place,  not  through  any  apprehension  of  punishment  by 
the  authorities  of  the  commonwealth,  for  at  that  time  they 
gave  no  trouble  to  parties  in  his  line  of  business,  unless  actual 
counterfeiters,  and  in  this  William  Buel  was  innocent.  His 
trouble  was  peculiar,  but  exceedingly  serious,  and  originated 
as  follows  :  Having  occasion  to  use  aquafortis,  he  procured  a 
quantity  from  a  druggist,  which  he  undertook  to  carry  home 
in  a  jug.  On  his  waj'-,  he  was  accosted  by  some  Indians,  who 
insisted  upon  drinking  from  the  jug,  which  they  assumed  was 
full  of  rum. 

Buel  informed  the  Indians  the  contents  of  his  jug  were  a 
deadly  poison.  This  the  aborigines  considered  a  ruse  by  Buel 
to  save  his  liquor,  and  forcibly  took  the  jug  from  him.  One 
of  the  Indians  drank  some  of  the  aquafortis,  and  of  course 
soon  died  a  victim  to  his  own  ignorant  rashness.  The  Indi- 
ans, however,  by  their  peculiar  system  of  ethics  and  justice, 
regarded  Buel  as  guilty  of  having  killed  the  poisoned  Indian, 
and  they  sought  the  coiner's  life  to  appease  the  spirit  of  their 
deceased  comrade.  Had  Buel  been  aware  that  the  system  of 
K 


162  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

blood  money  obtained  among  the  Indians,  as  with  the  ancient 
Greeks,  he  could  have  atoned  for  the  accident  by  the  disburse- 
,  ment  of  a  few  shillings.  Otherwise,  the  Indians  pursued  Buel 
with  such  pertinacity,  that  he  was  compelled  to  make  good 
his  escape  to  the  new  and  then  unacknowledged  state  of 
Vermont. 

William  Buel  made  his  new  residence  i*  the  town  of  Ku- 
pert,  to  which  place  he  presently  removed  the  New  Haven 
manufactory  of  coppers,  having  taken  with  him  the  original 
dies  made  by  his  father.  It  may  have  been  that  William 
Buel  first  called  the  attention  of  Reuben  Harmon,  Jr.,  to  the 
matter  of  the  coinage  of  copper  as  a  business.  At  all  events, 
Harmon  and  Buel  established  a  mint  at  Rupert,  and  there,  as 
is  supposed,  the  New  Haven  "Sun-dial"  and  "Mind-Your-Busi- 
ness"  dies,  were  for  a  time  more  or  less  made  use  of,  despite 
the  provisions  of  the  Vermont  law  to  the  contrary  in  the  act 
of  concession  to  Harmon.  It  is  not  probable  any  breach  of 
the  law  was  intended,  but  Buel  was  allowed  to  strike  his  coins 
at  Rupert,  as  money  of  authorized  issue  in  the  state  of  Con- 
necticut, to  Avhich  state  they  may  have  been  assumed  to  be 
shipped.  In  fact,  the  political  relations  of  the  states,  and  the 
customs  regarding  coinage,  were  both  irregular  and  indefinite 
at  the  time  of  the  circumstances  just  related.  Another  work- 
man in  the  Vermont  Mint,  as  originally  operated,  was  "  Colonel 
William  Cooley,"  a  die  sinker,  who  had  worked  at  the  gold- 
smith's trade  in  the  city  of  New  York,  whence  he  removed  to 
Rupert,  Vermont. 

ORIGINAL  COPPER  COINAGE  OF  VERMONT. 

The  coin  issued  by  Reuben  Harmon,  Jr.,  under  the  act 
passed  in  his  favor,  October  27th,  1785,  may  be  described  as 
follows : 

The  Vermont  Cent  of  1785. 

Four  Types.     Three  Varieties.     Two  Pair  of  Dies. 
Number  1.  Obverse:  A  range  of  wooded  mountains,  from 
liehind  which,  to  the  right,  the  sun  is  rising.     In  the  field 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES. 


163 


beneath    stands    a    plough.     Legend:     " . VERMONTS.RES. 
PUBLICA-"  Exergue:  1785  -  . 

Reverse:  An  eye,  enclosed  in  a  small  ring,  surrounded  by  a 
ciicle  of  thirteen  stars.  From  the  small  circle  spring  twenty- 
six  rays,  of  which  thirteen  are  long,  one  passing  through  each 
space  between  the  stars.  Thirteen  of  the  rays  are  short,  one 
between  the  body  of  each  star  and  the  center.  Legend: 
"STELLA.QU AETA.DECIM A  ."  Borders,  beaded  or  milled; 
Edge,  plain.     Copper;  size,  17;  weight,  111  grains. 


Vermont  Cent,  1785. 

Number  2.  Obverse :  Similar  to  that  of  No.  1,  except  the 
Legend:  ".VERMONTIS.RES.PUBLIGA  •" 

Reverse:  Almost  identical  with  that  of  No.  1.  Copper; 
size,  17;  weight,  117  grains. 

Numbers.  Obverse:  The  Legend:  "VERMONTIS  RES' 
PUBLIC  A"  encircles  the  device  and  the  date;  the  sun  in 
the  device  is  rising  leftwards  of  a  thickly-wooded  hill;  a 
line  divides  the  date  from  the  device. 

Reverse :  The  sun  in  the  center,  from  which  proceed  fine 
single-pointed  rays  of  unequal  length.  Legend:  "STELLA 
QUARTA  DECIMA."     Unique  specimen,  in  poor  condition. 


Vermont  Cent  of  1786.    Old  Style.- 


164  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Number  1.  Obverse:  Device  in  general  as  that  of  No.  1  of 
1785,  but  varying  in  details,  both  from  the  coinage  of  1785 
and  in  different  dies  of  this  piece  of  1786,  Legend:  "  VER- 
MONTENSIUM-RES-PLTBLICA'"  Exergue:  178G  • 

Reverse :  An  eye  in  the  center,  encircled  by  a  small  ring 
surrounded  by  thirteen  stars;  from  the  center  proceed  thir- 
teen rays  of  many  fine  lines,  running  to  a  single  point,  which 
pierce  the  spaces  between  the  stars.  Legend:  "QUARTA* 
DECIMA-STELLA-" 

COPPER  COINAGE  OF  VERMONT.    SECOND  SERIES. 

On  October  23rd,  1786,  Reuben  Harmon,  Jr.,  presented  a 
second  petition  to  the  General  Assembly  of  Vermont,  then 
sitting  at  Rutland,  asking  that  the  privilege  of  coining  copper 
granted  him  for  two  years,  should  be  extended  for  a  further 
term  of  ten  years,  or  such  a  period  as  the  Assembly  should  di- 
rect, the  coinage  to  be  conducted  under  such  regulations  as 
should  be  deemed  expedient  by  the  authorities. 

Upon  consideratioD,  the  Assembly  ordered  that  the  sole 
privilege  of  coining  copper  in  the  state  of  Vermont,  be  granted 
to  Reuben  Ilarmon,  Jr.,  for  the  term  of  eight  years  from  the 
expiration  of  his  first  grant  on  the  first  day  of  July,  1786. 
lie  was  required  to  give  bond  to  the  Treasurer,  ai  in  case  of 
tte. former  grant.  The  first  three  years  the  petitioner  was  to 
enjoy  his  privilege  free,  and  for  the  remaining  five  years,  was 
to  pay  two  and  one-half  per  centum  of  his  coinage  to  the  state. 
It  was  ordered  that  thereafter,  the  device  of  the  copper  coin  of 
Vermont  should  be,  "a  head  on  one  side,  with  the  motto 
^Auctoritale  Vermontensiuvi '  abridged ;  on  the  reverse,  a  wo- 
man representing  the  Genius  of  America,  with  the  letters 
INDE:ET:LIB:  for  "Independence  and  Liberty,"  the  pieces 
struck,  to  weigh  not  less  than  "four  pennyweight,  fifteen 
scrains  each." 

On  February  23rd,  1787,  the  bond  of  Reuben  Harmon,  Jr., 
was  made  good,  the  operations  of  the  Mint  were  continued,  and 
on.  the  18th  of  the  following  April,  its  manager  entered  into  a 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  165 

new  partnership,  with  a  view  to  a  large  and  widely-extended 
business. 

This  new  partnership,  when  fully  made  up,  consisted  of  ten 
men,  viz :  Reuben  Harmon,  Jr.,  William  Coley,  Elias  Jackson, 
Daniel  Tan  Yoorhis,  Samuel  Atlee,  James  F.  Atlee,  D.  Brooks, 
James  Grier,  James  Giles,  Thomas  Machin.  This  Thomas 
Machin  was  an  Englishman,  who  came  to  America  as  an  offi- 
cer in  the  British  service,  sometime  before  the  Revolution. 
During  the  war  for  Independence,  he  entered  the  American 
army  as  an  engineer,  and  was  employed  by  Congress  in  1777, 
in  fortifying  the  Highlands  of  the  Hudson,  and  stretching  a 
great  chain  across  the  river  at  West  Point. 

At  the  close  of  the  war.  Captain  Machin  located  at  Orange 
Lake,  New  Grange,  Ulster  county,  now  the  city  of  Newburgh, 
state  of  New  York.  Machin,  or  "Machen,"  as  he  was  called 
in  the  histories  of  the  time,  brought  his  skill  as  an  engineer 
into  private  service,  and  improved  the  natural  features  of 
Orange  Lake,  so  as  to  form  a  considerable  water  power  and 
develop  a  valuable  property.  He  created  an  artificial  outlet 
for  the  waters  of  the  lake,  and  in  1781,  erected  a  building 
known  as  "Machin's  Mills,"  for  the  ostensible  purpose  of  be- 
ing used  as  a  manufactory  of  "hardware."  The  real  design 
of  Machin,  and  those  with  whom  he  became  associated,  was  to 
establish  at  Orange  Lake,  or  Machin's  Pond,"  an  extensive 
general  Mint,  for  the  common  coinage  of  copper,  either  on 
private  account  as  tokens,  medals  and  so  forth,  or  of  an  au- 
thorized currency,  under  contract  by  virtue  of  "any  Grant  for 
Coinage  of  Money  from  the  United  States  of  America  in  Con- 
gress Assembled  or  from  the  Legislature  of  any  of  the  United 
States." 

On  March  3rd,  1787,  Thomas  Machin  petitioned  the  Assem- 
ibly  of  New  York  for  a  grant,  allowing  him  to  coin  copper  in 
that  state,  which  was  read  and  referred  to  a  Committee,  but 
no  concession  was  granted  the  petitioner. 

The  partnership  formed  for  working  the  Mint  at  Orange 
Lake,  or  "New  Grange,"  was  carefully  organized,  and  as  it  ap- 


166  >  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

pears  the  Vermont  Mint  became  in  some  sort  a  part  of  tlie 
concern.  There  was,  however,  no  legal  connec:tion  between 
the  two  mints,  the  relation  being  only  a  private  business  un- 
derstanding and  co-operation  between  the  parties  named  as 
partners.  The  manufacture  of  "hardware"  at  Machin's  Mills, 
was  conducted  with  secresy,  and  generally  looked  upon  with 
suspicion,  being  regarded  as  wrong  and  illegal.  Though  not 
very  great  in  amount,  the  issues  of  the  copper  coinage  of  Ma- 
chin  &  Co.,  were  quite  varied,  and  it  is  probable  that  many 
pieces  uow  regarded  as  Connecticut  coins,  or  others  of  irregu- 
lar character,  with  many  spurious  half-pence  of  George  III, 
are  merely  samples  of  counterfeits  executed  by  them. 

The  Mint  at  New  Grange  was  erected  by  Thomas  Machin 
on  the  east  side  of  his  pond,  an  eighth  of  a  mile  from  the 
shore,  in  1784.  The  machinery  for  making  the  copper  plan- 
chets  to  be  coined,  was  much  like  that  described  as  used  in 
Vermont;  the  press  for  striking  the  coin  was,  however,  of  a 
somewhat  different  construction.  "The  coins  were  struck  by 
means  of  a  large  bar,  loaded  at  each  end  with  a  ball  weighing 
some  five  hundred  pounds,  to  which  ropes  were  attached." 
This  bar  must  have  been  the  lever  for  rotating  the  screw  of 
the  press,  and  the  heavy  balls  were  intended  to  give  momen-, 
tum  to  the  action  of  the  same.  Two  men  were  required  on 
each  side  to  haul  the  ropes,  beside  a  fifth  person  to  set  the 
planchets  under  the  die.  James  F.  Atlee  is  reported  to  have 
been  the  practical  overseer  o£  the  work  of  coinage,  the  articles 
of  partnership  providing  that,  "Said  Thomas  Machin  and 
James  F.  Atlec  shall  equally  manage  and  perform  that  part  of 
the  trade  which  Concern  the  Coinage  of  Money  and  Manufac- 
turing Hardware." 

The  machinery  of  Machin's  Mills  was  capable  of  producing 
about  sixty  pieces  of  coin  per  minute.  The  metal  of  which 
the  coins  were  struck,  was  procured  by  smelting  old  brass 
cannon  and  mortars,  the  relics  of  the  Revolution.  The  zinc 
being  parted  from  the  brass  by  the  action  of  the  furnace,  the 
copper  which  came  through  the  fire  was  worked  into  shape 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  167 

for  tlic  use  of  the  Mint.  What  amount  of  work  was  done  un- 
der the  superintendence  of  James  F.  Atlee  is  not  recorded  in 
full,  but  the  business  of  Thomas  Machin  k  Co.,  was  not  suc- 
cessful in  any  great  degree.  But  little  seems  to  have  been 
done  until  the  year  1789,  when,  according  to  Machines  papers, 
some  thousand  pounds  of  copper  was  manufactured.  The 
next  year  there  was  a  quarrel  or  disagreement  among  the  nu- 
merous partners,  and  notwithstanding  the  care  and  prolixity 
with  which  the  articles  of  partnership  had  been  drawn,  a  tedi- 
ous and  expensive  lawsuit  was  apprehended.  To  avoid  this, 
James  F.  Atlee  suggested  an  equitable  settlement  by  compro- 
mise, and  the  Mint  ceased  operations  in  1791,  on  the  basis  of 
his  suggestion  as  may  be  supposed.  In  1792,  the  machinery 
and  appliances  for  coinage  were  removed  from  Machin's  Mills. 
The  old  coining  press  was  subsequently  used  on  board  the 
sloop  "Newburgh,"  as  part  ballast,  and  in  this  way  was  car- 
ried up  and  down  the  Hudson  river,  under  command  of  Cap- 
tain Isaac  Belknap,  for  a  number  of  years. 

The  dies  used  by  Machin  &  Co.,  at  New  Grange,  were  made 
by  James  F.  Atlee.  The  inscriptions  and  devices  of  some  of 
tnem  indicate  they  were  to  be  used  in  producing  a  coinage  in- 
tended for  circulation  in  Vermont.  There  is  also  good  reason 
to  believe  that  the  same  Atlee  executed  some  of  the  dies  used 
in  striking  the  authorized  coinage  of  Vermont  issued  by  Ilarr 
men ;  whether  these  were  used  at  Rupert,  as  the  law  required, 
or  at  Machin's  Mills,  in  the  state  of  New  York,  as  might  have 
been  convenient,  is  uncertain.  Many  of  the  coins  of  Machin 
k  Co.,  were  irregular,  and  all  of  them  unauthorized,  being 
coined  in  a  place  not  legally  recognized  as  a  mint  of  issue. 

COPPER  COINAGE  OF  THOMAS  MACHIN  k  CO. 

No.  1.  Obverse:  A  head  almost  identical  with  that  upon 
the  more  common  coins.     Legend:  "GEORGIVS-III-REX-" 

Reverse :  The  goddess  of  liberty,  seated,  facing  left,  an  olive 
branch  extended  in  her  right  hand,  the  left  hand  supporting  a 
liberty  staff".     This  reverse  being  common  to  coins  attributed 


168  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

to  Vermont  and  to  others  supposed  to  belong  to  Connecticut. 
Legend:  "INDKET  LIB"  .  Exergue:  The  date.  Borders, 
serrated  or  milled;  Edges,  plain.  Copper:  size,  16  to  18; 
weight,  from  120  grains  to  154  grains. 

No.  2.  Obverse:  A  smaller  head  than  No.  1.  Legend: 
"GEORGIVSIII.REX." 

Reverse:  Identical  with  that  upon  certain  pieces  described 
as  Connecticut  coins  similar  to  that  of  No.  1.  Legend : 
"INDE*ET*LIB*" 

No.  3.  Obverse:  A  head,  facing  right.  Legend:  "-^AUC- 
TORL  CONNECT 

Reverse:  From  the  same  die  as  that  of  No.  2. 

No.  4r.  Obverse :  A  head,  facing  left.  Legend :  •:•:  AUC- 
TORI  'ii  \:  CONNEC  :•:•  " 

Reverse :  From  the  same  die  as  that  of  No.  2  and  No.  3. 

The  Legislature  of  Vermont,  by  the  terms  of  the  second 
grant  made  Reuben  Harmon,  Jr.,  as  has  been  related,  provided 
for  an  entirely  new  series  of  coin,  the  devices,  legends  and 
general  features  of  which  have  been  noted  already.  AVhether 
coined,  according  to  the  intent  of  the  law,  at  the  Vermont 
Mint,  at  Rupert,  in  that  state,  or  struck  for  Harmon  by  Ma- 
chin  k  Co.,  at  their  hardware  manufactory  in  the  state^of  New 
York,  the  regular  authorized  coinage  of  Vermont  was  of  the 
following  general  description : 

COPPER  COINAGE  OF  VERMONT,  1786,  1787,  1788. 

The  "Vermont  Cent"  of  1786.  (New  Series.")  Three 
Types.     Three  Varieties. 


Vermont  Cent,  1786.    New  Style. 


BRITISH  COLONIAL  COINAGES.  169 

Obverse:  A  head,  facing  right,  or  left.  Legend:  "AUC- 
TORI  TERMOX,"  or  "VERMON  AUCTORI,"  variously 
punctuated  on  different  specimens. 

Reverse :  The  goddess  of  liberty,  seated,  facing  left,  by  her 
side  a  circular  shield,  bearing  four  sheaves  of  grain.  In  her 
right  hand  the  figure  tenders  an  olive  branch,  the  left  arm  be- 
ing upraised,  the  hand  resting  at  the  top  of  a  long  liberty 
staff.  Legend:  "INDE  ET  LIB"  variously  punctuated  on 
different  specimens.  Exergue :  The  date.  Border,  serrated ; 
Edge,  plain.  Copper  ;  size,  16  to  17  ;  weight,  generally  above 
the  \c^pX  requirement  of  111  grains ;  average  from  120  grains 
to  141  grains. 

The  "Vermont  Cent"  of  1787.  Three  Types.  Three 
Varieties. 

Obverse:  Similar  in  general  to  that  of  this  coinage  and 
series  for  the  preceding  j^ear. 

Reverse:  Variety  numbers  1  ;  .i  1  2,  similar  in  general  to 
that  of  tlie  preceding  year,  except  a  cross  upon  the  shield. 
Variety  number  3,  bears  the  word  "BRITAN  NIA"  instead 
of  the  lecrend  "INDE  ET  LIB." 


Vermont  Cent,  17S8. 

The  "Vermont  Cent"  of  1788.  Six  Types.  Four  Varie- 
ties. 

Obverse  :  Similar  in  general  to  that  of  this  coinage  and  se- 
ries for  the  preceding  years.  Variety  number  4,  has  the  le- 
gend "  INDE  ET  LIB  "  transposed  so  as  to  read,  "  ♦  ET  LIB  ♦ 
♦  INDE"  a  remarkable  deviation. 


170  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

There  are  fourteen  obverse,  and  fourteen  reverse  dies,  noted 
as  having  been  used  in  the  production  of  this  coinage  and  se- 
ries ;  these  were  used  from  time  to  time  in  varied  relations 
and  combinations,  interchangeably,  thus  creating  great  diver- 
sities and  numerous  differences  in  the  coinage,  not  of  especial 
interest,  aside  from  the  studies  of  painstaking  antiquarians. 

Type  No.  1,  of  1786,  is  known  as  the  "Baby  Head,"  on  ac- 
count of  the  infantile  appearance  of  the  face.  Nos.  2  and  3  of 
the  tj^pes  of  1786,  have  heads  much  the  same  as  those  shown 
upon  the  common  types  of  the  Connecticut  cents  of  the  same 
period.  The  obverse  die  of  1786,  was  sometimes  struck  upon 
pieces  bearing  a  reverse  of  1787.  There  was  not  an  exceed- 
ing diversity  in  the  coinage  of  1787,  or  in  the  general  features 
of  that  of  1778,  except  in  the  several  rare  issues  from  dies 
wherein  the  legends  were  punctuated  with  stars.  One  of  the 
obverse  dies  of  1788,  belonging  to  Connecticut,  wa?i  used  with 
a  Vermont  reverse  of  the  same  year,  an  instance  of  irregularity 
accounted  for  by  what  has  been  recorded  as  to  the  partnership 
formed  at  the  time  between  the  several  men  employed  in  pro- 
ducing coin  in  the  name  of  different  states,  first  one,  then  an- 
other, and  finally,  probably  in  an  illegal,  or  at  least  disorderly 
manner,  from  dies  of  all  these  coinages,  which,  whilever  they 
could  be  made  effective,  were  economically  and  promiscuously 
used  in  the  production  of  a  mixed  and  heterogenious  currency, 
which,  though  at  first  a  public  convenience,  owing  to  the  con- 
dition of  the  country  then,  subsequently  depreciated  and  was 
finally  displaced  by  money  issued  by  the  United  States. 


Coin  of  Unknown  Origin. 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  171 

The  dies  of  the  Vermont  Mint,  in  common  with  those  of 
the  Mints  of  other  states,  were  not  only  \ised  oddly  in  con- 
junction with  each  other,  but  were  struck  upon  other  coins, 
such  as  British  half-pence  and  Nova  Constellatios. 

A  very  rare  piece,  the  origin  of  which  is  unknown,  has  for 
an  obverse  an  impression  of  a  Vermont  type,  and  for  a  reverse, 
that  of  the  pattern  piece  called  the  "Immune  Columbia,"  which 
presents  the  goddess  of  liberty  seated,  facing  right;  her  left 
hand  is  fully  extended,  and  in  it  is  upheld  the  scales  of  justice; 
in  the  right  hand  she  grasps  a  flag,  which  depends  from  a  lib- 
erty staff,  which  is  crowned  by  the  liberty  cap.  Legend: 
"IMMUNE  COLUMBIA."  Exergue:  1785.  BoththeNova 
Constellatios  and  the  Immune  Columbia,  were  early  pattern 
pieces,  of  which  an  account  will  be  found  in  succeeding  pages. 

COPPER  COINAGE  OF  CONNECTICUT. 

The  colony  of  Connecticut  suffered,  in  common  with  the 
rest  of  the  British  Provinces  in  America,  from  a  scarcity  of 
currency,  and  like  the  others,  sought  to  remedy  the  evil  by  an 
issue  of  paper  money.  These  bills,  in  common  with  those  of 
the  rest  of  the  provinces,  rapidly  depreciated,  until  in  1839, 
one  ounce  of  silver  of  the  British  standard,  was  valued  at  "28 
shillings  of  them  or  any  other  of  the  New  England  old  tenor 
bills,"  all  of  which  were  "liable  to  grow  worse  and  worse." 
The  coinage  of  copper  was  a  subject  of  consideration  in  Con- 
necticut at  an  early  date,  inasmuch  as  in  Granby,  then  part  of 
the  town  of  Sinisbury,  in  the  state  of  Connecticut,  there  was 
from  early  times  a  considerable  copper  mine,  productive  of  a 
very  fine  quality- of  that  metal. 

There  seems  to  have  been  a  peculiar  currency  used  in  Con- 
necticut early  in  the  seventeenth  century,  consisting  of  a  kind 
of  coin  of  which  the  numismatologists  of  the  present  time  arc 
entirely  ignorant.  It  can  only  be  stated  that  on  May  25th, 
1721,  the  Upper  IIousc  of  the  General  Assembly  of  Connecti- 
cut, pasi:cd  an  act  sent  from  the  Lower  IIousc,  ordering  that 
the  coin  called  "black  doggs"  should  pass  at  two-pence  each. 


172  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Although  no  sucK  coin  is  known  by  the  name,  it  is  evident 
from  the  value  given  the  pieces,  that  they  must  have  been  of 
copper,  or  of  some  composition  consisting  mostly  of  that  metal. 

Th(;  earliest  coinage  in  Connecticut,  of  which  there  is  an 
historical  record,  was  an  unauthorized  or  private  one,  made 
by  John  Iligley,  of  Grauby,  of  copper  from  ores  dug  on  his  own 
premises,  at  "Copper  Ilill,''  in  that  town,  and  struck  during 
the  )-ears  1737, 1738, 1739,  about  three  years,  though  no  speci- 
mens of  this  coinaore  are  to  be  found  bearinsj  the  date  of  1788. 

The  copper  coins  made  by  John  Higley  are  called  "The 
Grauby  or  Iligley  Tokens,"  and  are  finely  executed.  As  the 
authorities  paid  no  attention  to  the  production  and  circulation 
of  these  tokens,  it  is  presumable  that  a  considerable  amount 
of  them  were  issued,  yet  they  are  at  present  extremely  rare, 
their  disappearance  being  accounted  fo-,  according  to  tradition, 
by  the  fact  that  owing  to  the  uncommon  purity  of  the  Con- 
necticut copper,  of  which  they  w;ere  made,  the  "Iligley  Cop- 
pers" were  largely  used  by  the  goldsmiths  of  the  Colonial  pe- 
riod and  subsequent  years,  to  alloy  the  gold  used  by  them  in 
their  manufactures. 

The  "Graxby  or  IIigley  Tokens,"  1737  to  1739.  No.  1, 
1737.     Two  Types.     One  Variety.  (A.) 


Granby  or  Higley  Token,  1737. 

Obverse:  A  deer,  standing,  facing  left,  occupying  the  whole 
field.   Legend:  " •  |^"  THE-VALVK-OF-THREE-PENCE." 

Reverse:  Three  hammers,  each  bearing  a  crown.  Legend: 
"  iK  CONNECT1CUT.1737.  ^  " 

No.  2.  1737.     One  Type.     Two  Varieties. 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES. 


173 


Obverse :  A  deer,  standing,  facing  left,  occupying  the  whole 
field.  Legend:  |^^  " VALVE.ME.AS.YOU.PLEASE-:^^" 
Exergue :  The  Koman  numerals  III  upon  a  small  scroll ;  a  lit- 
tle crescent  is  shown  below. 

Reverse:  Three  hammers,  each  bearing  a  crown  upon  the 
head.  Legend:  |^"."I.AM.GOOD.COPPER."i:lJ'-  :•• '<1737. 

No.  3.  No  date.     Three  Types.     One  Variety. 


GrANBY   or   n.IGLEY   TOKEN. 

Obverse :  A  deer,  standing,  facing  left ;  a  crescent  above  in 
the  field.  Legend:  |^-"YALUE.ME.AS.YOU.PLEASEi^" 
Exergue :  The  Roman  numerals  III  upon  a  small  scroll ;  a 
little  crescent  is  shown  below. 

Reverse :  A  broad  axe.  Legend :  |^""J.  CUT.MY.W AY. 
THROUGH." 

No.  4.  1739.     One  Type.     One  Variety. 

Obverse :  A  deer,  standing,  facing  left ;  a  crescent  above  in 
the  field.  Legend:  t^-"VALUE.ME.AS.Y0U.PLEASB7^" 
Exergue :  The  Roman  numerals  III  upon  a  small  scroll ;  a 
little  crescent  is  shown  below. 

Reverse:  A  broad  axe.  Legend:  "J.  CUT.  MY.  WAY. 
THROUGH.  1739." 

All  the  Granby  or  Higley  Tokens  were  made  with  beaded 
or  milled  borders,  and  with  plain  edges.  They  varied  in  size 
from  18  to  19,  and  in  weight  from  120  to  170  grains.  There 
were  seven  obverse  and  four  reverse  dies,  which  were  com- 
bined variously,  the  same  obverse  being  used  with  different 
reverse  impressions,  or  one  reverse  with  different  obverse  im- 
pressions, producing  odd  pieces.  The  most  common  reverse 
was  the  variety,  bearing  the  broad  axe,  but  no  date.     (No.  3.) 


174  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

The  coinage  of  his  tokens  having  been  effected  without  the 
sanction  of  law,  Iligley  fcund  trouble  in  putting  them  in  cir- 
culation at  their  nominal  value.  At  first  he  stamped  them  as 
worth  three-pence,  the  colonial  paper  being  depreciated,  and 
then,  at  loss  to  measure  values  by  such  a  fluctuating  standard, 
and  uncertain  how  his  coinage  would  be  received,  he  inscribed 
upon  his  subsequent  pieces  the  modest  legend,  *' Value.Me.As. 
You.Please."  To  establish  and  extend  the  business  of  his 
mint  upon  a  more  stable  and  regular  basis,  it  appears  that 
nigley  sought  assistance  and  co- operation  outside  the  colony 
in  which  he  conducted  his  business,  and  that  he  and  those  who 
became  interested  with  him,  undertook,  through  "Mr.  John 
Read,  of  Boston,  Gent.,"  to  secure  the  authority  of  law  for 
their  operations,  and  to  make  the  copper  product  of  their  mint, 
the  monetary  standard  of  the  province. 

Accordingly,  on  October  loth,  1739,  the  said  John  Read  ad- 
dressed the  General  Court  of  Connecticut,  then  assembled  in 
New  Haven,  and  in  a  Memorial  and  Petition,  set  forth  the  la- 
mentable condition  of  the  currency  of  New  England,  on  ac- 
count of  the  depreciation  in  the  bills  of  the  several  colonies, 
and  inasmuch  as  for  various  reasons  Connecticut  stood  fairly 
with  the  British  Court,  he  suggested  the  General  Court  should 
obtain  from  the  Crown  -authority  to  effect  a  coinage  of  copper, 
and  establish  a  mint,  thus  providing  a  proper  currency  for  the 
colonists  and  developing  the  mines  and  natural  resources  of 
the  colony. 

Confident  of  the  favor  of  the  Crown  of  England,  Mr.  Read 
undertook,  if  the  General  Court  would  send  an  Agent  to  Lon- 
don under  his  direction,  to  bear  all  the  expense  of  the  mission, 
and  only  asked  that  in  case  of  success  in  obtaining  the  patent 
such  as  was  desired,  he  and  those  concerned  with  him,  should 
have  all  the  legitimate  profit  derived  from  the  work  of  sup- 
plying "the  public  with  the  much-needed  coinage." 

The  currency  proposed  by  Mr.  Read,  was  to  consist  of  Eng- 
lish half-pence  and  farthings  coined  from  Connecticut  copper 
of  sterling  value ;  with  theBe  he  proposed  to  redeem  the  out- 


BRTTTSH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  175 

standing  bills  of  Connecticut  at  maturity,  issuing  in  the  mean- 
time, new  bills  only  to  replace  those  already  in  circulation. 
Of  the  new  bills  and  copper  to  be  coined,  he  suggested  a  bank 
should  be  created,  which  should  pay  its  obligations  and  those 
of  the  colony  upon  demand,  in  the  course  of  business,  one-half 
in  the  new  bills,  and  one-half  in  copj>er  money  from  the  Con- 
necticut Mint.  In  this  way  the  petitioner  argued,  there  would 
l)e  an  immediate  supply  of  money  of  intrinsic  value,  which 
would  be  ever  preserved  in  value  "against  all  factors,  stock- 
jobbers and  chances  whatsoever."  Thus,  too,  he  expected  to 
induce  the  holders  of  silver  money  to  give  up  hoarding  the 
same,  and  throw  it  into  circulation,  in  common  with  the  other 
currency  of  paper  and  copper,  the  whole  to  result  greatly  to 
the  comfort  and  relief  of  the  people  and  the  advantage  of  trade 
and  general  industry. 

No  notice  was  at  first  taken  of  the  memorial  of  Mr.  Read, 
and  he  wrote  three  letters,  one  after  another,  calling  attention 
to  the  matter ;  his  third  letter  was  dated  November  12th, 
1739,  and  on  the  twenty- first  of  the  same  month,  the  Memo- 
rial and  Petition  which  he  had  presented  five  weeks  before, 
was  first  "come  to"  in  the  order  of  business  for  consideration. 
There  is  no  evidence  of  the  legislation  desired  by  Mr.  Read 
and  his  partners,  and  subsequently,  although  private  coinages 
were  continued  in  diflerent  places,  and  a  share  of  the  coppers 
produced  were  circulated  in  Connecticut,  there  is  no  further 
record  of  any  effort  to  establish  an  especial  issue  of  coin  for 
that  colony,  as  such. 

The  copper  mine  owned  by  John  Higley,  and  from  which 
he  obtained  the  metal  used  in  the  production  of  his  copper 
tokens,  was  situated  about  a  mile  and  a  half  south  of  the  prin- 
cipal Simsbury  copper  mines,  and  was  in  the  course  of  time 
extensively  worked.  On  October,  1773,  the  General  Court  of 
Connecticut  made  the  subterranean  part  of  the  Simsbury  cop- 
per mines  a  colonial  goal  and  public  workhouse,  which  was 
afterwards  known  as  Newgate  Prison.  To  this  prison  for 
some  half  a  century  thereafter,  the  Courts  of  Connecticut  sen- 


176  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

tenced  burglars,  horse  thieves,  counterfeiters  and  the  like 
criminals.  The  mines,  which  were  quite  unprofitable  as  an 
average  business,  were  more  unsatisfactory  as  a  place  of  con- 
finement; the  buildinc^s  connected  with  them  were  three 
times  destroyed  by  fire,  and  revolts,  violence  and  escapes  were 
of  frequent  occurrence.  The  unfortunate  prisoners  were  em- 
ployed in  working  the  mines,  and  the  discreditable  establish- 
ment was  kept  up  until  the  year  1827,  when  a  more  humane 
institution  was  founded  upon  modern  principles  in  another 
part  of  the  state. 

On  October  18th,  1785,  Samuel  Bishop,  James  Hillhouse, 
John  Goodrich  and  Joseph  Hopkins,  presented  a  petition  to 
the  "  Honorable  General  Assembly  of  the  state  of  Connecti- 
cut," then  "sitting  at  New  Haven,  in  that  state."  These  peti- 
tioners, citizens  of  Connecticut,  represented  the  existence  of  a 
great  and  general  scarcity  of  small  coin  in  the  state,  to  the  ex- 
cessive inconvenience  of  all  orders  of  men,  especially  the  la- 
boring class,  "in  the  article  of  making  change,"  and  further- 
more, that  both  Englishmen  and  natives  of  the  state  were 
counterfeiting  in  great  abundance,  coining  and  issuing  a  coin 
much  under  weight,  and  endeavoring  to  impose  the  same  upon 
the  public,  to  the  discredit  of  the  copper  currency  and  the 
damage  of  the  commonwealth.  In  view  of  these  facts,  the 
said  Bishop,  Hillhouse,  Goodrich  and  Hopkins,  proposed  the 
consideration  of  the  expediency  of  a  grant  to  them  of  the 
right  and  power  of  establishing  "  a  Mint  in  this  State,"  to  be 
used  for  ten  years  by  them,  under  superintendence  of  the  As- 
sembly in  coining  coppers  of  good  metal  of  the  standard  and 
weight  of  British  half-pence,  five  per  cent,  of  the  coppers 
coined  by  them  to  be  paid  into  the  Treasury  of  the  state,  in 
consideration  of  the  privilege  granted  them  in  making  such 
an  issue  current.  Baside  this,  they  asked  that  the  coinage  of 
copper  in  the  state,  without  permission  of  the  Assembly, 
should  be  punished  as  counterfeiting,  according  to  the  laws  in 
the  case  of  an  imitation  of  gold  and  silver  money. 

After  discussion,  the  General  Assembly,  on  0  :ober  20th, 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  177 

1785,  finally  passed  a  bill  in  form,  granting  the  persons  named 
in  the  petition,  the  right  to  establish  a  mint  in  Connecticut  to 
manufacture  coppers  of  the  value  of  British  half- pence,  not  to 
exceed  the  amount  of  Ten  Thousand  Pounds  lawful  money, 
the  grant  to  continue  during  the  pleasure  of  the  General  As- 
sembly, but  not  exceeding  five  years,  upon  the  terms  named 
in  the  petition,  the  coinage  to  be  inspected  by  appointees  of 
the  state,  at  the  expense  of  the  persons  conducting  the  mint, 
and  not  to  issue  without  inspection.  Nothing  in  the  act  was 
to  be  construed  so  as  to  make  the  coppers  a  legal  tender,  "ex- 
cept for  the  purpose  of  making  even  change,  for  any  sum  not 
exceeding  three  shillings,"  This  coinage  was  ordered  to  bear 
the  following  impression  or  stamp,  (viz),  a  man's  head  on  the 
one  side,  with  a  circumscription  in  the  words  or  letters  fol- 
lowing, (viz),  AVCTORI:  CONNEC:  and  on  the  other  side, 
the  Emblem  of  Liberty,  with  an  olive  branch  in  her  hand, 
with  a  circumscription  in  the  words  and  figures  following, 
(viz),  INDE:ET.LIB:1785. 

On  October  24th,  1785,  the  General  Assembly  of  Connecti- 
cut "Passed  a  Bill  to  prevent  Coining  Coppers  without  Li- 
cence" by  which  it  was  enacted  "that  no  person  whatever 
shall  Coin  or  Manufacture  any  Copper  Coin  of  any  descrip- 
tion or  size  without  permission  first  had  and  obtained  from 
the  General  Assembly  on  pain  of  forfeiting  for  each  oft'ence 
the  sum  of  one  hundred  pounds  lawful  Money  which  forfei- 
ture shall  be  if  sued  for  by  a  private  person  one  Moiety  there- 
of to  the  use  of  the  person  prosecuting  to  Effect  and  the  other 
Moiety  thereof  to  the  Treasurer  of  this  State  to  and  for  the 
use  of  this  State  and  shall  be  recoverable  by  Action  of  Debt 
or  Information  before  any  Court  proper  to  try  the  same — ". 
An  attempt  was  subsequently  made  to  prohibit  the  importa- 
tion into  Connecticut  of  any  counterfeit  coin,  or  any  copper 
coin,  unless  of  a  coinage  authorized  by  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States,  or  by  some  one  of  the  States,  and  of  equal  value 
to  that  coi»ed  in  Connecticut  by  lawful  authority.  During 
May,  1786  a  bill  passed  the  Lower  House  of  Assembly,  which 


178  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

fixed  the  amount  of  prohibited  coppers  any  person  could  at 
one  time  bring  into  the  state,  at  fifty  pieces ;  non-compliance 
with  the  law  to  be  punished  by  a  fine  of  "Ten  Pounds  lawful 
Money,"  all  such  coin  so  imported  to  be  confiscated  and  dis- 
posed of  as  counterfeit  money.  This  bill  failed  to  pass  the 
Upper  House  of  Assembly,  and  the  mixed  and  irregular  cop- 
per currency  continued  in  circulation. 

The  dies  for  the  Connecticut  coppers  were  made  by  Abel 
Buel.  The  work  of  coinage  appears  to  have  been  made  the 
subject  of  a  sub-contract  to  Samuel  Broome  and  Jeremiah 
Piatt;  these  sub-contractors  had  formerly  been  merchants  in 
New  York,  and  were  said  to  be  men  of  fortune.  Broome  and 
Piatt  had  a  mint  at  a  place  now  called  Morris  Cove,  on  the 
light  hand  side  of  New  Haven  harbor,  going  up,  at  a  point 
about  two  miles  above  the  light  house.  There  was  another 
mint  at  Westville,  at  the  foot  of  West  Kock,  about  two  miles 
inland  from  New  Haven.  The  building  at  Morris  Cove  was 
a  small  frame  house,  said  to  have  been  painted  red.  This 
mint  was  in  operation  in  1788,  and  is  described  as  making  use 
of  "a  powerful  iron  screw"  for  striking  the  coins,  the  whole 
apparatus  and  establishment  being  doubtless  much  the  same 
as  that  described  in  use  about  the  same  time  at  Eupert,  Ver- 
mont, and  by  Machin  and  Company  at  New  Grange,  now  New- 
burgh,  Ulster  county  state  of  New  York. 

Connecticut  Coppers,  1785  to  1788  Inclusive. 
The  "Connecticut  Cent,"    1785.     Eight   Types.     Eight 
Varieties. 


Connecticut  Cent,  1785     Mailed  Bust. 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  179 

Obverse :  A  mailed  bust,  the  bead  laureated,  facing  right  or 
left.     Legend :  "AUCTOEI CONNEC,"  variously  punctuated. 

Keverse :  The  goddess  of  liberty,  seated,  facing  left,  by  her 
side  a  circular  scrolled  shield.  In  her  right  hand  the  figure 
tenders  an  olive  branch ;  the  left  hand,  being  upraised,  grasps 
a  liberty  staff,  near  the  top,  which  is  surmounted  by  a  liberty 
cap.  Legend:  "INDE.ET LIB:"  Exergue:  1785.  Borders, 
serrated  or  milled  •  Edges,  plain.  Size,  17  to  18;  weight,  132 
to  153  grains. 


Connecticut  Cent,  1785.    Mailed  Bust. 

Some  of  the  types  and  varieties  of  the  coinage  just  described 
are  unique  as  specimens,  some  very  rare,  and  others  compara- 
tively common. 

The  "Connecticut  Cent,"  1786.  Seven  Types.  Ten  Va- 
rieties. 


Connecticut  Cent,  1786. .  Mailed  Bust. 

Obverse:  Similar  to  that  of  this  coinage  for  the  precedifig 
year,  except  that  the  first  five  types  have  mailed  busts,  while 
the  other  two  are  draped. 

Eeverse :  Similar  to  that  of  this  coinage  for  the  preceding 


180 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


year,  except  difterences  ih  punctuation  of  the  legend.  Weight, 
116  to  173  grains. 


Connecticut  Cent,  1786.    ("Hercules.";    Mailed  Bust. 

Two  pieces  from  dies  classed  as  belonging  to  this  coinage 
of  1786,  weigh  respectively  but  84  grains  and  102  grains,  and 
on  that  account,  and  because  of  diflferences  in  execution  as  com- 
pared to  the  rest  of  the  issue,  are  suspected  of  being  counterfeits. 
While  some  of  the  genuine  coins  of  1786  are  as  noted,  of  but 
116  grains,  few  have  been  found  which  do  not  reach  the  legal 
weight  of  144  grains,  and  a  number  are  consi(lcral)ly  heavier. 


CoNNJticiicuT  Cent,  i786.    Draped  Bust. 
The    "Connecticut    Cent,"    1787.    Forty-three    Types. 
Thirty-six  Varieties. 


Connecticut  Cent  of  1787.    Mailed  Bust. 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  181 

Obverse :  Similar  in  general  to  that  of  this  coinage  for  the 
two  preceding  years,  except  in  the  division  and  punctuation 
of  the  legend,  and  the  mis-spelling  of  the  same  in  several  in- 
stances, the  word  "AUCTORI"  being  variously  rendered  in 
different  dies,  as:  "AUCIORI,"  "AUCTOBI,"  "AUCTOPI," 
or  the  legend  made  to  read  "AUCTORI  CONNECT,"  or 
"AUCTORI  CONNFC."  Fifteen  of  the  types  of  1787  bear 
mailed  busts,  and  twenty-eight  types  of  the  same  year  bear 
draped  busts,  while  the  decoration  of  the  different  pieces  with 
star?,  pheons,  cinquefoils,  fleurons  mullets  and  the  like  pecu- 
liarities, creates  deviations  too  numerous  and  unimportant  for 
record  in  a  general  description. 

Reverse:  Similar  in  general  to  that  of  this  coinage  for  the 
two  preceding  years,  except  in  the  division,  transposition,  and 
punctuation  of  the  legend,  and  the  mis-  spelling  of  the  same  in 
several  instances,  the  words  "INDE  ET  LIB"  being  variously 
rendered  in  different  dies,  as:  "INDB  ETLIB,"  "ETLIB 
INDE,"  "IND  ET.  LIB,"  "  INDL  ET  LIB  ," 
"INDE  ETLIR,"  "INDE  ET.LIR,"  "INDEETIIB,  etc., 
with  multiform  decorations  varied  on  the  different  pieces, 
creating  deviations  too  numerous  and  unimportani  for  present 
notice     Weight,  117  to  ISi  grains. 


Connecticut  Cent,  1787.    Draped  Busts. 

One  piece  from  a  die  classed  as  belonging  to  this  coinage  of 
1787,  weighs  but  104  grains ;  it  has  a  very  small  head  upon 
the  obverse,  and  in  execution  resembles  the  coins  of  other 
states  more  than  the  mintage  of  Connecticut.  On  account 
of  these  peculiarities,  this  piece  is  supposed  a  counterfeit. 


•182 


DYKE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 


The  "Connecticut  Cent"  of  1788.  Sixteen  Types.  Four- 
teen Varieties. 


Connecticut  Cent,  1788.    Maii^d  Bust. 

Obverse :  Similar  in  general  to  that  of  this  coinage  for  the 
three  preceding  years,  having  deviations  similar  to  those  de- 
scribed in  the  dies  of  1787.  In  one  case,  the  legend  "AUC- 
TORI  CONNEC"  is  mis-spelled  and  made  to  read  "AUC- 
TORI  CONNLC."  Thirteen  of  the  types  of  1788  bear  mailed ' 
busts,  and  three  types  of  the  same  year  bear  draped  busts. 

Reverse :  Similar  in  general  to  that  of  this  coinage  for  the 
three  preceding  years,  with  somewhat  similar  deviations  in 
the  division,  orthography  and  punctuation  of  the  legend,  aud 
also  in  the  heraldic  details  and  decorations  peculiar  to  the  sev- 
eral varieties.  Weight,  108  to  168  grains.  (Average  weight 
less  than  any  other  year.) 

One  specimen  of  1788,  has  an  obverse  identical  with  one  of 
1787  of  Connecticut ;  reverse  the  same  as  one  of  the  coins  of 
Vermont.  Another  Connecticut  coin  of  this  year,  has  the 
same  reverse  as  the  "GEORGI VS  III-  REX-"  issue  of  Machin 
&  Co.,  from  the  mint  established  by  them  in  the  state  of  New 
York. 


Connecticut  Cent,  1788.    Draped  Bust. 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  183 

Of  this  copper  coinage  of  Connecticut,  there  were,  according 
to  the  best  authorities  and  the  most  careful  investigation  of 
the  best  collections  of  "Colonials,"  in  1785,  eighteen  obverse 
and  eight  reverse  dies ;  in  1786,  fifteen  obverse  and  ten  re- 
verse dies ;  in  1787,  one  hundred  and  eight  obverse  and  fifty - 
two  reverse  dies  ;  in  1788,  twenty -three  obverse  and  fourteen 
reverse  dies.  One  hundred  and  sixty-four  obverse  and  eighty- 
four  reverse  dies  in  all,  for  although  according  to  the  record, 
this  coinage  was  continued  until  1789,  no  coins  have  been 
found  of  this  species  bearing  that  date  and  the  impress  of  the 
Connecticut  mint.  These  numerous  dies  were  used  inter- 
changeably, in  different  combinations,  one  with  another,  some- 
times those  of  different  years  being  worked  together,  and  as 
has  been  noted,  the  dies  of  different  mints  appear  in  the  coin- 
age of  different  states,  and  in  cases,  upon  pieces  from  private 
unauthorized  manufactories  of  coppers.  Great  trouble  has 
been  taken  to  classify  the  copper  coinage  of  Connecticut,  but 
the  enumeration  and  description  of  the  same  has  not  been 
made  absolutely  perfect;  neither  can  the  best  experts  dis- 
criminate with  certainty  between  the  counterfeit  and  the  gen- 
uine. 

In  January,  1789,  the  General  Assembly  of  Connecticut  ap- 
pointed a  Committee  to  inquire  into  the  condition  and  record' 
of  the  mint  of  that  state.  This  Committee  met  on  the  7th  of 
April,  1789,  and  reported  to  the  General  Assembly  at  the  ses- 
sion held  at  Hartford  the  following  May.  The  report  of  this 
Committee  gave  a  succinct  history  of  the  mint,  reciting  its 
origin  and  organization,  as  well  a3  giving  a  complete  state- 
ment of  the  several  co-partnerships  which  had  been  formed  to 
carry  on  the  business.  The  owners  of  the  mint  at  that  time, 
were  James  Jarvis,  4-8  and  1-16  parts;  James  Hillhouse,  Esq., 
1-8  part;  Mark  Leavenworth,  Esq.,  1-8  part;  Abel  Buel,  1-8 
part,  and  John  Goodrich,  1-16  part.  "Abel  Buel"  is  reported 
to  have  gone  to  Europe  and  left  his  rights  in  the  copper  coin- 
age to  his  son  Benjamin.  The  firm  are  said  to  have  ceased 
the  coinage  of  coppers  June  1st,  1787,  but  Benjamin  Buel  is 


184  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

reported  to  be  pursuing  the  business  "and  lias  Just  began  to 
Stamp  them.'"  The  Certificate  of  the  three  Inspectors  showed 
there  had  been  inspected  "twenty  eight  Thousand  nine  Ilun- 
dred  and  forty  four  Pounds  weight  of  Coined  Coppers,"  and 
that  there  was  still  due  the  state,  on  account  of  the  twentieth 
part  to  it  payable  by  law,"  sixty-one  Pound  &  two  ozs.  of 
coined  coppers"  which  were  reckoned  at  "Eighteen  Coppers 
for  One  Shilling,"  making  the  amount  due  the  state  "Eight 
Pound  three  Shillings." 

For  six  weeks  from  September  10th,  1786,  the  mint,  as  ap- 
peared by  report  of  the  Committee,  had  been  leased  to  Mark 
Leavenworth,  Isaac  Baldwin,  and  William  Leavenworth,  dur- 
ing which  time  they  made,  according  to  their  own  statement, 
blank  coppers,  which  they  had  stamped  in  the  city  of  New 
York  with  various  impressions,  some  few  with  that  borne  by 
the  Connecticut  coins,  or  one  resembling  the  same.  On  June 
20th,  1789,  the  General  Assembly  passed  a  resolve  suspending 
the  coinage  to  the  end  of  the  next  session,  the  proprietors  and 
all  persons  interested  in  the  mint  to  be  notified  to  appear  and 
show  reason  why  their  grant  of  the  right  of  coinage  should 
not  cease ;  and  this  seems  to  have  been  in  effect  the  end  of  the 
coinage  of  this  mint  for  the  state  of  Connecticut. 

By  the  Constitution  of  1787,  the  United  States  assumed  the 
exclusive  right  to  coin  money  for  the  several  states.  On  mo- 
tion, during  the  session  of  the  General  Assembly  of  Connecti- 
cut, December,  1790,  the  Treasurer  was  authorized  and  di- 
rected to  sell  the  copper  coin  belonging  to  the  state  for  liqui- 
dated notes,  or  securities  of  the  state,  provided  he  could  obtain 
two  shillings  of  said  notes  or  securities  per  pound  weight  for 
said  coppers.  The  same  coppers  still  remaining  unsold,  and 
James  Jarvis  being  engaged  upon  an  extensive  contract  to 
coin  copper  cents  according  to  act  of  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States,  the  General  Assembly  of  Connecticut,  during 
the  session  of  May,  1791,  directed  the  State  Treasurer  to  dis- 
pose of  the  coppers  in  the  Treasury,  the  property  of  the  state, 
to  the  best  advantage,  and  make  report  of  his  proceedings  in 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  185 

said  business,  which  being  supposed  to  have  been  done,  con- 
cluded the  action  of  Connecticut  in  the  matter  of  a  special  and 
local  coinage. 

COPPER  COINAGE  OF  MASSACHUSETTS. 

From  a  very  early  date,  the  industrious  and  commercial 
colony  of  Massachusetts,  gave  almost  constant  attention  to  va- 
rious projects  for  securing  a  supply  of  money,  either  of  paper 
bills,  or  coin  of  different  metals.  In  Massachusetts,  the  only 
colonial  mint  for  silver  was  established,  and  for  that  colony 
alone,  as  far  as  known,  was  a  project  for  importing  money 
considered  hy  its  Legislature.  This  scheme  was  embodied  in 
a  Memorial  presented  to  the  Senate  of  Massachusetts,  March 
17th,  1702-3,  by  "William  Chalkhill,  One  of  the  Monyers  of 
Ucr  Majesties  Mint  in  the  Tower  of  London"  then  resident  in 
Boston.  Chalkhill  proposed  to  bring  over  "Ten  Thousand 
Pounds  in  Copper  Money,"  the  prices  and  values  to  be  agreed 
upon. 

The  Senate,  having  received  the  proposal  of  the  Monyer, 
appointed  a  Committee  of  three  to  meet  a  Committee  of  the 
House  of  Representatives,  in  conference  upon  the  subject. 
The  joint  Committee  favored  the  importation  of  £5000  in 
pence,  but  their  report  was  not  concurred  in,  and  the  matter 
being  laid  upon  the  table,  went  over  to  be  considered  at  the  "  next 
Court,  if  then  offered."  It  does  not  appear  from  the  subsequent 
record,  that  the  scheme  was  ever  revived,  and  that  which  has 
already  been  given,  is  all  that  is  known  regarding  the  matter. 

Almost  half  a  century  later,  a  military  adventure  by  Massa- 
chusetts against  the  French  at  Cape  Breton,  Canada,  caused 
the  importion  of  the  largest  sum  of  money  in  specie,  known 
to  have  been  sent  at  one  shipment  to  the  British  provinces  in 
America  during  ihe  colonial  period.  The  expenses  incurred 
by  Massachusetts  in  the  expedition  to  Cape  Breton,  were  esti- 
mated at  £183,61:9,  2s.  7|d.  sterling,  and,  as  the  enterprise  was 
against  a  public  enemy,  the  Parliament  of  Great  Britain  voted 
the  amount  should  be  repaid  the  colony. 


186  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Accordingly,  on  September  18tli,  1749,  the  sliip  Mermaid, 
commanded  by  Captain  Montague,  arrived  in  Boston  harbor, 
and  William  Bollan,  Esq.,  one  of  the  agents  of  the  province, 
having  come  in  the  said  ship,  laid  l)efore  the  Council  of  the 
colony,  a  statement  of  his  business,  and  an  account  of  the 
monies  on  the  Mermaid  for  the  Treasury  of  Massachusetts, 
from  the  Exchequer  of  England.  With  the  credit  obtained 
from  the  British  Treasury,  the  agents  of  Massachusetts  had 
purchased  six  hundred  and  fifty  ounces  of  silver  coin,  in  milled 
and  pillar  Spanish  dollars  and  lialves  of  the  same,  and  ten  tons 
of  British  copper  half- pence  and  farthings. 

The  authorities  were  somewhat  troubled  to  find  a  place  of 
deposit  for  such  a  mass  of  money;  Ezekiel  Lewis,  Samuel 
Danforth  and  Treasurer  Foye  were  appointed  to  visit  a  house 
owned  by  Foye,  in  King's  street,  to  see  if  it  were  a  fit  place 
for  lodging  the  public  money,  and  to  treat  with  the  tenant  of 
the  premises,  to  secure  her  consent  to  remove.  The  house 
was  found  desirable  for  the  purpose,  but  the  tenant  refused  to 
remove,  even  to  make  room  for  a  large  amount  of  money,  at 
the  request  of  "the  Honorable  the  Great  and  General  Court  of 
His  Majesty's  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  Bay  in  America." 

There  being  thus  "a  lady  in  the  case,"  the  Council  voted 
that  "a  Brick  Arch"  should  be  built  in  the  cellar  of  the  resi- 
dence of  Treasurer  Foye,  to  which  the  treasure  on  the  Mer- 
maid should  be  conveyed  as  soon  as  possible,  and  Samuel  Dan- 
forth and  Andrew  Oliver  were  made  the  Treasurer's  assist- 
ants in  the  important  business.  By  means  of  this  specie,  the 
greater  part  of  the  bills  of  credit  and  paper  money  of  Massa- 
chusetts, were  taken  up  and  redeemed,  and  it  is  supposed  that 
the  frequency  of  fine  specimens  of  English  half- pence  and 
farthings  in  America,  dated  1749,  may  be  accounted  for  by 
this  importation  and  disbursement.  It  cost  over  two  hundred 
pounds  sterling  to  ship  this  money  from  England,  to  which 
were  added  cost  of  freight  on  board  the  Mermaid,  charges  for 
delivery,  etc.,  probably  as  much  more.  The  transaction  t>hows  a 
marked  contrast  to  the  business  methods  of  the  present  day. 


BRITISH   COLONIAL  COINAGES.  187 

According  to  the  record  in  the  archives  of  the  Senate  of 
Massachusetts,  the  first  proposal  for  a  copper  coinage  for  that 
colony,  was  made  by  Seth  Eeed,  of  Uxbridge,  Massachusetts, 
"To  the  honorable  the  Senate  and  House  of  Eepresentatives 
in  General  Court  assembled,"  March,  1786.  In  the  Senate, 
March  9th,  1786,  the  same  petition  was  read  and  left  in 
charge  of  a  joint  committee.  Eeed  represented  that  he  could 
obtain  a  considerable  quantity  of  copper  and  silver  from  bodies 
of  ore  within  the  United  States,  samples  of  the  ores  being  in 
his  possession.  By  coining  the  metals  named,  the  petitioner 
supposed  the  public  might  be  greatly  benefitted,  and  the  ne- 
cessities of  business  better  met,  than  by  an  emission  of  paper 
currency.  Aware  that  the  development  of  the  mines,  and  the 
coinage,  would  involve  great  expense  and  much  trouble,  the 
adventurer  asked  that  the  Commonwealth  should  save  him 
harmless  in  that  particular,  and  grant  him  the  exclusive  right 
of  coinage  in  its  jurisdiction,  for  such  a  time  as  may  be  deemed 
necessary,  or  so  long  as  he  should  meet  in  full  the  require- 
ments of  the  Government  in  the  matter. 

On  March  15th,  1786,  a  petition  was  presented  by  James 
Swan  to  the  Senate  and  House  of  Eepresentatives  of  Massa- 
chusetts, for  the  right  of  coining  money,  but  of  copper  only. 
Swan  asked  leave  to  coin  Twenty  thousand  pounds  value  in 
copper,  the  size,  fineness,  and  impression  of  the  coin,  to  be  de- 
termined by  the  authorities,  and  the  value  determined  by  the 
relation  of  the  coin  to  the  British  half-pence  or  to  the  French 
sols.  The  petitioner  proposed  to  establish  a  mint  at  his  own 
cost,  in  Massachusetts,  and  on  condition  that  all  foreign  copper 
coin,  of  whatever  denomination,  should  be  declared  illegal; 
would  pay  into  the  Treasury  of  the  Commonwealth  five  and 
one-half  per  cent,  on  all  the  coin  he  should  make.  The  bene- 
fits to  tlie  public  were  urged  as  reasons  for  granting  the  peti- 
tion, and  the  fact  that  a  similar  petition  had  been  granted  in 
Kew  Jersey  and  Connecticut,  quoted  as  a  good  example. 

The  statement  in  regard  to  New  Jersey,  was  somewhat  pre- 
mature, no  action  of  that  state  in  the  matter  having  been  made 


188  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDTA. 

subject  of  record,  until  Maj  23rd,  1786,  more  than  five  weeks 
afterward.  No  attention  seems  to  have  been  paid  to  this  peti- 
tion from  James  Swan,  but  the  proposal  of  Seth  Reed  was  re- 
ported upon  by  the  Committee  having  the  same  in  charge,  on 
March  24th,  1786,  and  it  was  recommended  that  the  petitioner 
be  called  upon  for  fuller  particulars  and  larger  samples  of  the 
ores  mentioned  by  him,  with  proof  that  the  mines  from  which 
they  were  taken  were  worked  in  Massachusetts,  and  that  the 
affair  be  referred  over  to  the  next  General  Court.  The  report 
of  the  Committee  was  concurred  in  by  the  Senate  and  House 
the  same  day. 

Meantime,  March  23rd,  17S6,  another  scheme  was  intrt.^duced, 
and  a  Committee  appointed  to  consider  the  subject  of  coining 
a  quantity  of  copper  or  silver  money  in  behalf  of  the  common- 
wealth. This  was  referred  for  consideration  to  the  Governor 
and  his  Council,  by  whom  the  business  was  entrusted,  to  the 
Lieut.  Governor  and  Honble  Mr.  Adams,  to  confer  with  the 
authors  of  the  several  petitions  presented  for  the  right  of 
coinage,  consider  the  circumstances,  and  report.  A  thorough 
investigation  followed,  and  extensive  negotiations  with  James 
Swan  were  conducted.  Mr.  Gorham,  one  of  the  Delegates  of 
Massachusetts  in  the  Congress  of  the  United  States,  taking  no- 
tice, according  to  the  newspapers,  that  proposals  had  been 
made  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts,  relative  to  a  copper 
coinage,  informed  the  Governor  that  great  inconvenience  must 
follow  a  separate  coinage  by  the  states,  and  moreover,  that  a 
uniform  coinage  would  soon  be  provided  by  Congress.  Li 
view  of  the  facts,  the  Governor  suggested,  under  date  of  June 
12th,  1786,  that  the  proceedings  to  establish  a  mint  in  Massa- 
chusetts should  be  suspended. 

Notwithstanding  the  suggestion  of  the  Governor,  and  the 
advice  of  Mr.  Gorham  the  Delesrate,  the  business  of  the  mint 
of  Massachusetts  was  forwarded,  and  on  October  16th,  1786, 
there  was  passed  "An  Act  for  establishing  a  Mint  for  the 
coinage  of  Gold,  Silver  and  Copper."  The  United  States  in 
Congress  assembled,  having  on  the  8th  of  August,  1786,  regu- 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COIN  AGES.  189 

lated  the  alloy  and  value  of  coin,  as  was  stated  in  tlie  preamble 
of  the  Act,  it  was  enacted  that  all  the  coin  that  should  be 
struck  in  the  Mint  of  Massachusetts  should  "be  of  the  same 
weight,  alloy  and  value,  and  each  piece  bear  the  same  name,  as 
is  by  the  said  Eesolve  of  Congress  fixed  and  established.  It 
was  further  enacted  that  Sixty  thousand  dollars  should  be 
coined  in  convenient  proportions  of  cents  and  half  cents,  the 
name  of  each  to  be  stamped  in  the  center  thereof,  each  coin  to 
bear  such  inscriptions  or  devices  as  the  Governor,  with  the 
advice  of  Council,  may  think  proper,  the  said  coin,  when 
struck,  to  be  received  in  all  payments  in  the  commonwealth. 
The  erection,  equipment,  and  superintendence  of  the  mint,  was 
committed  tothe  Governor  and  his  Council,  to  report  from 
time  to  time  to  the  General  Court. 

The  Governor  of  Massachusetts  nominated  Captain  "Joshua 
"Wetherle"  as  a  person  suitable  to  be  employed  in  the  mint, 
■and  the  Council  advised  that  said  "Wetherle"  be  appointed  to 
conduct  the  business  of  copper  coinage  for  the  commonwealth. 
Captain  Joshua  Witherle  (as  he  wrote  the  name),  having  be- 
come Mint-master,  there  was  weighed  for  delivery  to  him 
from  the  cannon  foundry  at  Bridgewater,  on  May  10th,  1787, 
thirty-four  hundred  and  thirty-four  pounds  of  copper,  and  six 
hundred  and  fifty  weight  of  "sprews"  of  the  same  metal,  the 
property  of  the  commonwealth ;  and  David  Kingman  and 
Hugh  Orr,  the  Committee  appointed  for  the  purpose,  reported 
that  there  was  on  hand  fit  to  be  used  for  coinage,  "One  Ten 
Inch  Mortar  Two  k  half  Do.,  four  Cohorn  Morters  unfinished, 
now  on  hand,  also  Two  four  pound  Brass  Cannon  that  are  to 
be  run  Over  Again  and  a  Ten  Inch  Mortar  that  failed  in  the 
Casting  Supposed  to  weigh  12  or  1-1  Cwt.  together  with  a 
Brass  rack  belonging  to  the  Machine  for  boring  Cannon,". 

On  Wednesday,  June  27th,  the  Council  advised  that  the  de- 
vices for  the  intended  copper  coinage,  should  "be  the  figure 
of  an  Indian  with  a  bow  &  arrow  &  a  star  on  one  side,  with 
the  word  'Commonwerlth,'  the  reverse  a  spread  eagle  with 
the  words — 'of  Massachusetts  A.  D.  1787' — ".     It  will  be 


190  t)YE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJ^DIA. 

t 

noted  in  the  illustrated  description  of  the  copper  coins  of 
Massachusetts  on  succeeding  pages,  that  in  the  execution  of 
the  dies  from  which  the  mintage  wag  done,  there  was  a  varia- 
tion from  the  design  named  by  Council  in  the  legend  upon  the 
reverse,  the  word  "of"  being  omitted,  and  "Massachusetts" 
and  the  date  alone  inscribed. 

The  appointed  superintendent  of  the  second  Massachusetts 
Mint  was  the  principal  partner  in  the  firm  of  Witherle  &  Co., 
coppersmiths,  who  had  a  shop  on  Kilbj  street,  in  the  city  of 
Boston.  Joshua  Witherle  lived  upon  a  piece  of  land  now  oc- 
cupied by  buildings  from  Number  1132  to  1144  Washington 
street,  Boston.  A  short  distance  in  the  rear  of  his  house, 
once  desciibed  as  910  Washington  street,  Witherle  erected 
the  building  which  was  used  as  a  mint-house.  This  was  de- 
scribed as  of  wood,  one  story  high,  about  twenty  feet  wide  by 
forty  feet  long,  and  is  said  to  have  been  put  up  before  the  mint 
was  proposed.  The  copper  for  the  coinage,  was  cast  into  in- 
gots at  the  mint  in  Boston,  then  carted  to  Dedham,  Massachu- 
setts, and  rolled  into  plates  at  a  mill  there  belonging  to  Joshua 
Witherle,  from  which  the  metal  ready  for  being  struck  into 
planchets  or  blanks  for  the  coin,  was  carried  back  to  Boston 
aud  delivered  again  into  the  mint. 

Though  having  buildings  already  put  up  for  the  business 
of  coinage,  superintendent  Witherle  explained  before  the 
Council  on  January  17th,  1788,  that  having  received  orders 
in  May,  1787,  from  Government,  to  erect  the  necessary  build- 
ings, and  prepare  machines  for  coining  copper  cents  according 
to  law,  he  had  immediately  begun  the  work,  and  spared  no 
pains  to  procure  every  article  which  might  be  thought  neces- 
sary. Unfortunately,  the  iron  furnaces,  upon  which  he  had 
been  obliged  to  depend,  were  "so  nearly  out  of  blast,"  that  he 
could  not  get  patterns  made  for  the  rollers  he  needed,  and  was 
at  loss  for  sundry  other  articles.  Unable  to  get  such  castings 
as  he  desired,  the  Mint-master  was  compelled  to  have  rollers 
made  of  wrought  iron,  which,  however,  answered  the  purpose. 

Another  cause  of  great  delay  in  the  business,  was  the  diffi- 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  191 

culty  found  in  securing  steel  of  a  proper  quality  for  making 
the  dies  required  for  tlie  coinage,  which  was,  however,  finally 
accomplished.  More  time  was  lost  in  unsuccessful  experi- 
ments in  casting  copper  in  readiness  for  the  rolling  mill,  the 
metal  being  afterwards  drawn,  or  forged  into  shape,  under 
trip  hammers  erected  at  Dedham. 

Most  of  the  dies  for  the  second  Massachusetts  mint,  were 
made  by  Joseph  Callender,  of  "Half  Square  State-Street," 
Boston,  at  a  cost  of  £1,  4s.  each.  Of  this.  Superintendent 
"Witherle  made  complaint  as  an  excessive  price,  and  subse- 
quently made  a  contract  with  Jacob  Perkins,  of  Newburyport, 
Massachusetts,  who  was  to  receive  for  making  the  dies,  one 
per  cent,  of  the  coin  struck  from  them.  From  peculiarities 
in  the  impressions  from  the  dies,  it  appears  that  Callender 
made  thirty-eight  dies;  his  bill  was  £48,  12s.  for  making 
thirty-nine  dies  and  repairing  three  dies.  There  was  but  £3, 
18s.  lOd.  paid  to  Jacob  Perkins  in  all;  how  economical  the 
contract  with  him  would  have  proved,  had  the  same  been  con- 
tinued, is  uncertain  ;  the  small  amount  received  by  him  shows 
he  could  have  done  but  little  comparatively  in  the  service  of 
the  mint. 

The  accounts  of  the  copper  coinage  of  Massachusetts  show 
there  were  £1048,  2s.  7d.  in  value  of  coppers  coined,  up  to 
January  21st,  1789,  at  an  expense  of  £2249,  16s.  44^d.,  a  loss 
to  the  commonwealth  of  £1201,  13s.  9d.  1  farthing.  The 
coinage  seems  to  have  been  ended  at  this  time.  On  June  17th, 
1789,  Joshua  Witherle  having  been  paid  by  a  warrant  on  the 
Treasury  of  Massachusetts,  for  "one  thousand  and  seventy 
pounds,  ten  shillings  and  three  pence  :^"  his  bonds  as  superin 
tendent  of  the  mint  were  cancelled.  The  buildings,  machinery, 
and  facilities  of  the  mint  establishment  were,  upon  his  petition, 
left  in  possession  of  Joshua  Witherle,  for  his  use  in  private 
business,  he  agreeing  to  properly  take  care  of  and  upon  de- 
mand, duly  account  for  the  same. 

On  June  10,  1790,  the  copper  cents  in  the  Treasury  of  Mas- 
sachusetts, were  made  current  at  one  hundred  and  eight  cents 


192  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

for  six  shillings,  or  one  dollar,  of  lawful  money.  No  silver  or 
gold  coins  were  struck  at  the  second  mint  of  Massachusetts, 
and  as  the  federal  coinage  soon  made  the  manufacture  of  coin 
by  any  state  as  needless,  as  it  was  declared  unconstitutional,  it 
occurred  to  the  Legislators  of  the  Bay  State,  that  they  would 
have  done  well  to  have  heeded  the  suggestion  of  their  Gov- 
ernor, and  suspended  action  regarding  their  state  currency,  in 
deference  to  the  proceedings  of  the  Congress  of  the  United 
States. 

Copper  Coins  of  Massachusetts. 

Obverse:  A  clothed  Indian,  standing,  facing  left,  in  his 
right  hand  a  bow,  in  his  left  an  arrow.  Legend :  COMMON  if 
WEALTH. 

Eeverse :  A  spread  eagle,  bearing  a  shield  upon  his  breast, 
inscribed  with  the  denomination  of  the  piece;  his  right  talon 
grasps  an  olive  branch,  and  the  left  holds  a  bundle  of  arrows. 
Legend:  MASSACHUSETTS.  In  exergue,  the  date.  Bor- 
ders, milled ;  Edge,  plain. 

The  "Cent,"  1787.    Eight  Types.     Nine  Varieties. 


Massachusetts  Cent,  1787. 

Obverse:  A  clothed  Indian,  standing,  facing  left,  in  his 
right  hand  a  bow,  in  his  left  an  arrow.  Legend  :  COMMON  ^ 
WEALTH. 

Reverse :  A  spread  eagle,  a  broad  shield  upon  his  breast,  six 
pales  gules  (upright),  a  chief  azure  (open  or  plain  \  Upon  the 
chief,  or  upper  part  of  the  shield,  the  word  CENT,  in  bold 
Eoman  lettering.     In  exergue,  beneath  a  heavy  horizontal  bar. 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  193 

the  date  1787.     Borders,  milled;  Edge,  plain.     Size,  16|  to 
19 ;  weight,  146  to  165  grains. 

The  "Half  Cent,"  1787.     Six  Types.     Four  Varieties. 


Massachusetts  Half  Cent,  1787. 

Obverse:  Same  general  description  as  the  Cent  of  1787. 

Reverse :  Same  in  general  as  the  Cent  of  1787,  except  that  the 
shield  upon  some  specimens,  bears  only  HALF  CENT.  Borders, 
milled;  Edge,  plain.     Size,  15  to  15^  ;  weight,  75  to  83  grains. 

The  "Cent,"  1788.     Twelve  Types.     Thirteen  Varieties. 


Massachusetts  Cent,  1788. 
General  description  much  the  same  as  that  of  the  Cent  of  the 
same  coinage  for  1787. 

The  "Half  Cent"  1788.     One  Type.     Two  Varieties. 


Massachusetts  Half  Cent,  1788. 
Similar  in  general  to  the  Half  Cent  of  the  same  coinage  of 
the  preceding  year  1787.     Weight,  usually  76  grains. 


M 


194  DYE'S   COL\  E^ CYCLOP JlDI A. 

The  Copper  Coinage  of  Massachusetts  was,  in  comparison 
with  other  colonial  issues,  quite  regular,  the  several  types  and 
varieties  showing  respectively  but  minor  points  of  difference. 
The  superintendent  of  the  mint,  Joshua  Witherle,  was  known 
among  his  neighbors  as  "The  Cent  Maker."  The  archives  of 
Massachusetts  contain  a  great  number  of  documents  relating  to 
the  silver  and  copper  coinage  of  the  colony  and  state ;  these 
have  been  published  by  S.  S.  Crosby,  at  the  suggestion  of  the 
New  Englajs'd  Numismatic  and  Arch^ological  Society, 
and  give  a  very  interesting  account  of  the  whole  business,  the 
different  schemes  proposed  by  various  parties,  and  the  laws 
enacted,  the  result  and  conclusion  of  all  having  been  given 
herein.  Superintendent  Witherle  seems  to  have  been  a  prac- 
tical man  and  able  mechanic,  who  achieved  good  results  under 
unfavorable  circumstances.  But  for  the  establishment  of  the 
United  States  Coinage,  doubtless  the  metallic  currency  of  Mas- 
sachusetts  would  have  become  of  great  commercial  importance, 
a  benefit  to  the  people  and  a  source  of  direct  profit  to  the  com- 
monwealth in  which  it  originated. 

COPPER  COINAGE  OF  NEW  JERSEY. 
During  the  tenth  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  New 
Jersey,  on  Tuesday,  May  23d,  1786,  "The  speaker  laid  before 
the  House  proposals  made  by  Walter  Mould,  Thomas  Goadsby 
and  albion  Cox,  for  striking  a  Copper  Coin  for  the  state  of 
New  Jersey,  which  was  read  Whereupon  Ordered,  that 
Messrs  A.  Clark,  R.  S.  Smith,  Sheppard,  Marsh  and  Nicoll  be 
a  Committee  to  Confer  with  the  said  Walter  Mould  Thomas 
Goadsby  and  Albion  Cox  on  the  Subject  of  the  said  proposals 
and  report  to  the  House  the  Terms  they  may  agree  upon." 
On  Wednesday,  May  2'4th,  1786,  the  Committee  to  whom  the 
matter  had  been  referred,  reported  to  the  Legi.slature  of  New 
Jersey  they  held  the  conference  for  which  they  were  appointed, 
and  that  the  petitioners  proposed  either  to  coin  a  sum  in 
coppers,  not  to  exceed  ten  thousand  pounds,  and  pay  one- 
j eleventh  part  to  the  state,  or  if  permitted  to  coin  any  greater 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COIN  AGES.  195 

sum,  to  pay  the  state  one-tenth  part  of  all  sums  issued  without 
depreciation  of  the  currency  to  be  created. 

Such  was  the  first  recorded  proposition  for  a  copper  coinage 
in  New  Jersey.  Massachusetts  had  already  taken  action  upon 
the  petition  of  Seth  Read  for  a  similar  privilege,  March  9th, 
1786,  yet  many  of  the  copper  coins  of  New  Jersey  were  dated 
1786,  while  no  copper  coin  was  struck  in  the  Massachusetts 
Mint  until  the  year  1787.  On  Thursday,  May  25,  1786,  a  pe- 
tition for  the  privilege  of  making  copj^er  coin,  was  presented 
to  the  Legislature  of  New  Jersey,  by  one  William  Leddel,  who 
represented  himself  to  be  in  possession  of  a  considerable  quan- 
tity of  copper,  and  the  owner  of  sundry  iron  founderies.  Un- 
der the  direction  of  the  Legislature,  Leddel  proposed  to  coin 
coppers  equal  in  weight  and  quality  to  the  best  ever  circulated 
in  the  state,  and  pay  the  state  every  ninth  copper  and  receive 
the  paper  money  of  the  state  in  exchange  for  others  if  desired. 
The  petitioner  proposed  to  accept  a  design,  and  stated  weight, 
from  the  Legislature,  and  in  five  days  return  a  sample  of  his 
coinage. 

However,  the  Legislature  of  New  Jersey  paid  no  particular 
attention  to  the  petition  of  William  Leddel,  and  who  he  was, 
or  where  his  sundry  iron  founderies  were  situated,  is  alike  un- 
known. On  June  1st,  1786,  an  act  was  passed  by  the  Legisla- 
ture of  New  Jersey,  authorizing  Walter  Mould,  Thomas 
Goadsby  and  Albion  Cox,  to  strike  and  coin  in  copper,  for  the' 
state,  a  sum  equal  in  value  to  ten  thousand  pounds,  at  fifteen 
coppers  to  the  shilling.  The  coins  were  to  be  of  pure  copper, 
to  weigh  six  pennyweights  and  six  grains  each.  They  were 
to  be  made  in  the  state,  of  such  device  and  impression  as  should 
be  directed  by  the  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court,  or  any  one 
of  them.  It  was  further  provided  that  said  coin  should  be 
subj(3ct  to  alteration  in  value,  by  act  of  the  Congress  of  the 
United  States. 

Mould,  Goadsby  and  Cox,  were  required  to  give  bonds  in 
the  sum  of  ten  thousand  poimds,  for  the  faithful  performance 
of  their  duties  in  effecting  the  coinage  proposed  in  full  within 


1^6  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

two  years,  and  for  the  payment,  by  quarterly  instalments,  of 
ten  per  cent.  (  f  the  coinage  into  the  Treasury  of  the  state. 

Subsequently,  a  disagreement  arose  between  Mould,  and 
Goadsby  and  Cox,  in  consequence  of  which  the  two  last  were 
authorized  by  the  Legislature  to  make  two-thirds  of  the  coin- 
age by  themselves,  without  prejudice  to  the  rights  of  Mould 
regarding  the  third  part  remaining.  An  act  was  passed  June 
4th,  1787,  against  the  circulation  in  New  Jersey  of  any  cop- 
pers other  than  those  made  within  that  state,  or  "struck  by 
the  United  States  of  America  in  Congress  assembled,"  under 
penalty  of  a  forfeit  of  ten  times  the  nominal  value  of  the  sum 
or  sums  so  offered  in  payment. 

There  were  two  mint-houses  established  in  New  Jersey  un- 
der the  legislation  just  noted.  One  was  in  Morristown,  and 
the  other  at  Elizabeth  town.  The  Morristown  Mint  was  lo- 
cated in  a  residence  once  known  as  "Solitude,"  and  afterwards 
as  the  "IIollo way  House."  "Solitude"  was  the  residence  of 
John  Cleve  Symmes,  Chief  Justice  of  the  state  of  New  Jersey, 
and  subsequently  the  home  of  a  Mr.  Ilolloway.  The  mint 
here  was  carried  on  by  "Walter  Mould,  said  to  have  been  a 
coiner  of  coppers  at  Birmingham,  England,  before  his  emigra- 
tion to  America.  Mould,  according  to  report,  brought  from 
Birmingham,  all  the  machines,  tools,  and  appliances,  for  coin- 
ing copper,  and  had  only  to  secure  new  dies,  set  up  his  appa- 
ratus, and  proceed  anew  with  his  old  business.  In  consequence 
he  avoided  the  difficulties  which  retarded  the  work  of  Mint- 
master  Witherle  in  Massachusetts,  and,  as  has  been  noted,  un- 
der a  later  legislation,  produced  an  earlier  issue  of  coin. 

The  Elizabethtown  Mint,  was  in  a  shed  attached  to  a  build- 
ing once  known  as  the  "Old  Armstrong  House,"  in  Water 
street.  The  coinage  there  was  carried  on  hy  a  man  named 
Gilbert  Rindle,  as  is  supposed  on  account  of  Goadsby  and  Cox. 
According  to  tradition,  this  mint  was  carried  on  for  about  two 
years,  as  follows :  A  wooden  box,  several  feet  deep,  was  sunk 
like  a  pit  in  the  middle  of  the  floor  of  the  room  ;  in  the  center 
of  this,  was  an  iron  upright  or  anvil,  bearing  a  die,  the  top  of 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  197 

whiek  was  about  even  with  the  surface  of  the  floor  of  the 
room.  Upon  the  floor,  at  one  side  of  the  })it,  sat  a  workman, 
his  legs  hanging  down  inside  the  same.  lie  took  the  blanks 
from  a  box  beside  him,  and  placed  them  on  the  die,  when  the 
stamp  came  down  and  made  the  impression,  after  which  he 
brushed  the  new  copper  off  the  die  into  the  pit  beneath.  The 
press  was  worked  by  two  men,  one  at  each  end  of  an  iron  bar 
nine  or  ten  feet  long,  at  the  middle  of  which  was  a  heavy  per- 
pendicular screw.  The  copper  was  brought  to  this  place  all 
ready  for  stamping,  and  the  coin  taken  away  in  kegs.  The 
good  housewives  of  the  neighborhood  used  to  buy  the  coin 
from  the  mint  for  paper  money,  "a  bureau  drawer  nearly  full 
at  a  time,"  and  pay  them  out  for  the  ordinary  small  expenses 
of  their  families. 

A  careful  study  of  the  lettering  of  the  New  Jersey  Copper 
Coinage,  shows  that  many  of  the  dies  were  made  from  the 
same  set  of  punches,  and  presumably  by  the  same  hand.  The 
same  punches  were  used  upon  many  of  the  dies  cut  for  the 
copper  coinage  of  Vermont,  and  upon  some  of  the  dies  for  the 
copper  coinage  of  Connecticut.  The  inference  from  these  facts 
and  some  other  indications,  is,  that  there  was  a  business  con- 
nection, more  or  less  definite,  between  Reuben  Harmon,  Jr., 
of  Rupert,  Vermont;  Machin  &  Co.,  of  New  Grange  (New- 
burgh),  New  York ;  the  owners  of  the  Connecticut  Mints  at 
New  Haven ;  other  money  manufacturers  in  the  city  of  New 
York,  and  Messrs.  Mould,  Goadsby  and  Cox,  of  New  Jersey : 
and  furthermore,  that  James  F.  Atlee,  the  engraver  and  die 
sinker,  and  perhaps  other  artists  of  his  kind,  were  in  the  habit 
of  itinerating  from  one  mint  to  another,  as  ilieir  services  were 
required.  The  Vermont  Coins  of  1787,  were  evidently,  for 
the  most  part,  from  dies  made  by  Atlee — the  like  may  be 
said  of  the  same  coinage  for  1788 ;  of  many  of  the  pieces  indi- 
cated as  belonging  to  Connecticut ;  the  Gcorgivs*  III*  Rex*  of 
Machin  &  Co.,  and  various  types  of  the  copper  coins  of  New 
Jersey. 

There  was  a  coinage  of  New  Jersey  coppers  said  to  have 


,198 


DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


been  carried  on  by  a  Mr.  Hatfield,  who  assumed  to  have  made 
,4ie3  and  struck  the  pieoes  in  a  barn  below  Elizabethtown,  be- 
ing assisted  by  a  colored  man.  John  Bailey,  cutler,  of  the 
city  of  New  York,  testified  in  August,  1789,  that  he  had 
coined  "Jersey  coppers  previous  to  April  loih,  1788:"  by  au- 
thority derived  from  an  Act  of  the  State  of  New  Jersey,  enti- 
tled, "An  Act  for  the  establishment  of  a  Coinage  of  Copper 
in  that  State,  passed  June  the  first,  1786."  The  copper  coin- 
age of  New  Jersey  was  not  as  regular  as  that  of  Massachusetts; 
good  and  bad  dies  were  in  many  cases  used  together,  just  as  may 
have  suited  the  convenience  of  the  operatives  of  the  mint. 


New  Jersey  Copper  Coin  1786. 

Obverse:  A  horse's  head,  facing  right,  upon  an  heraldic 
wreath  ;  in  the  field,  under  this  device,  stands  a  plough.  Le- 
gend :  NOVA  C^SARA.     Exergue,  the  date  1736. 

Reverse :  A  shield,  to  be  described  in  the  language  of  heral- 
dry as,  argent,  six  pales  gules,  a  chief  azure.  Legend :  "  %  E  a^ 
PLURIBUS  4^  UNUM4^  •  Borders,  serrated ;  Edges,  plain ; 
size,  16  to  19 ;  weight,  137  to  173  grains. 


Of  1786,  Eight  Types. 


Eight  Varieties. 


New  Jersey  Copper  Coin,  1787.    Lu\rge  Size. 


BRITISH   COLONIAL  COINAGES. 


199 


General  description  of  both  Obverse  and  Reverse,  same  as 
the  pieces  of  this  coinage  for  the  year  1786.  Size,  19  or  less ; 
weight,  165  grains  or  less. 


New  Jersey  Copper  Coin,  1787. 


General  description  same  as  of  the  larger  piece, 
more ;  weight,  108  grains  or  more. 

Of  1787,  Eleven  Types.     Ten  Varieties. 


Small  Size. 

Size,  16  or 


New  Jersey  Copper  Coin,  1788, 

General  description  same  as  that  of 'this  coinage  for  the  two 
preceding  years,  except  that  the  device  of  the  horse's  head 
faces  to  the  right  in  some  of  the  dies  of  the  obverse,  and  to 
the  left  in  others. 

Of  1788,  Pive  Types.     Five  "Varieties. 

The  Types  and  Varieties  of  the  New  Jersey  Copper  Coin- 
age, are  in  a  number  of  instances  marked  by  decided  and  nota- 
ble differences.  On  some  of  the  obverses,  three  leaves  appear 
beneath  the  device  of  the  horse's  head ;  upon  some  of  the  re- 
verses, there  are  two  crossed  branches  inscribed  beneath  the 
shield.  The  legend  NOVA  C^SARIA  upon  the  various 
obverses,  is  in  general  perfectly  plain  lettering,  though  some- 
times punctuated  with  a  period  at  the  close.     In  some  half-a- 


200  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

dozen  instances,  the  legend  of  the  obverse  is  punctuated  vari- 
ously by  quatrefoils,  mullets,  or  stars,  the  legend  upon  the 
reverses  always  ornamented  and  punctuated  variously  by  simi- 
lar characters.  There  are  two  obverses  called  "the  dog"  or 
"the  fox,"  on  account  of  a  small  device  struck  upon  them  in 
connection  with  the  legend,  but  on  good  specimens,  this  device 
is  easily  recognizable  as  the  figure  of  a  running  horse.  One 
obverse  has  for  a  legend,  the  contraction  E.  PLURIBS  UNUM, 
punctuated  with  stars.  An  extremely  rare  variety  is  double 
struck,  and  thus  made  to  read  E.  PLUKIBUS  UNUM,  the  R. 
being  mutilated.  The  device  of  the  horse's  head,  facing  left, 
appears,  as  far  as  known  from  existing  specimens,  to  have 
been  struck  only  upon  the  obverses  of  a  part  of  the  genuine 
New  Jersey  Copper  Coinage  of  1788,  but  for  the  purpose  of 
defrauding  collectors,  some  one  has  by  engraving,  or  other  ar- 
tistic processes,  reversed  the  horse's  head,  upon  New  Jersey 
Copper  Coins  of  both  1786  and  1787,  making  the  device  face 
to  the  left,  a  deviation  from  common  honesty,  not  a  differen- 
tation  in  the  mintage  of  New  Jersey.  During  the  spring  and 
summer  of  1787,  the  Congress  of  the  United  States  ordered 
the  coinage  of  three  hundred  and  forty-five  tons  of  copper  into 
cents,  as  will  presently  be  described,  and  the  right  of  coinage 
was  the  same  year  vested  exclusively  in  the  General  Govern- 
ment. In  consequence,*the  New  Jersey  and  other  local  mints 
ceased  operations.  However,  the  multiform  product  of  these 
"copper  shops"  continued  to  circulate,  with  a  great  amount 
of  cheap  coin  imported  from  England.  The  most  of  the  im- 
ported coppers  were  said  to  have  been  made  in  Birmingham, 
England,  and  were  denominated  "Birmingham  coppers;"  this 
became  corrupted  to  "Bungtown  coppers,"  and  as  the  mis- 
cellaneous coinage  of  coppers  was  displaced  by  the  authorized 
Cent  of  the  United  States,  and  became  depreciated,  the 
phrase  "Not  worth  a  Bungtown  Copper,"  became  proverbial. 
Gradually,  the  whole  coinage  of  coppers  began  to  disap- 
pear, and  finally,  as  8o  much  rubbish,  they  were  swept  from 
circulation;  their  disappearance,  however,  was  not  complete 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  201 

and  final  until  during  tlie  suspension  of  specie  payment  in  the 
time  of  the  war  of  the  great  rebellion. 

PEOPOSED  COLONIAL  COINAGES  OF  NEW  YOEK. 

As  early  as  1661,  an  attempt  was  made  by  the  Burgomas- 
'ters  and  Scepens  of  New  Amsterdam,  to  establish  a  mint  in 
that  city,  now  New  York.  An  application  was  made  by  the 
officers  just  named,  to  the  Chamber  of  Directors  of  the  West 
India  Company,  at  Amsterdam  in  Ilolland,  for  authority  to 
coin  silver,  but  without  success. 

In  the  year  1672,  an  order  was  passed  by  the  General  Court 
of  Assizes  in  New  York,  for  regulating  the  currenjy  of  silver 
coin  in  that  state,  which  provided  that  a  Boston  shilling 
should  pass  for  one  shilling,  and  "a  good  piece  of  Eight  Span- 
ish Coine,  whether  of  Mexico  Sevill  or  a  pillar  piece"  for  six 
shillings.  It  was  stated  in  the  Massacliusetts  and  New  Hamp- 
shire Advertiser,  of  March  29th,  1786,  that  New  York,  Con- 
necticut, and  Vermont,  had  authorized  a  coinage  of  copper,  the 
money  being  already  in  circulation,  and  that  of  N«w  York  es- 
pecially, very  fine  in  appearance.  It  is  supposed  that  the 
coins  alluded  to  as  belonging  to  New  York,  were  the  "Non 
Virtu te  Vici"  or  the  "Neo-Eboracencis"  pieces  of  private 
coinage  then  in  circulation,  and  to  be  hereafter  described 
herein.  There  is  neither  record  or  specimen  of  coin,  to  show 
that  the  state  of  New  York  authorized  a  copper  coinage. 

On  February  11th,  1787,  petitions  for  the  right  to  coin  cop- 
pers were  presented  to  the  Senate  and  Assembly  of  the  state 
of  New  York,  by  John  Bailey,  Ephraim  Brasher,  and  Thomas 
Machin.  The  matter  was  referred  to  a  Committee,  which  re- 
ported that  there  were  various  sorts  of  copper  coin  in  circula- 
tion in  the  country,  which  they  described  as: 

"First.  A  few  genuine  British  half- pence  of  George  the 
Second,  and  some  of  an  earlier  date,  the  impressions  of  which 
are  generally  defaced. 

"Secondly.  A  number  of  Irish  half-pence,  with  a  bust  on 
the  one  side,  and  a  harp  on  the  other. 


202  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA, 

"Thirdly.  A  very  great  number  of  pieces  in  imitation  of 
British  half-pence,  but  much  lighter,  of  inferior  copper,  and 
badly  executed. 

"Fourthly.  A  very  considerable  number  of  coppers  of 
the  kind  that  are  made  in  the  state  of  New  Jersey. 
Many  of  these  are  below  the  proper  weight  of  the  Jersey 
coppers,  and  seem  as  if  designed  as  a  catch  penny  for  this 
market." 

The  Committee  estimated  that  the  coiners'  profit  on  these 
various  pieces,  was:  On  the  British  half- pence,  36  per  cent; 
on  the  Birmingham  half-pence,  49  per  cent;  on  the  Jersey 
coppers,  54  per  cent.  The  further  consideration  of  the  subject 
was  postponed.  On  April  20th,  1787,  the  Senate  and  Assem- 
bly of  New  York  passed  an  "Act  to  regulate  the  Circulation 
of  copper  coin,"  which  prohibited  the  passing  of  any  coppers 
in  the  state  of  New  York,  except  those  of  pure  copper,  Aveigh- 
ing  one- third  of  an  ounce  avoirdupois,  each,  which  were  to 
pass  at  the  rate  of  twenty  to  the  shilling  of  the  lawful  current 
money  of  the  state,  and  not  otherwise.  Any  person  to  whom 
uncurrent  coppers  were  offered  in  payment,  might  seize  and 
retain  the  same,  making  complaint  to  any  Justice  of  the  peace 
of  the  city  or  county.  If  the  person  tendering  or  passing 
light  or  base  coppers,  was  aware  of  their  base  character, 
such  person  forfeited  five  times  the  sum  offered,  to  the  person 
to  whom  they  had  tendered  the  same.  On  February  7th, 
1788,  the  counterfeiting  of  gold  or  silver  coin,  was  by  special 
enactment  declared  a  felony  punishable  with  death. 

PATTERNS  AND  TOKENS. 
The  various  coins  to  be  described  under  this  head,  are  Pat- 
tern pieces  of  state  mints,  or  of  the  Mint  of  the  United  States, 
together  with  various  other  pieces  of  different  coinages,  many 
of  which  are  of  an  unknown  origin. 

The  Carolina  and  New  England  Tokens. 
As  late  as  the  year  1769,  there  was  still  preserved  in  the 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAQES.  203 

Tower  of  London  in  England,  the  obverse  and  reverse  dies  of 
a  coin  called  the  London  Half-penny.  The  device  upon  the 
obverse  of  this  piece  was  an  elephant,  the  head  well  down. 
The  reverse  bore  the  arms  of  the  city  of  London,  around  which 
was  inscribed  the  legend:  "GOD  PEESEEVB  LONDON." 
The  dies  for  this  token  were  said  to  have  been  made  by  the 
engraver  Rotiers,  of  London.  The  purpose  of  this  coinage  is 
unknown ;  a  hundred  and  thirty  years  ago,  the  issue  was  va- 
riously stated  to  have  been  made  "for  the  London  Work- 
house," struck  while  the  plague  raged  in  London,  from  which 
pestilence  the  inscription  is  supposed  to  be  a  prayer  for  de- 
liverance ;  or  intended  to  be  made  current  at  Tangier  in  Africa, 
but  never  set  in  circulation  there. 

Having  furnished  one  seemingly  unsolvable  problem  for  the 
antiquarian,  the  old  obverse  die  bearing  the  device  of  an  ele- 
phant, was  left  to  become  the  cause  of  still  other  unsatisfied 
inquiries.  During  the  reign  of  William  and  Mary,  king  and 
queen  of  England,  there  appeared  a  new  coin,  which  has  been 
called  the  "Carolina  Cent,"  and  said  to  have  been  issued  in 
the  Carolina  plantations.  There  were  at  least  Two  Types  and 
Two  Varieties  of  these  pieces.  The  more  rare  of  these  may 
be  described  as  follows : 

Obverse :  An  elephant,  standing,  facing  left. 

Eeverse :  An  inscription,  in  six  lines,  occupying  the  entire 
field:  "GOD:  PRESERVE:  CAROLINA:  AND  THE: 
LORDS:  PROPRIETERS  1694"  Borders,  milled;  Edge, 
plain ;  size,  18| ;  weight,  143  grains. 


Carolina  Token. 


204  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

This  illustration  is  of  the  more  common  type  and  variety 
of  this  coinage,  the  obverse  being  identical  with  that  of  the 
"London  Half- penny." 

Obverse :  An  elephant,  standing,  facing  left. 

Reverse :  An  inscription,  in  six  lines,  occupying  the  entire 
field,  "GOD:  PRESERVE:  CxiROLINA:  AND  THE: 
LORDS:  PROPRIETORS.  169L"  Borders,  milled:  Edge, 
plain;  size,  17  to  18| ;  weight,  180  to  162  grains. 

The  Carolina  Tokens  were  struck  in  copper,  and  impress- 
ions from  the  same  dies  are  said  to  have  been  made  in  brass. 
The  obverses  of  the  two  pieces  described  are  much  the  same; 
however,  the  tusks  of  the  elephant  on  the  first-named  piece, 
are  short,  while  in  the  more  common  type,  they  are  longer, 
and  approach  the  border  of  the  coin  very  nearly.  The  die  of 
the  first  variety  was  recut  to  form  the  common  reverse,  the 
last  "E"  in  "PROPRIETERS"  being  altered  to  form  an  "0," 
changing,  as  may  be  noted,  the  orthography  of  the  word.  On 
good  specimens,  the  original  "E"  may  be  seen  beneath  the 
overcut  "O,"  proving  the  identity  of  the  die. 

New  England  Token. 

Obverse :  Same  as  that  of  the  common  type  of  the  Carolina 
Token  of  1694,  and  from  the  §ame  die  as  that  and  the  "Lon- 
don Ilalfpenny." 

Reverse:  An  inscription,  in  five  lines,  occupying  the  whole 
field,  "GOD :  PRESERVE :  NEW:  ENGLAND :  1694"  Bor- 
ders, milled ;  Edge,  plain.  Copper ;  size,  1S| ;  weight,  133 
and  236  grains. 

The  great  irregularity  in  the  weight  of  the  Carolina  and 
New  England  Tokens,  indicates  they  were  coined  as  medallets, 
or  tokens,  rather  than  for  circulation  as  money.  The  coinage 
is  supposed  to  have  been  done  in  Loudon,  England,  from 
whence  the  issue  found  its  way  to  America. 

The  Earliest  New  York  Token. 
A  very  rare  piece,  the  only  specimen  of  which  was  until 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  205 

lately  supposed  to  be  preserved  in  Holland,  but  of  whicb  dur- 
ing the  last  decade,  several  samples  have  been  found  and  now 
are  extant  in  the  United  States,  is  called  "The  New  York 
Token,"  and  being  conjectured  to  have  been  struck  about 
1700  to  1706,  is  supposed  to"  have  been  the  earliest  coinage  for 
that  colony. 

Obverse:  An  heraldic  eagle,  rudely  engraved,  displayed, 
resting  upon  a  branch,  with  a  leaf  at  each  end.  Legend: 
*  NEW-  YOEKE-  IN-  AMEEICA  ^  r%^  ' 

Reverse :  A  group  of  palm,  or  other  trees ;  at  the  right,  a 
figure  in  flowing  robes ;  at  the  left,  a  smaller,  semi-nude,  run- 
ninof  fisfure,  with  a  bow  in  the  left  hand.  From  the  shoulder 
of  this  last  figure,  what  appears  to  be  a  wing,  but  may  have 
been  intended  as  drapery,  projects,  or  floats,  backward.  Mr. 
Crosby  considers  this  figure  a  Cupid,  and  the  draped  one 
Venus.  They  may  have  been  designed  for  an  Indian  and  a 
squaw  ;  classical  or  aboriginal,  all  in  relation  to  the  coin  being 
a  matter  of  speculative  guesswork.  Borders,  milled;  Edge, 
plain;  size,  13;  weight,  in  brass,  55  grains. 

There  are  specimens  of  this  New  York  Token  in  lead,  brass, 
and  perhaps  in  tin;  it  was  probably  originated  in  Holland,  for 
circulation  in  New  York,  but  never  minted  in  any  quantity. 
Perhaps  the  scranny  bird  inscribed  as  the  device  of  this  coin, 
was  the  primitive  attempt  to  display  the  eagle  as  an  American 
emblem. 

The  "New  England  Stiver." 

A  token,  supposed  to  have  been  minted  in  Holland,  early 
in  the  seventeenth  century  to  furnish  small  change  for  the 
use  of  Dutch  Traders  in  New  Amsterdam,  now  the  city  of 
New  York. 

Obverse:  Two  lions,  one  above,  facing  left;  one  beneath, 
inverted,  facing  right ;  to  the  left  of  the  lions  i  ;  to  the 
right  of  them  S  Around  all  these,  is  inscribed  a  circle  of 
dashes,  forming  a  deep  milled  border. 

Reverse :  An  inscription,  in  four  lines,  NEW  ENGLA  ND 
p(    The  N's  all  reversed,  the  M  inverted.     Edge,  plain;  size, 

\ 


206  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

12 ;  weiglit,  37  grains.     The  style  of  work  in  this  coin  is  the 
only  indication  of  the  period  of  its  issue. 

The  Glovcester  Token. 

This  piece,  of  an  unknown  origin,  and  without  a  history,  is 
believed  to  have  been  a  pattern  for  a  shilling  to  be  issued  by 
Eichard  Dawson,  of  Gloucester  Co.  (or  Court  House),  Vir- 
ginia. The  only  two  specimens  known,  are  both  struck  in 
brass  and  quite  imperfect. 

Obverse :  A  large  mullet ;  the  center  and  points  are  void. 
Legend:    "ETC,"    and    indistinct    letters,    supposed    to    be, 
"HAED,"  then  "DAWSON- ANNO-DOM-1714. 

Eeverse:  A  house.  Legend:  "GLOVCESTEECO.,"  and 
indistinct  letters,  supposed  to  be,  "HOUSE-",  then  "YIR- 
GINIA-"  Exergue:  "XII"  Borders,  beaded;  Edge,  plain. 
Brass.     Size,  14 ;  weight,  62  grains. 


COLONIES 

FRANCOISES 

1722 


Louisiana  Cent. 

In  1721, 1722  and  1767,  various  Copper  Coins  were  struck  in 
Paris,  France,  for  the  use  of  the  colonies  of  France;  these 
pieces  are  popularly  known  in  the  United  States  of  America 
as  "Louisiana  Cents,"  and  as  such,  one  is  here  presented,  as 
among  the  earlier  coinages  for  America,  yet  not  for  a  British 
colony. 

Obverse:  The  letter  "L"  in  duplicate,  crossing,  saltier wise^ 
surmounted  by  a  crown.  Legend :  "SIT  NOMEN.  DOMINI 
BENEDICTUM." 

Reverse :  An  inscription,  in  four  lines,  occupying  the  field. 
"COLONIES  FEANCOISES  1722  H" 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES. 


207 


The  Virginia  Half  Penny. 
Among  the  pieces  whicli  have  been  described  by  a  distin- 
guished English  author  as  "Coins  fofthe  Colonies,"  are  those 
called  Virginia  Ilalf- pennies ;  they  were  struck  in  copper,  with 
specimens  also  in  silver.  There  is  no  proof  of  the  especial  re- 
lation of  these  coins  to  Virginia,  and  we  have  the  authority 
of  Jefferson,  as  late  as  1782  (Works,  vol.  1,  p.  136),  for  the 
statement  that,  "In  Virginia,  coppers  have  never  been  in  use."^ 
It  is  evident  there  was  a  considerable  issue  of  these  coins,  but 
they  are  not  to  be  considered  as  having  been  the  currency  of 
the  colony  for  which  they  were  named. 


Virginia  Half  Penny,  1773. 


Obverse :  Laureated  bust  of  George  III  of  England,  facing 
right.     Legend:  "GEORGIVS-III-EEX-" 

Reverse :  An  ornamental  crowned  shield,  quartered  and  em- 
blazoned with  the  arms  of  England  and  Scotland ;  of  France ; 
of  Ireland ;  of  the  Electorial  dominions.  Legend :  "  VIRGI 
NIA  divided  by  the  shield.  Above  the  shield  17  73 
the  crown  dividing  the  figures.  Border,  milled;  Edge,  plain ; 
size,  15|  to  17  ;  weight,  110  to  123  grains,  and  in  one  variety, 
sometimes  called  a  "penny,"  131  grains. 


Virginia  Half  Penny,  1774. 


208  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA.       ^ 

» 

Obverse :  Laureated  bust  of  George  III  of  England,  facing 
right.    Legend:  "GEORGIVS-III  DEI- GRATIA-" 

Reverse :  Similar  to  tl^it  of  the  same  coinage  for  preceding 
year,  except  the  date  1774.  Border,  plain ;  Edge,  plain ;  size, 
16 ;  weight,  84  grains. 

There  seem  to  have  been  about  twenty  pair  of  dies  made  use 
of  in  striking  these  coins,  but  the  coinage  is  quite  regular,  the 
minor  cifferenoes  of  punctuation,  spacing  of  letters  and  the  like, 
oeing  considered  insufficient  to  establish  decided  varieties. 

Massachusetts  Pine  Tree  Copper,  1776. 

Obverse :  A  pine  tree,  rooted  in  the  earth ;  to  the  left  of 
the  trunk  "1  C ;"  to  the  right  of  the  same  "L.  M."  Legend : 
"MASSACnUSET  TS  STATE,"  the  top  of  the  tree  divi- 
ding the  first  word. 

Reverse:  The  goddess  of  liberty,  facing  left,  seated  upon  a 
globe;  in  her  left  hand  the  staff  of  liberty;  the  right  hand  is 
extended,  and  npcin  it  appears  a  liberty  cap.  At  her  feet  rests 
a  very  small  dog.  Legend:  "LIBERTY  AND  VIRTUE." 
Exergjie:  Beneath  a  heavy  line  "1776"  Borders,  milled; 
Edge,  plain ;  size,  20  ;  weight,  198  grains. 

This  piece  is  supposed  to  have  been  the  first  pattern  for  a 
Massachusetts  Cent.  The  specimen  is  considered  unique,  hav- 
ing been  dug  up  some  years  since.  The  "  1  C  L.  M  "  on  the  ob- 
verse is  probably  an  abbreviation  of  One  Cent  Lawful  Money. 

Massachusetts  Half  Pexny  ("  Janus  Copper  "). 

Obverse:  A  trifons  device  of  three  faces  together,  facing 
left,  front,  and  right.     Legend:  "STATE  OF  MASS  A  :  i  D 

Reverse:  The  goddess  of  lil»erty,  facing  right,  and  bracing 
backward  against  a  globe,  which  appears  to  be  slipping  away 
from  under  her;  in  her  right  hand  she  grasps  a  liberty  staff, 
in  her  left  holds  a  liberty  cap.  At  her  feet  rests  a  very  small 
dog.  Legend :  "  GODDESS  LIBERTY."  Exergue :  Beneath 
a  heavy  line  "1776"  Border,  plain;  Edge,  plain;  size,  15; 
weight,  81  grains. 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES. 


209 


This  specimen  is  doubtless  unique,  having  been  fouod 
among  the  papers  of  Paul  Revere,  and  supposed  to  be  en- 
graved by  him  for  some  private  enterprise  in  connection  with 
the  preceding  "  Pine  Tree  Copper." 


"Continental  Currency."  Three  Types.  Three  Varieties. 

The  ^^  Congress  in  America''''  in  1776,  is  said  to  have  issued 
a  coinage  of  tin  and  brass,  specimens  of  which  have  been 
found  in  silver.  The  design  resembles  very  much  that  subse- 
quently adopted  for  the  first  authorized  coins  of  the  United 
States.  This  Continental  Currency  may  be  described  as  fol- 
lows : 

Obverse:  Thirteen  interlinked  rings,  the  name  of  a  state 
being  inscribed  upon  each  ring.  Legend:  "  AMERICxV^/ 
CONGRESS'"  inscribed  upon  a  small  circular  label  in  the  cen- 
ter of  the  field.  "Within  the  space  enclosed  by  the  label,  is  an 
inscription,  "  WE  ARE  ONE,"  in  three  lines.  The  space  be- 
tween the  legend  and  the  thirteen  rings,  is  filled  by  a  glory  of 
short  rays. 

Reverse :  A  sun-dial,  to  the  right  of  the  center  of  the  field, 
surrounded  by  two  parallel  circles,  one  within  the  other.  Be- 
tween these  circles,  to  the  upper  left  of  the  field,  appears  a 
small  sphere,  representing  the  sun,  from  which  numerous  rays 
proceed  toward  the  dial.  Near  the  sun,  and  below  the  same, 
between  the  circles,  is  inscribed  the  word  "FUGIO."  Beneath 
the  sun-dial  is  an  inscription,  "  MiNi>  Your  Own  Business," 

N 


210  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

in  two  lines.  Outside  both  the  circles  and  around  the  whole,  the 
Legend:  "CONTINENTAL  CURRENCY  1776."  Borders, 
loeaded ;  Edge,  inscribed  with  ornamental  leaf  work  ;  size,  25 ; 
weight,  silver,  378  grains  ;  tin,  258  grains ;  brass,  224  grains. 

Specimens  of  this  currency,  in  silver,  have  circulated  as  dol- 
lars. The  greatest  number  of  impressions  were  made  in  tin. 
Of  specimens  in  brass  and  silver,  but  single  pieces  are  known. 
The  specimens  in  tin  are  not  very  common.  The  types  of  this 
coinage  arc  formed  in  part  by  differences  in  the  rings  on  the 
obverse,  some  of  which  are  plain,  some  beaded,  and  some 
partly  cut  into  lines,  the  first  style  being  most  numerous ;  the 
two  last  have  a  comma  under  the  N  in  the  Avord  "AMERI- 
CAy."  One  type  has  the  legend  thus,  "AMERICAN  CON- 
GRESS," and  "N.  HAMFS  precedes  "MASSACHS"  in  the 
inscriptions  on  the  rings.  The  first  variety  of  the  reverse  is 
as  described  and  illustrated ;  the  second  has  for  a  legend  only 
"CONTINENTAL  CURRENCY,"  the  date  1776  being 
omitted.  Another,  used  with  the  last  described  obverse,  has 
the  sun  nearer  the  dial,  and  E.  G.  Fecet  in  the  inner  circle 
over  the  date.  Beside  the  pieces  of  Continental  Currency  in 
silver  and  brass,  supposed  to  be  unique,  that  having  this  last 
reverse  is  most  rare,  the  rest  being  neither  very  scarce,  nor 
yet  common. 

NoN  Dependens  Status. 

The  origin  and  history  of  this  fine  engraved  pattern  piece 
are  unknown  ;  the  specimen  is  interesting  as  perhaps  •  the 
earliest  presentation  upon  coin  of  the  legend  of  an  Independent 
American  state. 


NoN  Dkpendens  Status 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  211 

Obverse :  A  full  bust,  facing  right ;  flowing  hair  to  tbe 
sboulders.  Upon  tbe  drapery  of  the  bust  a  small  oval  shield 
as  an  epaulet,  emblazoned  with  a  staff  bearing  a  flag ;  across 
the  staff,  saltierwise,  rests  a  naked  sword.  In  each  angle  of 
this  device  is  displayed  a  fluer  de  lis.  Upon  the  breast  of  the 
bust  is  a  head  with  spreading  wings.  Legend :  "  NON-DE- 
PEN—    BENS-STATUS" 

Reverse :  An  Indian,  seated  upon  a  globe,  facing  left ;  nude/ 
except  a  cap  or  bandeau  upon  his  head,  and  a  feather  tunio' 
around  the  lower  part  of  the  body.  In  his  extended  right 
hand  he  holds  a  bunch  of  tobacco :  the  left  reaches  behind 
him  and  rests  upon  a  shield,  bearing  the  same  emblems  dis- 
played upon  the  epaulets  upon  the  bust  on  the  obverse.  Le-' 
gend:  "AMER  ICA"  divided  by  the  figure  of  the  Indiaa. 
Exergue:  1778.     Border,  plain;  Edge,  plain;  size,  19. 

Some  coin  dealers  advertise  the  Non  Dependens  Status  as 
"a  rare  copper,  worth  $100,00." 

Chalmers'  Axnapolis  Tokexs. 
This  Coinage  was  issued  in  1783,  by  a  goldsmith  named  L. 
Chalmers,  of  Annapolis,  Maryland,  as  a  speculation  on  his 
own  private  account.  The  denominations  are  shillings,  six- 
pences, and  threepences,  all  now  very  rare,  the  smaller  pieces 
especially  so. 

The  Chalmers'  Shilling.  (Unique). 
Obverse:  Equal  to  One  Shi  above  this  a  branch,  and  be- 
neath two  clasped  hands.     Legend :  "  I.  CHALMERS  «  AN- 
NAPOLIS ig  1783  <>  "     Border,  milled,  in  fine  work. 
.     Reverse:  A  chain  of  twelve  rings,  in  regular  links;  an- 
other ring  linked  in  the  three  lower  links  of  th6  chain.     From 
the  center  of  this  sett  of  four  rings,  arises  a  liberty  staff, 
crowned  by  a  cap,  which  is  displayed  at  the  center  of  the  field. 
Above  the  cap  is  an  eye.     There  are  mullets  enclosed  in  each  of  • 
the  eleven  upper  rings,  and  a  mullet  in  the  center  of  the  field,' 
each  side  of  the  liberty  cap.     Border,  beaded.     Silver ;  size,  13.' 


212  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

This  piece  is  supposed  to  be  unique,  and  at  the  sale  of  the 
Mickley  Collection,  brought  fifty,  dollars. 

The  Chalmers'  Shilling.  (Very  Rare). 

Obverse :  Clasped  hands,  inside  a  wreath.  Legend :  "  I. 
CHALMERS,  ANNAPOLIS.     )^" 

Reverse :  Center,  a  heavy  horizontal  bar ;  below,  two  doves, 
a  branch  in  their  bills ;  above  the  bar  is  horizontally  extended 
the  figure  of  a  serpent;  around  the  field  is  a  fine  circle,  and 
outside  of  this  and  acrninst  it  a  beaded  ring.  Legend: 
•^»ONE  SHILLING  »  1783."  Border,  milled;  Edge, 
milled.  Silver ;  size,  l-i^  ;  weight,  57  grains.  There  are  two 
slightly  different  dies  of  this  reverse. 

The  Chalmers'  Sixpence. 

Obverse:  Center,  an  open  mullet,  enclosed  by  a  wreath. 
Legend:  "L  CUALMERS.ANNAPOLIS." 

Reverse:  An  ornately  ornamental  right-angled  cross,  at  the 
center  of  which  are  displayed  two  clasped  hands.  The  perpen- 
dicular arm  of  the  cross  has  a  crescent  at  either  end  and  a 
small  ornament ;  the  horizontal  arm  has  a  star  at  either  end ; 
in  each  angle  of  the  cross  is  displayed  a  leaf.  Legend  :  "  I.  C. 
SIX  PENCE  1783."  Border, milled ;  Edge,  milled.  Silver; 
size,  11 ;  weight,  28  grains. 

The  Chalmers'  Threepence. 

Obverse :  Two  hands,  clasped.  Legend :  "  I.  CHALMERS  . 
ANNAP      ♦ " 

Reverse :  A  branch,  with  buds  or  fruit,  surrounded  by  a 
wreath.  Legend:  "THREE  *  PENCE  •  1783."  Border, 
milled;  Edge,  milled;  size,  8;  weight,  12  grains. 

At  the  date  of  the  Chalmers'  Coinage,  it  had  become  custo- 
mary to  cut  silver  dollars  in  halves,  quarters,  and  eighths,  for 
change.  The  cutting  was  presently  done  so  as  to  make  five 
pieces  of  a  dollar,  which  were  called  quarters,  or  nine  or  ten 
:]^ieces  called  eighths.    This  abuse  rendered  the  pieces  so  cut 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  213 

uncurrent,  and  Chalmers,  buying  the  bullion  at  a  discount, 
made  his  issue  of  underweight  coin  at  a  double  advantage. 

The  Nova  Constellatio  Patterns. 

Beside  the  remarkable  issue  of  paper  money  during  the  war 
for  independence,  the  American  Congress,  as  has  been  de- 
scribed, was  credited  with  the  production  of  a  "  Continental 
Currency  "  of  tin  in  1776.  In  1781,  the  same  body  of  legisla- 
tors undertook  to  provide  a  general  metallic  currency  for  the 
confederated  states,  of  which  they  were  the  representatives^ 
To  this  end,  Robert  Morris,  the  distinguished  Financier  of  the 
Confederation,  was  directed  to  take  the  subject  of  an  American 
coinage  and  currency  under  consideration,  and  thereupon,  as 
soon  as  practicable,  make  his  report. 

On  January  15th,  1782,  Robert  Morris  made  report  to  Con- 
gress of  a  system  of  coinage  suggested  by  Gouverneur  Morris, 
It  had  been  found  that  the  different  coins  which  had  circu- 
lated in  America  had  undergone  such  varied  changes  in  value, 
that  hardly  any  could  be  considered  a  general  standard.  The 
coin  which  most  nearly  served  as  such  a  standard,  was  found  to 
be  the  Spanish  dollar.  These  dollars  passed  in  Georgia  at  five 
shillings,  in  North  Carolina  and  New  York  at  eight  shillings, 
in  Virginia  and  the  four  Eastern  states  at  six  shillings,  and  in 
all  the  other  states  except  South  Carolina  at  seven  shillings 
and  sixpence,  and  in  South  Carolina  at  thirty-two  shillings  ancy 
sixpence. 

The  money  unit,  to  agree  with  all  these  different  values  ex- 
cept  that  of  South  Carolina,  was  found  in  the  fourteen  hun, 
drcd  and  fortieth  part  of  the  dollar — the  sixteen  hundredth 
part  of  a  crown.  A  very  small  monetary  unit  was  considered 
an  advantage  to  commerce,  but  it  was  not  considered  necessary 
that  this  unit  should  be  exactly  represented  in  a  coin,  provided 
its  value  were  generally  and  precisely  known.  Two  copper 
coins  were  proposed,  one  of  five  units  and  one  of  eight  units, 
and  it  was  suggested  they  might  be  called  "Five"  and  "  Eight" 
accoidingly.     The  money  unit,  as  was  stated,  would  be  worth 


JU  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

one  quarter  of  a  grain  of  fine  silyer  in  coined  money.  Thence, 
in  a  decimal  ratio,  one  hundred  units  would  be  the  lowest  sil- 
ver coin,  supposed  to  be  made  of  twenty-five  grains  of  fine  sil- 
ver, to  which  might  be  added  two  grains  of  copper,  making 
the  coin  weigh  one  pennyweight  and  three  grains.  This  coin 
it  wasf  propcsed  to  call  a  Cent.  Five  Cents  were  to  make  a 
QuiXT,  or  five  hundred  units,  and  the  coin  representing  this 
denomination  was  to  be  of  the  same  metal  and  fineness  as  the 
Cent,  and  weigh  five  pennyweights  and  fifteen  grains.  Ten 
Cents  were  to  make  a  Mark,  or  one  thousand  units,  represented 
by  a  _coin  of  the  same  metal  and  fineness  as  the  Cent  and 
Quint,  to  weigh  eleven  pennyweights  and  six  grains. 

No  immediate  action  was  taken  by  Congress  in  relation  to 
this  piece  of  business,  yet  the  scheme  was  discussed  repeatedly 
and  by  such  persons  as  Thomas  Jefferson  and  his  especial  col- 
leagues. Jefferson  considered  the  monetary  unit  proposed  by 
Gouyerneur  Morris,  and  approved  by  Robert  Morris  through 
his  report  to  Congress,  too  small.  In  this  Robert  Morris  was, 
according  to  the  writings  of  Jefferson,  brought  in  some  mea- 
sure to  agree  to,  both  considering  that  "/Ae  ease  of  adoption 
with  the  people"  was  the  thing  to  be  a  raed  at.  To  meet  the 
•views  of  Jefferson,  Morris  proposed  the  Mark  as  a  unit,  in- 
stead of  the  fourteen  hundred  and  fortieth  part  of  a  dollar,  as 
at  first  suggested.  The  Mark,  according  to  the  account  given 
by  Jefferson,  was  worth  about  4s,  2d.  lawful  money,  or  twenty- 
five  thirty-sixths  of  a  dollar.  As  a  monetary  unit,  Jefferson 
proposed  the  Dollar  itself,  and  whether  tliat  or  the  Mark 
should  be  so  regarded,  came  to  be  the  only  question  left  be- 
tween the  two  famous  statesmen. 

Various  plans  were  proposed  by  Robert  Morris ;  one  of  his 
systems  provides  for  a  decimal  coinage,  of  which  the  series 
^rst  proposed  would  have  been  issued  as  follows: 

Ten  Quarters  to  make  one  ^enny  ; 

Ten  Pence  to  make  one  "JiVr'  or  hit; 

Ten  Bits  to  make  one  dollar  ; 

5^en  Dollars  to  make  one  croum. 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  215 

The  Quarter  proposed  as  a  unit  was  to  be  made  of  the 
value  of  a  quarter  of  a  grain  of  pure  silver,  or  one  fourteen 
hundred  and  fortieth  part  of  a  Spanish  dollar.  The  Crown 
was  to  have  been  coined  of  gold,  the  dollar  of  silver;  the 
penny  must  have  been  the  smallest  coin  and  presumably  the 
only  one  in  copper,  llobert  Morris  also  proposed  that  other 
coins  than  those  named  could  be  struck  if  required,  but  each 
to  contain  an  exact  number  of  quarters.  The  names  of  the 
coins  he  stated  were  arbitrary  "like  all  other  names"  ;  for  ex- 
ample, the  word  crown  occurred  from  an  idea  of  a  design  for 
the  gold  piece  to  be  as  follows:  "An  Indian,  with  his  bow 
in  his  left  hilnd,  and  in  his  right  hand  thirteen  arrows,  and 
his  right  foot  on  a  crown;  the  inscription,  manus  inimica 
tyrannisJ'^  "The  Financier  of  the  Eevolution"  subsequently 
changed  this  plan  of  his  and  made  the  unit  of  his  new  series 
equal  in  value  to  twelve  shillings  and  sixpence  sterling,  which 
he  called  a  pound. 

Ten  Doits  to  make  one  penny ; 
Ten  Pence  to  make  one  shilling  ; 
Ten  Shillings  to  make  one  pound. 

Such  was  to  be  the  system  of  account ;  the  coins  to  repre- 
sent the  same  were  denominated 

The  Crown,  of  gold,  of  1,200  Doits. 
"    Half  Crown,  "     "       600 
"    Dollar,  of  silver,  "       300 
"    Shilling,       "       "       100 
"    Groat,  "       "       .20 

"    Doit,  "       "  1 

There  were  other  proposals  made,  the  embodiment  of  which 
is  to  be  found  in  the  American  State  Papers.  Early  in  1783, 
or  perhaps  late  in  1782,  preparations  were  made  for  the  "Mint 
of  North  America."  The  business  was  entrusted  by  Robert 
Morris  to  Benjamin  Dudley.  The  die-sinkers  and  engravers 
employed  were  Jacob  Eckfield,  John  Swanwick,  and  A.  Du- 


216  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

bois.  The  first  piece  struck  as  an  American  coin,  was  one  of 
silver,  which  was  delivered  to  Robert  Morris  by  Dudley,  April 
2nd,  1783.  Being  urged  at  various  times  by  Morris  to  hasten 
the  work  upon  the  coin3  "to  lay  before  Congress  to  establish 
a  Mint,"  Benjamin  Dudley,  on  April  22nd,  17S3,  "sent  in  sev- 
eral Pieces  of  Money  as  patterns  of  the  intended  American 
Coins."  During  July,  it  was  proposed  to  buy  a  Minting 
Press  then  in  the  city  of  New  York,  but  Morris  had  become 
doubtful  of  the  immediate  establishment  of  the  mint,  and  not 
only  declined  to  purchase  the  Mint  Press  on  account  of  the 
Government,  but  advised  Dudley  to  seek  private  employment. 
On  the  30th  of  August,  1783,  the  dies  for  coining  in  the 
"American  Mint"  were  delivered  by  Dudley  to  the  Financier 
of  the  Confederation.  From  these  dies  the  coins  here  de- 
scribed, and  perhaps  others,  were  produced. 

The  "Continental  Currency,"  already  described  as  having 
been  struck  in  tin  and  dated  1776,  may  be  regarded  as  per- 
haps the  first  attempt  of  the  confederated  states  to  establish  a 
national  currency  of  coin ;  however,  the  origin  of  the  tin 
coinage  of  1776  is  uncertain,  although  it  bears  the  devices 
and  legends  subsequently  adopted  for  the  Fugios  as  an  issue 
authorized  by  Congress.  The  Nova  Constellatio  Patterns, 
though  a  few  years  later  in  date,  are  of  surpassing  interest, 
not  only  on  account  of  their  great  rarity,  but  as  the  original 
evidence  of  the  first  well-recorded  efibrt  by  Congress,  to  es- 
tablish a  general  mint  and  metallic  currency  therefrom. 

The  "Mark."     One  Type.     One  Variety.  (Unique.) 


The  Mark. 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  Ill 

Obverse:  An  eye,  the  center  of  a  glory,  thirteen  points 
cross,  equidistant;  a  circle  of  as  many  stars.  Legend:  "NO- 
VA CONSTELLATIO  o  " 

Eeverse:  "U  S.  1.000"  inscribed  in  two  lines,  a  wreath  sur- 
rounding. Legend:  "LIBERTAS- JUSTITIA- 1783-"  Bor. 
der,  a  wreath  of  leaves;  Edge,  leaf  work.  *  Silver;  size,  21  -, 
weight,  270  prains. 


The  Quint. 

No.  1.  Obverse:  An  eye,  around  which  a  narrow,  plain, 
circular  field ;  outside  a  glory,  thirteen  points  cross,  equidis- 
tant; a  circle  of  as  many  stars.  Legend:  "NOVA  CON- 
STELLATIO V  " 

Eeverse:  "U.  S  500"  inscribed  in  two  lines,  a  wreath  sur- 
rounding. Legend:  LIBERT  AS- JUSTITIA-1783."  Border, 
beaded ;  Edge,  Icafwork. 

No.  2.  Obverse :  Center,  an  eye,  around  which  a  glory, 
thirteen  points  cross,  equidistant ;  a  circle  of  as  many  stars ; 
outside  the  stars,  a  plain  raised  ring.     No  legend. 

Reverse :  Similar  to  that  already  described.  Border,  beaded ; 
Edge,  leafwork.     Silver;  size,  16;  weight,  110  grains. 

The  dies  for  the  Mark  are  supposed  to  have  been  cut  en- 
tirely by  hand,  while  those  for  the  Quint  were  made  in  the 
common  way,  by  the  use  of  punches.  The  entire  coinage 
from  the  dies  of  the  Nova  Constellatio  patterns  was  extremely 
limited,  possibly  but  a  single  piece  from  each  of  them,  merely 
as  specimens  to  lay  before  Congress.  But  three  specimens  are 
known,  a  Mark  and  two  Quints,  and  in  1875,  all  of  them  were 
in  the  possession  of  S.  S.  Crosby,  of  Boston,  Massachusetts. 
The  Mark  and  one  of  the  Quints  can  be  traced  directly  to  the 


218  DYE'S   com   ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

possession  of  Hon.  Charles  Thomson,  Secretary  of  the  first 
Congress.  The  reverse  of  the  other  Quint  is  from  the  same 
die,  hence,  beyond  doubt,  genuine.     A  coin  for  the  "  Five," 

somewhat  like  the  Quint,  inscribed  U.  S. 5  -  -  -  - 

1783,  was  described  in  1784,  by  Samuel  Curwen  ;  there  may, 
however,  still  be  "unknown  specimens  of  the  Eobert  Morris 
pattern  pieces  to  be  discovered. 

During  the  year  1784,  Jefferson,  in  behalf  of  a  Committee 
upon  Coins  and  Currency,  laid  before  Congress  a  report  re- 
commending the  Spanish  Dollar  as  the  monetary  unit,  it  being 
in  popular  use,  of  convenient  size,  and  capable  of  easy  division. 
Upon  this  basis,  it  was  proposed  to  strike  four  coins,  of  value 
as  follows : 

Ten  Dollars,  a  gold  coin. 
One  Dollar,  a  silver  coin. 
One-tenth  of  a  Dollar,  a  silver  coin. 
One-hundreth  of  a  Dollar,  a  copper  coin. 

The  principles  of  this  report,  made  by  Jefferson,  were  adopted 
in  1785,  and  in  1786,  Congress  made  legal  provision  for  a  coin- 
age on  the  decimal  system,  which  still  continues  in  the  United 
States  and  is  coming  into  use  throughout  the  world. 

The  Georgivs  Trumpho. 

This  token  has  occasioned  varied  conclusions;  some  con- 
sider it  as  havinsf  been  struck  in  honor  of  Gcorjre  Washinsrton, 
who,  at  the  date  given  the  piece,  1783,  was  indeed  the  tri- 
umphant George,  by  virtue  of  success  in  winning  the  indepen- 
dence of  his  country.  Others  suggest  this  piece  relates  to 
George  III  of  England,  as  the  efh^y  upon  the  obverse  rcsem- 
bled  him.  The  coinage  was  probably  made  from  a  die  pro- 
duced by  using  an  old  English  hub,  engraved  with  a  head  of 
George  III,  the  details  of  legend,  date,  etc.,  being  added  to  suit 
the  fancy  of  the  artist  and  the  political  circumstances  of  the 
time  and  country.  George  III  made  a  good  enough  George 
Washington  to  strike  coppers  with,  as  may  have  been  thought, 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  219 

just  as  in  various  instances  the  figure  of  Brittania  made  a  use- 
ful but  rather  disreputable-looking  "goddess  of  liberty,"  "ge- 
nius of  Columbia,"  etc.,  etc. 

Obverse :  A  laureated  head,  resembling  George  III,  facing- 
right.     Legend:  "GEORGIVS'TKIUMPHO." 

The  goddess  of  Liberty,  facing  left ;  before  her  is  a  frame- 
work of  thirteen  bars,  a  fleur-de-lis  at  each  corner  of  the  same. 
In  her  extended  right  hand  the  goddess  holds  an  olive  branch  ; 
her  left  is  uplifted,  supporting  a  liberty  staff".  Legend: 
"VOCE  POPOLI."  Exergue:  the  date  1783.  Borders, 
milled;  Edge,  plain;  size,  18;  weight,  117  grains. 

""Washington  and  Independence  1783."  Five  Types.  Six 
Varieties. 

The  Unity  States  Cent. 

The  early  coinage  created  for  pattern  pieces,  or  as  an  irregu- 
lar currency  for  general  circulation  in  the  United  States  afj^er 
the  establishment  of  the  independence  of  the  nation,  was  in 
very  many  instances  made  to  bear  the  portrait  of  Washington 
as  the  most  prominent  republican  citizen  and  statesman  of  the 
era.  That  this  device  Avas  not  used  on  the  coin  of  the  United 
States  Govei-nment,  was  probably  due  to  the  repugnance  of 
Washington  to  allow  an  observance  and  custom  tending,  in 
his  opinion,  to  perpetuate  monarchal  institutions.  The  Wash- 
ington coinage,  or  that  of  pieces  bearing  the  likeness  or  the 
name  of  Washington,  is  quite  extensive ;  a  comparatively  few 
specimens  are  herein  described,  but  these  include  some  of  the 
earliest  dates  and  most  prominent,  rare  or  interesting  exam- 
ples. A  remarkable  instance  of  a  foreign  coin,  doubtless  is- 
sued for  private  speculation,  is  the  so-called  "unity  Cent," 
supposed  to  have  been  made  in  France,  the  designers'  ignor- 
ance of  tlic  English  language  being  supposed  to  account  for 
the  character  of  the  Iccfend. 

O 

Ko.  1.  Obverse:  A  large  laureated  bust  of  Washington, 
draped,  facing  left.  Legend:  "WASEINGTON"  AND  IN- 
DEPENDENCE 1783." 

Eeverse :  Two  olive  branches,  enwreathed,  and  an  inscrip- 


220  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

tion  of  "ONE  CENT"  Legend:  "UNITY  STATES  OF 
AMERICA  "  Exergue:  1-100  iu  two  lines.  Border  milled; 
Edge,  plain;  size,  17|;  weight,  114  grains. 

No.  2.  Obverse:  Large  laureated  bust  of  Washington, 
draped,  facing  left.  Legend:  "WASHINGTON  &  INDE- 
PENDENCE-1783-" 

Reverse:  The  figure  of  a  female,  facing  left,  seated  upon  a 
rock ;  in  her  right  hand  an  olive  branch,  her  left  supporting 
a  liberty  staff,  which  bears  a  cap.  Legend:  "UNITED 
STATES  "  Border,  beaded ;  Edge,  generally  plain ;  size,  17^ ; 
weight,  128  grains. 

Two  dies  of  Obverse  No.  2.  The  same  number  of  dies  of 
this  rcver.se  ;  minor  differences  of  obverses.  One  reverse  has 
iu  the  exergue  T.  W.  I.  E.  S.  Copper  or  brass.  En- 
grailed edges  on  some  specimens. 

No.  3.  Obverse :  A  small  bust  of  Washington,  in  uniform, 
lauteated,  facing  left,  hair  in  a  queue.  Legend:  "WASH- 
INGTON &  INDEPENDENCE-1783-" 

Reverse:  A  figure  of  a  female,  facing  left,  seated  upon  a 
rock;  right  hand  holds  an  olive  branch,  left,  staff  of  liberty, 
with  cap.  Legend:  "UNITED  STATES"  Exergue:  T. 
W.  I.  E.  S.  Border,  beaded;  Edge,  plain;  size,  17 J; 
weight,  120  grains.     Two  obverse  and  three  reverse  dies. 

The  Double  Head  Washington  Cent. 

A  bust  of  Washington,  in  uniform,  laureated,  facing  left, 
hair  in  a  queue.     Legend:  "WASHINGTON" 

Reverse:  A  bust  of  Washington,  in  uniform,  laureated, 
facing  left,  hair  in  queue.  Legend:  "ONE  CENT"  Bor- 
ders, beaded;  Edgei,  plain;  size,  17;  weight,  124  grains. 
As  an  ornament,  an  elongated  star  is  inscribed  under  the 
busts. 

The  only  very  rare  Washington  Cent  yet  described,  is  that 
from  one  of  the  Washington  k  Independence  dies  of  the  type 
bearing  the  small  head;  in  it,  the  features  are  less  prominent, 
the  expression  unlike  the  rest  of  the  series. 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES. 


221 


WASHINGTON  •  THE  •  GREAT  •  D  •  G. 

Obverse :  A  very  ugly  head,  facing  to  the  right.  Legend : 
"WASHINGTON-THE-GREAT-D-G."     Border,  serrated. 

Reverse :  A  chain,  with  thirteen  rings,  the  name  of  a  state 
within  each  ;  inside  the  chain,  upon  the  lower  part  of  the  cen- 
tral field,  the  figures  84.  Border,  plain ;  Edge,  plain ;  size, 
\Q\  ;  weight,  102  grains. 

The  figures  84  described,  are  supposed  to  be  part  of  1784, 
an  abraded  date.  But  two  specimens  of  this  coin  arc  extant, 
and  both  of  them  are  so  badly  defaced,  that  the  actual  date 
can  be  determined  from  neither. 


The  Immune  Columbias. 
The  finely-executed  dies  of  the  Immune  Columbias,  are  sup- 
posed to  have  been  made  by  Thomas  Wyon,  of  Birmingham, 
England.  The  obverses  appear  on  the  copper  Nova  Constel- 
latios,  and  they  were  variously  combined  or  muled  with  other 
pieces,  in  gold,  silver,  and  copper,  as  is  hereafter  described. 


The  Immune  Columbias. 

First  Obverse:  An  eye,  on  a  small,  plain  circular  field* 
from  the  outside  of  the  field  radiates  a  glory  of  thirteen  blunt 
points,  crossing,  equidistant,  the  spaces  between  as  many 
stars  in  a  circular  constellation.  Legend:  "NOVA  CON- 
STELLxVTIO."     Border,  serrated. 

Second  Obverse :  Same  as  the  first,  except  that  the  points 
of  the  rays  in  the  glory  are  made  somewhat  finer,  and  the  le- 
gend is  punctuated  as  here  presented.  "NOVA*CONSTEL- 
LATIO  *  "     Border,  serrated. 


222  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Reverse:  The  goddess  of  liberty,  seated  upon  a  paneled 
cubic  pedestal,  facing  right ;  her  left  hand  is  well  ex. 
tended  and  balances  the  scales  of  justice.  A  short  liberty 
staff',  crowned  with  a  cap  and  bearing  a  flag,  rests  against  her 
right  shoulder,  and  is  supported  by  the  right  hand.  Legend  : 
"  IMMUNE  COLUMBIA-"  Exergue :  The  date  1785.  Bor- 
der, serrated ;  Edge,  plain  or  milled;  size,  17;  weight,  gold. 
128.8  grains ;  silver,  92  grains ;  copper,  148  grains. 

This  reverse  was  "muled"  or  used  with  the  dies  made  by 
Atlee  for  the  Vermont  coinage,  and  those  for  Machin  &  Co., 
already  described.  The  work  of  Atlee  was  much  inferior  to 
that  of  Wyon.  How  the  Immune  Columbia  dies  came  in  pos- 
session of  those  who  thus  wore  them  out,  is  unknown.  The 
dies  muled  with  the  Immune  Columbia  are  as  follows : 

Vermon  Auctori. 

Obverse :  A  laureated  head,  mailed  bust,  facing  right.  Le- 
gend :  "VERMON  AUCTORI"  Border,  serrated;  Edge, 
plain;  size,  16;  weight,  106  grains. 

Georgius  Hii  III-  Rex. 

Obverse :  A  laureated  head,  mailed  bust,  facing  right :  Le- 
gend :  "CEORCIVS  •  III-REX."  Border,  serrated;  Edge, 
plain;  size,  16;  weight,  129  grains. 

The  misspelling  of  the  legend  in  this  die,  and  on  another 
piece  of  work,  indicates  that  the  letter  ""G"  was  missing  from 
among  the  punches  used  by  Atlee.  lie  sometimes  struck  the 
"C"  punch  in  a  die  and  then  engraved  it  into  a  "G."  As 
these  muled  or  combination  pieces  may  have  been  intended  as 
trial  pieces,  the  engraver  perhaps  omitted  to  finish  his  work 
in  his  usual  manner.  These  pieces,  bearing  the  Immune  Co- 
lumbia reverse,  are  all  extremely  rare.  Th«r  specimen  in  gold 
is  supposed  to  be  unique,  and  is  in  the  Cabinet  of  the  Mint  at 
Philadelphia.  The  obverse  "  NOVA  CONS TELLATIO,"  re- 
verse  "IMMUNE  COLUMBIA,"  struck  on  a  guinea  of  one  of 
the  Georges  of  England,  is  a  thin  piece,  and  somewhat  abraded, 
yet  the  legend  of  the  guinea  may  be  discerned  beneath  the 
more  recent  impression  of  the  "Immune."     The  piece  is  of 


BRITISH  COLONIAL  COINAGES.  223 

128.8  grains  weight,  the  original  weight  having  been  129.5 
grains ;  its  present  bullion  value  is  computed  by  Mr.  W.  E. 
Du  Bois,  Assajer  of  the  Mint,  at  $5,05.  Five  specimens  are 
known  in  silver,  all  having  the  first  described  obverse  and 
milled  edges ;  an  unique  copper  specimen  exists  of  the  same 
description.  Of  the  second  obverse,  eight  copper  specimens, 
with  plain  edges,  are  known.  The  muled  pieces,  all  of  cop- 
per, are  perhaps  even  more  rare  than  the  others. 

The  Confederatios  and  Excelsiors. 

The  Confederatios  and  Excelsiors,  as  they  are  called,  are  a 
noteworthy  and  somewhat  extensive  series  of  varied  coins, 
the  relation  of  which  is  not  historically  evident,  though  defi- 
nite peculiarities  in  the  different  coins,  show  a  common  origin 
for  most  of  the  dies  in  the  work  of  the  same  hand,  or  at  least 
in  the  fact  of  their  production  from  one  set  of  punches  under 
direction  of  a  single  artist. 

The  best  authorities  conclude  these  dies  were  made  by 
Thomas  Wyon,  of  Birmingham,  England,  and  intended  as 
patterns  for  the  coins  of  New  Jersey,  and  for  New  York,  and 
some  of  the  Washington  pieces  probably,  to  be  adopted  for 
the  coinage  of  the  United  States  Mint.  Most  of  the  coinage 
is  supposed  to  have  been  done  at  Birmingham,  but  one  of  the 
dies  was,  as  it  appears,  brought  to  America  and  used  in  the 
Mint  of  New  Jersey,  as  a  model  for  the  making  of  other  dies, 
and  subsequently,  in  1777,  to  stamp  a  very  few  impressions, 
of  which  but  two  are  known  to  be  extant. 


CONFEDERATIO   AND   ImMUNIS   COLUMBIA 


221  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Confederatio — First  Obverse :  A  circular  central  field,  size 
8,  covered  with  a  cluster  of  large  stars ;  around  this  device  a 
glory  of  fine  rays,  presenting  a  corrugated  outline  of  twenty- 
four  points.  Legend:  "CONFEDERATIO- 1 785-"  Border, 
serrated. 


Confederatio  and  Inimica  Tyuannis. 

Second  Obverse:  A  circular  central  field,  size  6,  covered 
with  a  cluster  of  thirteen  small  stars;  around  this  device  a 
glory  of  fine  rays,  presenting  a  corrugated  outline  of  sixteen 
points.  Legend:  "CONFEDERATIO-1785-"  Border,  ser- 
rated. 

Reverse  1 :  An  Indian,  standing  beside  an  altar  or  pedestal, 
his  right  foot  upon  a  crown,  an  arrow  in  his  right  hand,  a  bow 
in  his  left;  at  his  back  a  quiver  full  of  arrows.  Legend: 
"INIMICA  TYRANNISAMERICA-"  Border,  serr^ated; 
Edge,  plain;  size,  18;  weight,  112  grains. 

The  coin  bearing  this. reverse  was  found  in  digging  up  an 
old  drain  at  Berlin,  Connecticut,  in  1861. 

Reverse  2 :  Same  device  as  the  preceding  reverse.  Legend : 
"INIMICA  TYRANNIS-AMERICANA-"  Border,  serrated; 
Edge,  plain;  size,  18;  weight,  147  to  153  grains. 

The  obverses  and  reverses  already  described,  are  supposed 
to  have  been  intended  for  each  other  originally,  in  the  order 
mentioned.  Reverse  1  has  been  found  with  the  first  obverse 
only;  reverse  2  was  struck  with  both  the  first  and  vsecond 
obverse. 

Reverse  3  :  Monogram,  U  S  enclosed  within  a  wreath.  Le- 
gend :  "LIBERTAS ET  JUSTITIA-1785"     Border, abraded 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  225 

on  the  specimen;  Edge,  plain ;  size,  17;  weight,  103  grains. 

Reverse  4 :  Head  of  "Washington,  facing  right.  Legend : 
"GEN. WASHINGTON."  Border,  plain;  Edge,  plain;  size, 
18^  ;  weight,  134  grains. 

Reverse  5  :  An  eagle,  displayed,  bearing  on  his  breast  a  shield 
argent,  six  pales  gules,  a  chief  azure ;  right  talon,  a  bundle  of  ar- 
rows ;  left  talon,  an  olive  branch  ;  about  the  head  of  the  eagle, 
thirteen  stars.  Legend:  "  :^  E- PLURIBUS  UNUM-1786" 
Border,  plain;  Edge,  pl^n;  size,  18 J ;  weight,  134  grains. 

Reverse  6 :  Goddess  of  liberty,  seated  upon  a  globe,  facing 
right ;  in  her  extended  left  hand  she  balances  the  scales  of 
justice ;  with  her  right  hand  she  supports  the  staff  of  liberty 
bearing  a  flag  and  crowned  with  a  cap.  Legend:  "IMMUNIS 
COLUMBIA-"  Exergue:  "1786."  Border,  serrated ;  Edge, 
plain;  size,  18;  weight,  160  grains. 

Reverse  7 :  A  shield  argent,  six  pales  gules,  a  chief  azure. 
Legend:  "♦  E  ♦  PLURIBUS  «  UNUM  ♦"  Border, ser- 
rated ;  Edge,  plain ;  size,  18 ;  weight,  160  grains. 

Reverse  8  :  An  eagle,  displayed  ;  on  his  breast  a  shield  ar- 
gent ;  six  pales  gules ;  a  chief  azure ;  in  the  right  talon,  an 
olive  branch,  in  the  left,  a  bundle  of  arrows ;  about  the  head 
of  the  eagle,  thirteen  stars.  Legend:  "E-  PLURIBUS 
UNUM  ♦  ♦  1787  )*t"  Border,  milled;  Edge,  plain; 
.size,  18;  weight,  114  grains. 


The  New  Jersey  Immunis. 
The  Confederatio.     First  Obverse  (large  stars),  was  used 
with  the  reverses  1,  2,  3,  4,  5  and  6. 

The  Confederatio.     Second  Obverse   was   used  with   Re- 
verses 2  and  8. 
o 


226  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Eeverse  4  is  shown  on  one  specimen  with  Reverse  5,  and 
Beverse  5  is  seen  on  another  piece  muled  with  Reverse  7. 

Reverse  6  is  found,  but  very  rarely,  muled  with  Reverse  7, 
forming  "The  New  Jersey  Immunis." 

All  the  combinations  described  are  of  extreme  rarity.  The 
weights  given  with  the  description  of  the  reverses,  are  those 
of  pieces  formed  by  the  Confederatio  obverses  and  the  dies 
mentioned. 

The  "New  York  Excelsiors."     Two*Types.     Two  Varieties. 

These  pieces  are  called  "The  New  York  Excelsior  Cents," 
though  there  is  nothing  in  the  device  or  legend  to  indicate 
such  a  denomination.  They  are  evidently  associated  with  the 
Confederatios  and  their  varied  reverses. 


The  New  York  Excelsior. 

Obverse :  Arms  of  the  state  of  New  York.  Center,  an  oval 
shield,  upon  which  is  shown  the  sun  rising  from  behind  a 
range  of  hills,  the  sea  in  the  foreground ;  left  Liberty,  with 
staff  and  cap ;  right  Justice,  with  sword  and  scales ;  upon  the 
top  of  the  shield  a  hemisphere,  supporting  an  eagle,  wings 
outspread,  facing  left.  In  Exergue:  "EXCELSIOR"  Bor- 
der, serrated;  Edge,  plain;  size,  18;  weight,  141  grains. 

In  the  second  Obverse  of  the  Excelsiors,  the  eagle  faces 
Tight,  which  is  the  only  prominent  difference. 

Reverse :  The  Excelsior  Obverse  first  described  (eagle  facing 
left),  is  coined  with  Reverse  8,  of  the  Confederatios,  which  see. 

The  Excelsior  Obverse  last  described  (eagle  facing  right),  is 
coined  with  Reverse  8,  of  the  Confederatios  and  the  fol- 
lowing : 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  227 

Eeverse  9 :  A  large  eagle,  displayed,  a  shield  upon  his 
breast,  argent  six  pales  gules ;  a  chief  azure ;  right  talon,  a 
bundle  of  arrows;  left  talon,  an  olive  branch.  About  the 
head  of  the  eagle  are  thirteen  stars.  Legend :  "  *  E  i|t  PLU- 
RIBUS  UNUM  1787  ♦"  Border,  serrated;  Edge, 
plain;  size,  18| ;  weight,  123  grains. 

The  wings  of  the  eagle  nearly  touch  the  legend,  the  beak 
widely  open,  the  crest  long  and  slender. 

All  these  Excelsior  combinations  are  quite  rare ;  of  the  last, 
First  Obverse  and  Reverse  9,  very  few  specimens ;  two  or 
more  are  known. 

The  Non  Vi  Yirtute  Vici,'Etc. 
The  coins  called  the  "Non  Vi  Virtute  Vici"  (1786),  lA- 
munis  Columbia  (1787),  Liber  Natus  Libertatem,  and  the 
George  Clinton  (1787),  appear  to  have  l)een  made  from  dies 
engraved  by  Atlee,  showing  as  they  do  the  marks  of  the  same 
tools  used  upon  the  dies  for  Machin  &  Co.,  of  New  Grange, 
New  York,  the  "Vermont  Mint,  at  Rupert,  Vermont,  and  the 
Mint  of  New  Jersey.  In  the  account  already  given  of  the 
Copper  Coinage  of  Connecticut,  it  appears  that  the  Connecti- 
cut Mint  was  at  one  time  rented  by  its  owners  to  one  Leaven- 
worth and  his  partners,  and  that  they  coined  planchets  or 
blanks  at  New  Haven,  which  were  struck  in  the  city  of  New 
York  on  their  account,  with  dies  belonging  to  said  Leaven- 
worth &  Co.,  or  those  who  did  the  mintage  for  them  in  New 
York  city.  The  coins  mentioned  by  their  legends  in  the  be- 
ginning of  this  paragraph,  are  supposed  to  be  those  produced 
from  the  blanks  thus  made  in  Connecticut.  The  die  for  the 
"Non  Vi  Virtute  Vici"  was,  perhaps,  a  pattern  made  by  Atlee 
during  the  preparations  for  the  establishment  of  the  works  of 
Machin  &  Company,  or  quite  probably,  was  produced  by  him 
before  the  formation  of  the  partnership,  after  the  manner  of 
such  artists,  privately,  on  his  own  account,  as  an  experimen- 
tal piece,  to  be  used  when  occasion  should  offer.  The  piece  is 
by  some  collectors  classed  among  the  "Washington  coinage,  be- 


228 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 


cause  the  head  upon  the  obverse  bears  a  resemblance  to  the 
portrait  upon  a  number  of  the  larger  Washington  medals. 


NON  Yl  YlRTUTE  Yici. 

Obverse :  A  bust,  in  uniform,  facing  right.  Legend :  "  NON 
VI  VIRTUTEYICI" 

Eeverse:  The  goddess  of  liberty,  seated  upon  a  paneled 
cubipular  pedestal,  the  body  upright,  the  left  hand  fully  ex- 
tended and  balancing  the  scales  of  justice;  the  right  hand 
supports  a  liberty  staff  crowned  with  a  cap ;  the  lower  end  of 
the  staff  rests  at  the  feet  of  the  figure ;  the  cap  is  just  back  of 
its  shoulder,  and  very  near  the  legend.  Legend :  "  NEO- 
EBORACENSIS."  Exergue:  1786  Borders, serrated ;  Edge, 
plain;  size,  19;  weight,  117  grains. 


Immuxis  Columbia  (1787). 

Obverse :  The  goddess  of  liberty,  seated  upon  a  globe,  facing 
right ;  in  her  fully  extended  left  hand  she  balances  the  scales 
of  justice ;  the  right  hand  supports  a  liberty  staff,  bearing  a 
flag  and  crowned  with  a  cap.  Legpijd  j  '^  IMMUNIS  COLUM- 
BIA"    Exergue:  1787.  .  '  j  _,"/ 

Reverse:  An  eagle,  displayed;  right  talon,  an  olive  branch, 
thirteen  leaves :  left  talon,  thjcteen  arrows.     Legend:  "  *  £4> 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  229 

PLURIBUS  *  UNUM  ^  "    Borders,  serrated  ;  Edge,  plain; 
size,  16| ;  weight,  135  grains. 
Uncommon — not  extremely  rare. 

The  Nova  Constellatio  Coppers. 
This  series  of  tokens  is  said  to  have  been  made  at  Bir- 
mingham, England,  from  dies  engraved  by  Thomas  Wyon,  of 
that  place,  the  coinage  being  on  account,  as  is  supposed, 
of  Gouverneur  Morris,  of  New  York,  and  intended  for 
circulation  in  America.  Forty  tons  are  reported  to  have 
been  struck  from  one  die  alone,  and  many  more  from  an- 
other. The  series  includes  nine  types  and  nine  varieties, 
moit  of  which  are  common,  though  some  are  very  rare. 
These  Coppers  bear  date  respectively  1783,  1785  and  1786, 
as  here  described. 

1.  Obverse :  An  eye,  around  whicb  a  narrow,  plain,  circular 
field;  outside  a  glory;  thirteen  points  cross,  equidi.stant;  a 
circle  of  as  many  stars.  Legend:  "NOV A  CONSTELLA- 
TIO       ". 

Eeverse:  "U'S"  large  Roman  characters;  a  wreath  around 
the  field.  Legend:  LIBERTAS  JUSTITIA-1783.  Bor- 
ders, milled,  sometimes  serrated ;  Edge,  plain;  size,  16|  to  18; 
weight,  117  to  138  grains.  Three  Types.  Three  Varieties 
of  1783. 

2.  Obverse :  Same  as  preceding,  except  that  the  legend  lacks 
punctuation  or  ornament.  .  ,     /« 

Reverse:  Monogram  "US"  in  script,. around  wliicb  is  a 
wreatn.  Legend :  "LIBERTAS  ET  JUSTITIA178;j-"  Bor- 
ders, milled, sometimes  serrated;  Edge,  })lain;  size,  16 J  to  18; 
weight,  108  to  127  grains.  Five  Types.  Five  Varieties  of 
1783. 

3.  Obverse:  Same  as  the  preceding  of  1785.   *  ">*'''  '        ' 
Reverse:  Same  as  the  preceding  of  1785,  except  the  change 

of  date  to  1786.     One  Type.     One  Variety  of  1786. 

The  types  of  these  coins  a  few  differences  of  note  in  the 
form  of  the  rays ;  some  are  ligbt,  some  heavy,  some  cuniform, 


230  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

some  blunt ;  beside,  the  rays  varj  in  the  particular  direction 
in  which  they  point.  The  reverses  vary  most  in  the  punc- 
tuation of  the  legend,  the  disposition  of  the  leaves  of  the 
wreath,  and  the  sizes  of  the  letters  of  the  monogram  "  U  S." 
The  rare  pieces  are  mostly  included  in  the  coinage  for  1785, 
and  1786,  though  the  first  piece  described,  of  1783,  is  not 
common. 

The  Bar  Cent,  or  U  S  A  Copper. 

This  coin,  presumed  to  have  belonged  to  the  same  issue  as 
the  Nova  Constellatio  Coppers,  was  probably  made  in  Bir- 
mingham, England,  by  Thomas  Wyon,  for  circulation  in 
America.  The  "USA"  Copper  was  first  passed  as  money  in 
the  city  of  New  York,  in  November,  1785.  The  device  was 
taken  from  an  old  Continental  button,  to  which  fact  and  the 
light  weight  of  the  piece,  has  been  attributed  the  disfavor 
shown  the  coinage  and  the  limited  circulation  given  the  same. 

Obverse :  Large  Eoman  "US  A"  in  a  monogram,  on  a  plain 
field. 

Reverse :  Thirteen  horizontal  bars.  Border,  serrated ;  Edge, 
plain ;  size,  15J  ;  weight,  85  grains.     Two  pairs  of  dies. 

In  the  most  common  specimens,  the  top  of  the  "N"  in  the 
monogram  nearly  touches  the  letter  "A";  in  the  rare  type, 
there  is  considerable  space  at  this  point.  A  Bar  Cent,  size  15, 
is  extant,  supposed  by  some  to  have  been  of  the  original  coin- 
age and  intended  for  a  Half  Cent,  but  on  better  authority,  is 
decided  to  be  a  recent  imitation,  or  rather  a  modern  novelty, 
created,  as  supposed,  to  make  a  saleable  variety. 

George  Clinton. 

Obverse ;  Bust  of  George  Clinton,  facing  right.  Legend : 
"GEORGE  *  CLINTON  i^  " 

Reverse :  Arms  of  the  state  of  New  York.  Upon  an  oval 
shield  at  the  center  is  shown  the  sun  rising  from  behind  a 
range  of  hills,  the  sea  in  the  foreground ;  left  of  the  sliield, 
Justice,  with  sword  and  scales;  right,  Liberty,  with  staff  and 


BRITISH  COLONIAL  COINAGES.  231 

cap.     Upon  a  hemisphere,  above  the  shield,  stands  an  eagle, 
wings  outspread,  facing  right.     Exergue:  1787 ;  l^eneath  thii, 
next  the  border,    "EXCELSIOK"   Border,  serrated;   Edge, 
plain;  size,  17;  weight,  157  grains. 
About  a  half-dozen  specimens  extant. 

Liber  Natus  Libertatem  Defendo. 

Obverse :  An  Indian,  standing,  crowned  with  feathers,  and 
facing  left ;  in  his  right  hand  he  wields  a  tomahawk,  his  left 
supports  a  bow,  the  end  of  which  rests  on  the  ground  near 
his  feet ;  over  his  right  shoulder  appears  the  top  of  a  quiver 
of  arrows,  which  is  borne  upon  his  back.  Legend:  "LIBER 
NATUS  LIBERTATEM  DEFENDO  i»^" 

First  Reverse :  Identical  with  that  of  the  George  Clinton, 
already  described.     Weight,  127  grains. 

Second  Reverse :  A  hemisphere  of  the  globe,  marked  bj 
longitudinal  and  meridional  lines;  upon  this  stands  a  large 
heavy-bodied  eagle,  wings  spread,  somewhat  drooping,  beak 
toward  the  right.  Legend:  "NEO-EBORACUS  1787  EX- 
CELSIOR" Border,  serrated ;  Edge,  plain;  size,  17;  weight, 
153  grains. 

Third  Reverse :  A  bust  of  George  III,  facing  right.  Le- 
gend: "CEORCIVS  III  REX" 

This  rendering  of  Georgius  III  Bex  is  doubtless  from  the 
hand  of  Atlee,  who  seems  to  have  lacked  the  letter  "G" 
among  his  punches,  as  already  explained.  All  these  pieces 
are  very  rare,  the  one  with  .first  reverse  most  common ;  the 
second  reverse  is  found  on  but  three  or  four  pieces ;  the  coin 
bearing  the  third  reverse  is  considered  unique. 

Bbasher's  Doubloon. 
Obverse:  The  sun  rising  from  behind  a  range  of  moun- 
tains, which  fill  the  center  of  the  field ;  at  the  foot  of  the 
mountains,  and  in  the  foreground,  appear  the  waves  of  the 
sea;  in  the  lower  part  of  the  field  appears  the  inscrip- 
tion "Brasher";  around  aU  this  is  a  beaded  circle.    Le- 


<t39 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA, 


gend:  "NOVA  ♦  EBOKACA  ♦  COLUMBIA  ♦  EXCEL- 
SIOR  ♦  " 


iS^-to, 


S'*--- 


^■.^fS^?.l- 


SeisK^ 


Brasher's  Doubloon. 

ReveTse :  An  eagle,  displayed ;  on  his  breast  is  a  shield  ar- 
gent, seven  pales  gules,  a  chief  azure ;  the  right  talon  grasps 
an  olive  branch,  the  left  holds  a  bundle  of  arrows;  about  the 
head  thirteen  stars ;  upon  the  right  wing  is  an  oval  punch- 
mark,  showing  the  letters  "E  B."  The  device  is  encircled  by 
a  formal  wreath  of  leaves.  Legend:  "UNUM  ^c  E  *  PLU- 
RIBUS*  1787  ♦"  Border,  plain ;  Edge,  plain.  Gold; 
Size,  19  ;  weight,  408  grains. 

But  four  of  these  doubloons  are  known ;  one  of  these  is  in 
the  Cabinet  of  the  United  States  Mint  at  Philadelphia,  the 
other  three  in  possession  of  private  persons. 

The  "  Nova  Eboracs."     Three  Types.     Three  Varieties. 

This  coinage  is  supposed  to  have  been  produced  in  England 
for  circulation  in  New  York  or  other  parts  of  America.  The 
issue  was  not  authorized  by  the  state  of  New  York,  but  proba- 
bly originated  as  a  private  speculation  with  some  English  mer- 
chant trading  to  New  York. 


Nova  Eborac. 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  233 

First  Obverse :  A  bust,  laureated  and  mailed,  facing  right. 
Legend:  "  *NOVA  it         EBOEAO  ♦." 

Reverse :  The  goddess  of  liberty,  seated  upon  a  globe,  facing 
right ;  beside,  and  somewhat  behind  her,  is  a  shield,  bearing 
the  arms  of  the  state  of  New  York  ;  in  the  left  hand,  an  olive 
branch  ;  the  right  hand  is  upraised  and  supports  a  liberty  staff, 
which  is  crcJwned  with  a  cap.  Legend :  "  ^  VIRT  ET* 
LIB  «."     Exergue:  1787 

Such  is  the  description  of  the  most  common  of  these  pieces; 
the  First  Obverse  was  also  used  with  licverse  showiniiC  the 
figure  of  liberty,  facing  left,  and  the  legend :  "  «  VIET  •  ET 
LIB  i>  " 

The  Second  Obverse  was  made  similar  to  the  first,  as  de- 
scribed, except  a  variation  in  the  legend,  thus :  "  ♦  ^  KO  V  A 
EBORAG  ♦  " 

The  Reverse  of  this  piece  presents  the  goddess  of  liberty, 
facing  left,  and  the  legend  :  "  ^  VIRT.     ET     LIB.  ♦  " 
A  third  obverse  varies  the  legend  to  this  form :  "  ifc  NOVA 
%     EBORAG  ^ " 

On  the  Reverse  with  the  Third  Obverse,  the  figure  of  Lib- 
erty faces  left,  and  the  legend  is:  «  -t  VIRT.  ET.  LIB  -;-  " 

As  to  other  details  o£  these  coins,  the  borders  of  the  pieces 
formed  of  the  First  Obverse,  and  the  two  Reverses  used  with 
it,  are  sometimes  slightly  milled,  but  generally  plain.  Size, 
16^  ;  weight,  about  112  grains.  '. , ,,    , 

The  Reverse  with  the  Second  Obverse,  has  a  milled  border. 
Size,  17;  weight,  120  grains. 

The  Third  Obverse  and  its^  Reverse,  have  milled  borders. 
Weight,  120  to  142  grains. 

The  edgcfii'  of  all  these  are  plain.  The  first-named  piece  is 
most  comikon,  the  rest  more  rare ;  of  the  last,  but  three  speci- 
mens ard^^uQW^,  ^^^-Tof  late  in  the  possession  of  private  persons. 

(         The  Auctori  Plebis. 
The  Auctori  Piebis  is  a  token  doubtless  produced  in  Eng- 
land for  circulation  in  America. 


234  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Obverse:  A  bust,  laureated  and  draped,  facing  left.  Le- 
gend :   »  AUCTORI  »  •  PLEBIS  ^  " 

Heverse:  The  figure  of  a  female,  seated,  left  arm  resting 
upon  an  anchor,  the  right  hand  upon  a  globe,  a  lion  at  the  feet. 
Legend:  "  OiNDEP:  ET-  LIBER  «  "    Exergue,  "1787" 

This  piece  has  been  classed  with  the  Connecticut  coinage, 
which  it  somewhat  resembles.  The  device  of  the  reverse  ap- 
pears upon  three  other  English  tokens.  The  legend  of  the 
obverre  is  used  upon  another  coinage,  the  device  differing,  the 
date  1736,  this  last  not  intended  for  America. 

The  Kentucky  Tokens. 
This  coinage,  from  two  obverse  and  three  reverse  dies, 
struck  in  copper  and  silver,  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful  series 
of  all  the  tokens  produced  for  use  in  America.  The  series 
consists  of  the  "Kentucky  Triangle,"  or  "Pyramid  Token," 
so  called,  and  of  the  pieces  called  "The  Myddleton  Tokens." 

The  Kentucky  Triangle. 

Obverse :  A  hand,  grasping  a  scroll,  bearing  the  inscription : 
"OUR  CAUSE  IS  JUST"  Legend:  "UNANIMITY  IS 
THE  STRENGTH  OF  SOCIETY  +  " 

Reverse :  A  triangular  pyramid,  formed  of  fifteen  shining 
stars  united  by  rings,  the  initial  of  a  state  inscribed  on  each 
star;  the  star  at  the  apex  bears  the  letter  "K"  for  Kentucky. 
Legend:  "E  PLURIBUS  UNUM  »  "  Borders, milled.  Size, 
18  to  19^  ;  weight,  155  to  192  grains. 

The  edges  of  this  piece  are  variously  finished  in  different 
specimens ;  some  are  plain,  some  engrailed,  and  some  lettered 
with  different  inscriptions,  as  "Payable  in  Lancaster  Lon- 
don OR  Bristol"  or  "Payable  At  Bedworth,"  etc. 

The  Baltimore  Town  Threepence. 
The  history  of  the  Baltimore  Town  Threepence  is  unknown. 
It  appears  to  have  been  a  private  issue  by  Standish  Barry,  and 
takes  its  name  from  its  legend,  and  the  fact  that  it  appeared  in 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  235 

Baltimore,  Maryland,  in  1790,  and  bears  the  denomination  of 
three-pence.  The  coin  is  remarkable  from  the  precision  of  its 
date,  "JULY"  4"  90*"  and  it  has  been  surmised  that  the  piece 
may  have  been  issued  in  commemoration  of  some  celebration 
of  the  fourth  of  July  in  1790  as  an  anniversary  of  American 
Independence. 

Obverse :  A  bust,  draped  in  civilian  dress,  facing  left,  en- 
closed by  a  plain  circle.  Legend:  "BALTIMORE-TOWN- 
JULY- 4- 90-" 

Reverse :  A  plain  circular  field,  bearing  in  two  lines  the  in- 
scription :  "  THREE  PENCE "  underneath  the  lower  line  a 
heavy  dash.  Legend :  "  STANDISH'BARRY."  interlaced 
with  a  diagonal  beaded  network.  Border,  milled;  Edge, 
milled ;  size.  9 ;  weight,  13  grains. 

The  Myddelton  Tokens. 

Obverse:  A  figure,  representing  Hope,  beside  an  anchor; 
she  presents  two  children  to  a  female,  the  last  extending  her 
right  hand  in  reception  of  the  charge ;  the  left  hand  supports 
a  liberty  staff,  which  is  crowned  with  a  cap ;  in  front  of  the 
figure  with  the  staff  is  an  olive  branch  and  a  wreath,  to  the 
rear  a  cornucopia.  Legend:  "BRITISH  SETTLEMENT 
KENTUCKY  "     Exergue :  "  1796." 

First  Reverse :  Brittania,  seated  disconsolate  amid  the  down- 
cast emblems  of  her  power,  and  facing  left ;  her  head  is  bowed ; 
she  holds  in  her  right  hand  an  inverted  spear,  the  head  of 
which  penetrates  the  ground  before  her,  as  she  bears  heavily 
upon  it ;  at  her  right  side  a  bundle  of  fasces,  or  lictors'  rods, 
have  fallen  and  lie  prone ;  near  them  the  cap  of  Liberty  lies 
upon  the  earth,  or  may  have  been  intended  to  be  represented 
as  rising  from  it ;  upon  the  ground,  before  the  figure,  are  the 
scales  of  justice,  upon  which  Brittania  has  set  her  left  foot; 
upon  the  scales  and  the  ground  is  the  sword  of  justice,  but 
with  a  broken  blade ;  the  left  arm  of  the  figure  rests  heavily 
upon  a  large  shield,  bearing  the  cross  of  the  British  ensigns. 
Legend:    "  PAY  ABLE  BY  P- P- P- MYDDELTuN."    Bor- 


236  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

ders,  milled ;  Edge,  plain ;  size,  18  ;  weight,  silver,  175  grains ; 
copper,  177  grains. 

Second  Reverse :  Center  a  circular  field,  size  6,  enclosed  by 
a  fine  plain  line ;  upon  the  field  an  inscription  in  four  lines: 
"COPPER  COMPANY  OF  UPPER  CANADA"  Legend: 
"  ONE  HALF  PENNY."  Border,  milled ;  Edge,  plain.  Cop- 
per; size,  18;  weiglit,  166  grains. 

This  reverse  belongs  to  a  different  coinage,  a  token 
intended  for  Canadian  circulation,  the  obverse  of  which 
bears  a  figure  of  Neptune  reclining  against  an  aqueduct, 
with  the  legend:  "FERTILITATEM  DIVITIAS  QUE 
CIRCUMFERREMUS."  the  date  being  1794— a  very  rare 
piece. 

The  copper  pieces  of  the  Myddelton  Tokens  were  intended 
for  circulation  as  money,  but  what  value  was  put  upon  the 
silver  pieces  is  unknown. 

The  Mott  Tokens. 

The  first  of  the  numerous  trade  tokens  which  have  been 
issued  by  the  merchants,  manufacturers  and  business  men  of 
the  United  States,  were  those  made  in  England  for  the  firm 
composed  of  "William  and  John  Mott,  manufacturers  of  and 
dealers  in  clocks,  watches,  and  jewelry,  of  No.  240  Water 
street,  city  of  New  York. 

Obverse :  An  old-fashioned  family  mantle-tree  clock,  crowned 
by  the  small  figure  of  an  eagle.  Legend:  "MOTTS,  N.  Y. 
IMPORTERS  DEALERS,  MANUFACTURERS,  OF  GOLD 
AND  SILVER  WARES." 

Reverse:  An  eagle,  wings  spread,  facing  left,  right 
talon,  an  olive  branch,  left  talon,  three  arrows;  on  the 
breast  a  shield  argent,  six  nales  gules,  a  chief  azure;  above 
the  head   of  tha  eagle   the  date   1789.     Legend:    "CilRO- 

nomkters,  clolks,  watches,  JEWPXRY,  SIL- 

VERWARE."  Borders  milled;  Edce,  generally  plain, 
though  milled  on  some  specimens.  Size^  17 ;  weight,  108 
to  171  grains. 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  237' 

The  Talbot  Allum  k  Lee  Tokens. 

The  second  issue  of  tokens  by  Araerican  merchants,  was 
made  by  the  firm  of  Talbot  Alkim  k  Lee,  India  Merchants,  of 
Number  241  Pearl  Street,  City  of  New  York.  The  firm  con- 
sisted of  William  Talbot,  William  Allum  and  James  Lee, 
from  1794  to  1796,  when  Lee  retired ;  the  partnership  of  Al- 
lum k  Lee  was  dissolved  in  1798.  The  firm  circulated  a 
large  quantity  of  coppers  of  various  devices,  all,  however, 
bearing  the  date  1794  or  1795,  the  coinage  being  executed  in 
England. 

First  Obverse:  A  ship,  under  sail,  to  the  right,  above 
this:  "New  York"  Legend:  "TALBOT  ALLUM  k  LEE. 
ONE  CENT 

Reverse  1 :  The  goddess  of  Liberty,  standing,  facing  front, 
on  the  right  a  bale  of  merchandise;  the  right  hand  of  the 
goddess  upholds  a  short  liberty  staff,  which  is  crowned  by  a 
cap;  the  left  hand  rests  upon  a  ship's  rudder.  Legend: 
"LIBERTY  k  COMMERCE.  Exergue:  "1794"  Borders, 
milled;  Edge,  lettered  and  ornamented  "Payable  at  The 
Store  of  — : : : : —  " 

Second  Obverse :  A  ship,  under  sail,  to  the  right. 

Legend:  At  THE  STORE  OF  TALBOT  ALLUM  k  LEE 
NEW  YORK.  »  " 

Reverse  2 :  The  goddess  of  Liberty,  as  upon  Reverse  1 : 
Legend:  "LIBERTY  k  COMMERCE"  Exergue:  "1795" 
Borders,  milled ;  Edge,  lettered :  "We  Promise  To  Pay  The 
Bearer  One  Cent."     Size,  18;  weight,  153  grains. 

Of  this  coinage  for  1794,  there  are  specimens  from  four  ob- 
verse and  two  reverse  dies.  The  most  rare  of  the  pieces  of 
coin,  has  a,  large  k  in  both  legends,  and  the  name  "New 
York  "  is  not  inscribed  above  the  ship.  Of  the  coinage  for 
1795,  but  one  pair  of  dies  are  known.  The  dies  were  cut  at 
Birmingham,  England,  the  coins  of  1795  being  much  less  ex- 
tensively manufactured.,  These  dies  were  muled  with  others 
to  produce  coins  not  especially  intended  for  circulation  in 
America. 


238  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

The  Franklin  Press  Token. 

The  Franklin  Press  Token  is  assumed  by  the  best  authority 
to  be  an  English  coinage ;  the  reference  to  the  name  and  fame 
of  Franklin  supposed  to  be  intended  by  the  legend,  secures  the 
coin  a  place  in  American  collections. 

Obverse:  An  old-style  printing  press.  Legend:  "SIC 
ORITUR  DOCTRINA  SURGETQUE  LIBERTAS-"  Ex- 
ergue: "1794" 

Reverse:  An  inscription :  "PAYABLE  AT  THE  FRANK- 
LIN PRESS  LONDON'"  Borders, milled ;  Edge, plain;  size, 
17J ;  weight,  120  grains. 

The  Washington  Coinage. 

The  earliest  of  the  pieces  bearing  the  portrait  and  name  of 
Washington,  was  the  "Unity  Cent"  of  1783,  which  for  the 
sake  of  chronological  order,  is,  with  the  Double  Head  Wash- 
ington Cent,  and  Washington  The  Great'D'G.  described  on 
preceding  pages. 

The  English  origin  of  the  Washington  Cents,  the  coin- 
age of  a  later  date  than  1783,  is  supposed  to  be  demon- 
strated by  several  trial  pieces,  one  of  which  was  procured 
from  the  widow  of  an  engraver  and  die  cutter  named  Han- 
cock, of  Birmingham,  England.  The  piece  referred  to  was 
struck  from  an  unfinished  obverse  die  af  the  Washington 
Cents  of  1791 ;  the  impression  is  on  a  planch et  intended  for  a 
Macclesfield  half-penny,  the  reverse  plain.     Edge,  inscribed 

"PAYABLE  AT  MACCLESFIELD  LIVERPOOL  OR  CONGLETON  " 

There  were  also  two  other  trial  pieces,  imported  with  a  lot 
of  English  tokens,  one  of  Reverse  1  of  1791,  the  "Large  Eagle 
Cent,"  according  to  the  description  which  follows^  this  para- 
graph. The  edge  of  this  piece  bore  an  inscription :  "bersham 
BRADLEY  WILLEY  snedshill"  another  of  Reverse  2  of  1791, 
edge  lettered:  "payable  at  the  warehouse  of  thos.  k 

ALEX.  HUTCHINSON." 

Dickeson's  "American  Numismatic  Manual,"  Philadelphia, 
J.  B.  Lippincott  k  Co.,  1860,  mentioos  the  Washington  Cents 


BRITISH   COLONIAL    COINAGES.  239 

of  1791,  about  to  be  illustrated  and  described,  as:  "the  real 
'Simon  Pures,'  which  were  gotten  up  as  pattern  pieces  by 
authority  of  the  General  Government,  and  which,  we  think, 
we  can  establish  to  be  such,  beyond  controversy." 

Washington  Cents  of  1791. 


The  Large  Eagle  Cent. 

First  Obverse :  Bust  of  Washington,  in  uniform,  facing  left, 
hair  in  a  queue.  Legend:  "WASHINGTON  PRESIDENT 
1791 " 

Reverse  1 :  A  large  eagle,  displayed,  bearing  upon  his  breast 
a  shield  argent,  six  pales  gules  ;  from  the  beak  of  the  eagle,  on 
either  side,  floats  a  scroll,  inscribed:  "UNUM  E  PLURIBUS" 
right  talon,  an  olive  branch  of  thirteen  leaves ;  left  talon,  thir- 
teen arrows  ;  above  the  eagle,  in  the  place  of  a  legend :  "ONE 
CENT  "  Border,  milled ;  Edge,  lettered :  UNITED  states  OF 
AMERidA  •    X  •  "     Size,  19  ;  weight,  194  grains. 

Reverse  2 :  A  ship,  under  sail,  to  the  right ;  beneath  the 
ship  are  waves,  and  in  the  foreground  two  long  branches^ 
crossed  at  their  lower  ends.  In  some  specimens,  the  maintop 
of  the  ship  is  disfigured  by  a  break,  creating  the  appearance 
of  a  cap  at  mast  head,  with  a  piece  of  loose  sail  below.  Le- 
gend: "LIVERPOOL  HALFPENNY"  Border,  milled; 
Edge,  inscribed:  "payable  in  Anglesey  London  or  Liv- 
erpool •    X  •  "     Size,  18 ;  weight,  138  grains. 

The  First  Obverse,  and  Reverse  1,  were  used  together  to 
make  the  coin  called  "The  Large  Eagle  Cent,"  the  most  com- 
mon of  the  Washington  Cents  dated  after  1783.  The  same 
Obverse,  and  Reverse  2,  were  used  together  to  form  a  piece, 


^^  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

of  which  but  four  specimens  are  known  to  be  in  cxist-ence; 
they  are  called  the  "  Washington  Liverpool  Halfpennies," 


The  Small  Eagle  Cent. 

Second  Obverse :  Bust  of  "Washington,  in  uniform,  facing  left, 
hair  in  a  queue.     Legend :  "  WASHINGTOxV  PRESIDENT'" 

Beverse  3 :  A  small  eagle,  displayed,  upraised  wings ;  on 
his  breast  a  shield  argent,  six  pales  gules,  a  chief  azure ;  right 
talon,  an  olive  branch,  eight  leaves  and  three  berries;  left 
talon,  six  arrows ;  about  "the  eagle's  head  are  eight  mullets ; 
above  these  are  clouds,  filling  the  space  from  wing  to  wing ; 
above  the  clouds  are  inscribed  the  words :  "ONE  CENT  "  un- 
der the  eagle  is  the  date  1791.  Borders,  milled ;  Edge,  let- 
tered: "united  STATES  OF  AMERICA  *  X  •  "  Size,  19;  Weight, 
190  grains. 

Reverse  4 :  A  ship,  under  sail,  to  the  right.  Legend : 
"IIALFPENNy"  under  the  ship,  waves,  and  in  the  fore- 
ground, on  a  panel,  the  date  1793.  Border,  milled ;  Edge,  let- 
tered: "PAYABLEIN  ANGLESEY  LONDON  OR  LIVERPOOL  *  X  '  " 
Size,  19  ;  weight,  163  grains. 

The  Second  Obverse,  with  Reverse  3,  is  called  "The  Small 
Eagle  Cent,"  which  is  not  as  common  as  the  large  eagle  va- 
riety (Reverse  1);  the  Second  Obverse,  and  Reverse  4,  form 
"The  Ship  Halfpenny,"  which  is  of  the  same  rarity  as  The 
Small  Eagle  Cent.  An  obverse,  bearing  the  bust  of  George 
III,  facing  left,  with  the  legend  "GEORGIYS  III  DEI  GRA- 
TIA "  was  used  with  Reverse  1,  to  form  a  medallet  supposed 
to  be  unique.  Struck  in  copper.  Size,  20;  Border,  beaded; 
Edge,  engrailed. 


BRITISH   COLONIAL  COINAGES.  241 

The  "Washixotox  Cents  of  1792. 


The  Naked  Bust  or  Eoman"  Head  Cent. 

First  Obverse :  A  classical  bust  of  Washington,  undraped, 
facing  right ;  the  head  is  encircled  by  a  fillet,  confining  the 
hair,  which  is  cut  short  and  is  curly ;  the  fillet  is  tied  at  the 
back  of  the  head  by  a  bow  knot  with  long  pendent  ends.  Le- 
gend: "WASHINGTON  PRESIDENT.  1792" 

Reverse  1 :  A  small  eagle,  displayed,  wings  upraised  •  on 
his  breast  a  shield  argent,  six  pales  gules ;  right  talon,  an  olive 
branch,  fourteen  leaves,  six  berries ;  left  talon,  thirteen  arrows ! 
about  the  head  of  the  eagle  are  six  mullets,  and  above  is  the 
word  "CENT"  Border,  milled;  Edge,  plain,  or  inscribed: 
"UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA  •  x  •  X  •  x  • "  Size,  19 ; 
weight,  198  grains.  Some  six  or  eight  specimens  only  are 
known. 


Second  Obverse,  Reverse  2,  1792. 

Second  Obverse :  Bust  of  Washington,  in  uniform,  facing 
left,  hair  in  a  queue.     Legend:    "WASHINGTON  PRESI 
DENT  1792  " 
p 


242  DYE'S  com  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Reverse  2 ;  A  large  eagle,  displayed,  on  the  breast  a  ^liielJ 
argent,  six  pal^  gu^es,  a  chief  azure ;  in  the  beak  a  scroll,  in- 
scribed: "UXUM  E  PLURIBUS";  right  talon,  an  olive  branch, 
thirteen  leaves  and  a  berry  ;  left,  talon,  thirteen  arrows;  above 
the  he^  of  the  eagle  a  voided  star,  above  this,  twelve  like 
stars  are  formed  in  an  arch  from  wing  to  wing.  Border, 
milled;  Edge,  plaiu,  or  ;:.-cribed:  " UNITED  states  of  ameri 
CA  -  X  "  Size,  19 ;  weight,  copper,  180 ;  silver,  187 ;  gold, 
252  grains. 

The  Second  Obverse,  and  Reverse  2,  form  an  extremely 
rare  coin;  impressions  exist  in  gold,  silver,  and  copper; 
thejr  were  perhaps  struck  in  the  various  metals,  with  a 
view  to  determine  to  which  the  dies  would  be  best  adapted. 
Tlie  piece  in  gold  is  supposed  nniqne ;  the  specimens  in  sil- 
ver and  those  in  copper  are  perhaps  a  half-dozen  or  more 
of  each. 

Third  Obverse;  A  bust  of  "Washington,  in  uniform,  facing 
left,  hair  in  a  queue.  Legend:  "GEO.  WASHINGTON 
BORN  VIRGINIA  FEB.  11.  1732- " 

Reverse  3:  An  Inscription:  "  j?  GENERAL  OF  THE 
AMERICAN  ARMIES  17  75  RESIGNED  17S3  PRESL 
DENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES  17S9 "  The  in- 
scription is  in  ten  lines,  the  star  being  inscribed  above  all,  and 
the  dash  beneath  the  whole.  Border,  milled;  Edge,  plain; 
size,  19 ;  weight,  178  grains. 

The  Second  and  Third  Obverses,  and  Reverse  3,  were  in- 
tended for  medallcts,  but  used  with  the  dies  of  the  First  Ob- 
verse, and  Reverse  1.  The  Second  Obverse -is  nncommon,  but 
the  Third  Obverse,  and  Reverse  3,  are  not  very  rare.  Thej 
are  usually  struck  in  copper,  with  plain  edge.  Pieces,  in  cop- 
per, are  known,  formed  of  the  Second  Obverse,  and  Reverse  3, 
the  ed_'e  lettcrwl :  "iJinTED  states  of  America  " 
The  Third  Obverse,  and  Reverse  3,  are  used  in  a  few  extreme- 
.  iy  rare  silver  pieces.  A  single  oopper  piece  is  struck  from 
the  Third  Obvers^  and  Reverse  2.  There  are  two  dies  of 
Reverse  3. 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES. 


iU 


Fourth  Obverse,  Reverse  4,  1792.     . 

Fourth  Obverse:  A  bust  of  Washington,  in  uniform,  facing 
left,  hair  in  a  queue.  Legend :  *'G  .  W  ASHINGTON  PEESI 
DENT  .  I  .  1792  " 

Reverse  4  :  A  n  eagle,  displayed  ;  on  his  breast  a  shield  ar- 
gent, six  pales  gules,  a  chief  azure ;  right  talon,  an  olive 
branch,  thirteen  leaves ;  left  talon,  thirteen  arrows.  Legend: 
"  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA  " 

This  die  is  supposed  to  have  been  condemned,  as  indicated 
by  a  chisel  cut  across  the  face  of  the  impression. 


Revehse  5,  1792. 

Beverse  5 :  An  eagle,  displayed,  upraised  wings,  on  the 
breast  a  shield  argent,  seven  pales  gules,  a  chief  azure;  right 
talon,  an  olive  branch,  fifteen  leaves;  left  talon,  six  arrows; 
about  the  head  of  the  eagle  fifteen  mullets.  Legend: 
".UNITEDSTATKSOF  AMERICA."  Border, milled ;  Edge, 
plain;  size,  20  to  22]  weight,  copper,  220  to  273  grains;  sil- 
ver, 193  to  234  grains. 


214  DYE'S  CJOXN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Of  the  Fourtk  Obverse,  and  Reverse  4,  used  together,  but 
one  specimen  is  known,  and  that  is  a  coin  in  silver.  The 
Foiirth  Obverse,  and  Reverse  5,  were  used  together  to  make 
coins  of  both  silver  and  copper ;  both  of  these  last  arc  rare, 
the  silver  pieces  being  very  rare.  A  specimen,  the  copper 
formerly  owned  in  Berlin,  Prussia,  had  an  edge  ornamented 
geometrically  in  circles  and  squares.  The  dies  of  the  Fourth 
Obverse,  and  Reverses  4  and  5,  are  believed  to  have  been  made 
by  one  Peter  Getz,  of  Lancaster,  Pa.,  a  very  skillful  though 
self-taught  mec]janic  and  engraver,  evidences  of  whose  re- 
markable genius  still  remain  in  the-  jewels  of  the  Lancaster 
.  Lodge  of  Masons,  in  a  part  of  the  apparatus  of  the  United 
States  Mint,  and  elsewhere. 

t 

The  "Grate"  Token. 

;  Obverse ;  A  bust  of  Washington,  in  uniform,  facing  right, 
hair  in  a  queue.  Legend:  "G.  WASHINGTON.  THE 
,  FIRM  FRIEND  TO  PEACE  &  HUMANITY  q  " 

Reverse:  An  open  fire-place,  with  a  grate.  Legend: 
"PAYABLE  BY  CLARK  &  HARRIS  .  13  .  WORMWOOD 
ST  BISHOPSGATE.  Exergue:  "London  1795"  Border, 
milled ;  Edge,  engrailed ;  size,  17  J ;  weight,  144  grains. 

This  is  evidently  an  English  token,  of  which  two  obverse 
dies,  and  one  die  of  the  reverse  are  known.  The  impression 
of  the  border  is  seldom  seen  on  the  specimens  of  this  token, 
the  planchets  used  being  too  small  for  the  dies. 

Liberxy  And  Security  Washington  Coins. 
The  several  pieces  described  under  this  head,  are  probably 
pf  English  origin,  but  wliether  intended  for  medajs  or  for  cir- 
^Qulation  as  pennies,  or  half- pennies,  is  unknown. 

First  Obverse ;  A  bust  of  Washington,  in  uniform,  facing 
left,  hair  in  a  queue.  Legend:  "GEORGE  WASHING 
TON." 

J    Reverse  1 :  A  shield  argent,  seven  pales  gules,  impaling  ar- 
gent, fifteen  mullets,  five,  four,  three,  two,  one.     Above  the 


BRITISH  COLONIAL    COINAGES.  2*5 

shield  is  displayed  an  eagle,  right  talon,  an  olive  branchy  nine 
leaves,  two  berries ;  left  talon,  three  arrows.  Legend:  "LIB- 
ERTY AND  SECURITY"  Border,  a  plain  double  ring.; 
Eds;e,  lettered:  "an"  asylum  for  the  oppkess'd  of  all 
NATIONS  ::  :  ;:  "  Size,  21 ;  weight,  800  grains. 

This  piece,  though  uncommon,  is  not  rare. 

Second  Obverse :  A  bust  of  Washington,  in  uniform,  facing 
right,  hair  in  a  queue.  Legend:  "'GEORGE  WASIIIISG 
TON  •  " 

Reverse  2  :  A  shield,  paly  of  sixtben  argent  and  gules,  ira^ 
paling  argent,  fifteen  mullets,  five,  four,  three,  two,  one. 
Above  the  shield  is  displayed  an  eagle,  right  talon,  an  olivC 
branch,  eight  leaves,  four  berries ;  left  talon,  six  arrows.  Le- 
gend: "  °  LIBERTY  AND  SECURITY  »  "  Exergue: 
"17  Qb  "  divided  by  the  point  of  the  shield.  Border,  a  plain' 
circle,  and  outside  of  the  same,  milling.     Edge,  lettered  :  "  Alt 

ASYLUM  FOR  THE  OPPRESS'D  OF  ALL  NATIONS   =:   !   ==   "      Size, 

20|;  weight,  310  grains. 

This  piece  is  extremely  rare,  but  two  specimens  being 
known. 

Third  Obverse :  A  bust  of  Washington,  in  uniform,  facing 
riglit,  hair  in  a  queue.  Legend:  "GEORGE  WASHING 
TON  "     Border,  a  plain  circle,  outside  of  the  same,  milling. 

Reverse  3 :  A  shield  argent,  seven  pales  gules,  impaling 
azure,  fifteen  mullets,  five,  four,  three,  two,  one.  Above  thfe 
shie.d  is  displayed  an  eagle ;  right  talon,  an  olive  branch,  eight 
leaves,  ihrco  berries;  left  talon,  six  arrows.  Legend:  "LIB- 
ERTY AND  SECURITY"  Exergue:  "17  95"  divided 
by  the  point  of  the  shield.  Border,  milled;  Edge,  lettered 
variously,  generally:  "payable  at  London  Liverpool  oft 
BRISTOL."  Sometimes,  but  rarely:  "Birmingham  redruth 
&  Swansea  "  and  in  one  instance,  of  which  but  one  specimen 
remains:  "an  asylum  for  the  oppress-d  of  all  na- 
tions .    X   •  "     Border,  milled ;  size,  13  ;  weight,  139  grains. 

This  piece,  though  not  at  all  common,  is  not  extremeljr 
rare. 


246  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Reverse  3,  is  sometimes  found  muled  with  an  "Irish  Half 
penny." 

-Some  of  the  dies  described  were  left  unfinished,  inasmuch 
as  the  pales  of  the  shield,  represented  as  gules,  lack  the  fine 
perpendicular  lines  which,  in  heraldry,  are  indicative  of  red. 

Washington  Medal. 

Obverse :  A  bust  of  Washington,  in  uniform,  facing  left, 
hair  in  a  queue.  Legend:  "WASHINGTON  PRESIDENT 
1796"     Border,  A  beaded  circle,  outside  of  which  a  glory. 

Reverse  :  Identical  with  Reverse  4,  of  1792,  except  the  bor- 
der, where  a  glory  is  introduced,  as  if  extended  over  from  the 
obverse  and  turned  in.     Size,  nearly  2-4. 

The  description  of  this  piece  is  taken  from  Snowden's 
"Washington  and  National  Medals."  It  is  excessively  rare, 
Q/r  unique — if  not  lost. 

The  North  Wales  Washington  Piece. 

Obverse:  A  bust  of  Washington,  in  uniform,  facing  left, 
hair  in  a  queue.     Legend :  "GEORGEIYS  WASHINGTON  " 

Reverse  1 :  A  harp,  fronting  left,  upon  which,  a  large 
cxown,  surmounted  by  a  star  ;  on  each  side  of  the  base  of  the 
harp,  a  star  of  six  points.  Legend:  "NORTH  WALES" 
Border,  plain  ;  Edge,  generally  plain,  though  one  specimen  is 
is  lettered  :  "payable  in  Lancaster  London  or  Bristol  " 
I  Reverse  2 :  The  same  as  Reverse  1,  except  that  the  stars 
each  side  of  the  base  of  the  harp,  are  small,  and  a  lleur  de  lis 
Appears  on  the  top  of  the  crown,  instead  of  the  star. 

Most  of  these  pieces  are  of  brass  or  composition  ;  the  one 
"Payable  in  Lancaster  London  or  Bristol"  is  on  a  copper 
planchct,  weighing  143  grains.  The  only  known  impression 
of  Reverse  2,  is  also  in  copper. 

There  are  other  AVashington  pieces  than  those  iiere  de- 
scribed ;  to  include  all  the  medals  and  coins  which  might  thus 
be  classified,  would  be  to  form  an  extensive  catalogue;  the  de- 
scriptions preceding,  are  those  of  the  Washington  coinage  of 


UNITED  STATES  COINAGE— THE  FUGIOS.  247 

the  last  century,  evidently  either  struck  as  pattern  pieces  or 
issued  as  money. 

The  Fugios.     Twenty-Seven  Types.    Twenty-Four 
Varieties. 

The  Fugios  were  the  first  coinage  made  by  authority  of  the 
United  States.  There  is  but  little  on  record  concerning  this 
series  of  coppers,  and  the  documents  in  relation  to  them,  aside 
from  the  Journal  of  Congress,  cannot  be  found.  The  Con- 
gressional Eecord  states,  that  on  "Saturday,  April  21, 1787  **(• 
^  ^  3k  ¥i  The  Committee,  consisting  of  Mr.  Johnson,  Mr, 
King,  Mr.  Pierce,  Mr.  Clark,  and  Mr.  Pettit,  to  whom  was  re- 
ferred a  report  of  the  Board  of  Treasury  on  certain  proposals 
for  coining  copper  have  reported, 

"That  the  board  of  treasury  be  authorized  to  contract  for 
three  hundred  tons  of  copper  coin  of  the  federal  s'tandard, 
agreeably  to  the  proposition  of  Mr.  James  Jarvis,  provided 
that  the  premium  to  be  allowed  to  the  United  States  on  the 
amount  of  copper  coin  contracted  for  be  not  less  than  fifteen 
per  cent.  That  it  be  coined  at  the  expense  of  the  contractor, 
but  under  the  inspection  of  an  officer  appointed  and  paid  by 
the  United  States; 'that  the  obligations  to  be  given  for  the 
payment  of  the  copper  coin  to  be  delivered  under  such  con- 
tract be  redeemable  within  seven  years  after  the  date  thereof 
with  an  option  of  discharging  the  same  at  an  earlier  period ; 
that  they  bear  an  interest  not  exceeding  six  per  cent  per  an- 
num, and  that  the  principal  and  interest  accruing  tliereon  be 
payable  within  the  United  Slates;  that  the  whole  of  tlic 
monies  arising  from  the  said  contract  shall  be  sacredly  appro- 
priated and  applied  to  the  reduction  of  tlie  domestic  debt. 

"A  motion  was  made  by  Mr.  Madison,  seconded  by  Mr. 
Few,  to  strike  out  the  last  clause,  and  on  the  question,  shall 
the  last  claure  stand,  viz  that  the  whole  of  the  monies  &c,  the 
yeas  k  nays  being  required  by  Mr.  Pettit,  the  question  was 
lost,  and  the  clause  was  struck  out." 

After  the  clause  was  stricken  out,  the  original  article  was 


248  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

amended  by  inserting  in  the  blank  the  word  "twenty,"  and 
instead  of  the  rejected  clause  the  following  was  inserted : 

"That  the  whole  of  the  aforesaid  loan  shall  be  sacredly  ap- 
propriated and  applied  to  the  reduction  of  the  domestic  debt 
of  the  United  States,  and  the  premium  thereon  towards  the 
payment  of  the  interest  on  the  foreign  debt."  Thus  amended 
the  bill  was  passed.     The  Journal  shows  that  on 

"Tuesday  May  8, 1787.     On  Motion  of  Mr.  King  "  it  was: 

"i?esoZvec?,  That  the  board  of  treasury  be  and  hereby  are 
authorized  to  dispose  of  the  public  copper  on  hand,  either  by 
sale  or  contract  for  the  coinage  of  the  same,  as  they  shall 
judge  most  for  the  interests  of  the  United  States." 
.  "Friday,  July  6,  1787  *  *  *  ^  *  On  the  report  of  a 
Committee,  consisting  of  Mr.  Pierce,  Mr.  Kean,  and  Mr.  IIol- 
ten,  to  whom  was  referred  a  letter  of  the  11th  May  from  the 
board  of' treasury : 

Resolved^  That  the  board  of  treasury  direct  the  contractor 
for  the  copper  coinage  to  stamp  on  one  side  of  each  piece  the 
following  device,  viz :  thirteen  circles  linked  together,  a  small 
circle  in  the  middle,  with  the  words  'United  States,'  round 
it;  and  in  the  center,  the  words  '"We  are  one;'  on  the  other 
side  of  the  same  piece  the  following  device,  viz :  a  dial  with 
the  hours  expressed  on  the  face  of  it ;  a  meridian  sun  above, 
on  one  side  of  which  is  to  be  the  word  'Fugio,'  and  on  the 
other  the  year  in  figures  '1787'  below  the  dial,  the  words 
'Mind  your  Business.' " 

On  September  30,  1788,  a  Committee  of  inquiry,  consisting 
of  Mr.  Clark,  Mr.  Dane,  Mr.  Carrington,  Mr.  Bingham  and 
Mr.  Williamson,  appointed  on  finance,  reported : 

"There  are  two  contracts  made  by  the  board  of  treasury 
with  James  Jar  vis,  the  one  for  coining  three  hundred  tons  of 
copper  of  the  federal  standard,  to  be  loaned  to  the  United 
States,  together  with  an  additional  quantity  of  forty-five  tons, 
which  he  was  to  pay  as  a  premium  to  the  United  States  for 
the  privilege  of  coining ;  no  part  of  the  contract  hath  been 
fulfilled.     A  particular  statement  of  this  business,  so  far  as  re- 


UNITED  STATES  COINAGE— THE  FUGIOS.  249 

lates  to  the  three  "hundred  tons,  has  lately  been  reported  to 
Congress.  It  does  not  appear  to  your  Committee  that  the 
board  were  authorized  to  contract  for  the  privilege  of  coining 
forty-five  tons  as  a  premium,  exclusive  of  the  three  hundred 
mentioned  in  the  act  of  Congress. 

"The  other  contract  with  said  Jarvis  is  for  the  sale  of  a 
quantity  of  copper,  amounting,  as  per  account,  to  71,174 
pounds ;  this  the  said  Jarvis  has  received  at  the  stipulated 
price  of  eleven  pence  farthing,  sterling,  per  pound,  which  he 
contracted  to  pay  in  copper  coin,  of  the  federal  standard,  on  or 
before  the  last  day  of  August  1788,  now  past ;  of  which  but  a 
small  part  has  been  received.  The  remainder  it  is  presumed, 
the  board  of  treasury  will  take  effectual  measures  to  recover 

as  soon  as  possible." and  with  this,  strangely  enough 

ends  the  record  of  action  upon  this  important  business.  Of 
the  amount  of  coin  issued,  and  the  time  and  manner  of  settle- 
ment with  Mr.  Jarvis,  there  is  no  information  to  be  had. 
From  the  number  of  dies  evidently  used  in  creating  the  Fu- 
gios,  and  the  abundance  of  specimens  still  found,  we  may  con- 
clude the  contracts  were  fulfilled  according  to  the  original 
agreement. 

When,  as  related"  in  the  account  of  the  Copper  Coinage  of 
Connecticut,  under  the  general  head  of  "British  Colonial 
Coinages"  herein,  the  General  Assembly  of  the  State  of  Con- 
necticut, appointed  in  January  178i>,  a  Committee  of  inquiry 
in  relation  to  the  mint  at  New  Haven,  and  the  said  Committee 
reported,  April  7th,  1789,  it  was  found  that  the  owners  of 
that  mint  were:  "James  Jarvis  4-8  and  1-16  Parts  James 
Hillhouse  Esq.  1-8  Part  Mark  Leavenworth  Esqr.  1-8  Part 
Abel  Bucl  1-8  Part  and  John  Goodrich  1-16  Part ".  The  re- 
port also  states,  that  James  Jarvis  became  a  part  owner  of  the 
Connecticut  Mint  in  April  178G,  by  purchase  from  Pierpoint 
Edwards  and  Elias  Shipman  of  "2-8  Parts,"  and  from  Jona- 
than Ingersolof  "1-16  Part  of  Sd.  Company's  Right/'  and 
that  James  Jarvis  "Still  Continued  Sd.  Business  until  Some 
Time  in  the  Summer  foUowinor  When  want  of  Stock  Obliged 


250  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 

them  to  Desist."  Furtliermore  about  June  1st  1787,  James 
Jarvis  is  reported  to  have  bought  of  Samuel  Bishop  and  John 
Goodrich,  "2-8  Parts  of  Sd.  Comp'ys  Right."  which  it  may- 
be observed  gave  Jarvis  one  lialf,  and  one  sixteenth,  of  the 
stock  of  the  Company,  and  the  control  of  the  mint  and  its 
business,  which  he  retained  until  1789,  as  appears  in  the  be- 
ginning of  this  paragraph. 

The  coinage  of  Coimecticut  Coppers  was  reported  by  the 
owners  of  the  mint  to  have  ceased  about  June  1st  1787,  the 
date  of  the  last  purchase  of  shares  of  the  Company's  stock  by 
James  Jarvis,  and  the  right  to  coin  copper  at  the  Connecticut 
Mint,  was  suspended  by  Act  of  General  Assembly  of  the  state 
June  20th  1789  and  not  renewed  thereafter. 

It  will  be  noted  that  at  the  time  of  his  last  purchase  of 
stock  in  the  Connecticut  Mint,  Jarvis  had  already  made  his 
proposals  to  Congress  to  coin  copper  on  account  of  the  United 
States,  and  must  have  been  preparing  to  carry  out  the  same, 
according  to  the  contract  provided  for  by  the  Act  of  Congress 
April  21,  1787,  already  quoted  in  this  connection.  The  de- 
vice being  ordered  July  6,  1787,  it  may  be  supposed  Jarvis 
proceeded  with  his  coinage  of  the  Fugios  at  New  liaven,  yet 
on  September  30,  1783,  the  Committee  of  Congress  reported 
"no  part  of  the  contract  hath  been  fulfilled."  Presumably, 
the  Fugio.s,  though  dated  1787,  in  conformity  to  the  law 
which  authorized  them,  were  mostly  coined  subsequent  to  that 
year.  Though  generally  reported  to  have  been  coined  at  New 
Haven,  altogether,  the  coinage  for  Jarvis  was  begun  in  the 
city  of  New  York,  continued  at  New  Haven,  carried  on  at  Ru- 
pert, Vermont,  probably  also  by  Machin  &  Co.,  at  Ncwburgh, 
N.  Y.,  and  indeed,  in  almost  any,  and  every  place  in  the 
United  States  where  facilities  could  be  obtained.  The  dies 
were  made  by  Abel  Buel,  or  "Bewil,"  as  his  name  was  spelt 
in  the  reports  of  the  Connecticut  Mint,  in  which  establish- 
ment he  was,  as  may  be  noted  in  a  preceding  paragraph,  the 
owner  of  a  1-8  interest.  The  device  ordered  by  Congress  Avas 
faithfully  reproduced  hy  Buel  in  his  work  upon  the  dies,  and 


UNITED  STATES  COINAGE— THE  FUGIOS.  251 

is  presented  in  the  many  specimens  of  the  same  still  in  exist- 
ence, as  follow?  : 


Fl'gio.    First  Obverse.    Reverse  1. 

First  Obverse :  Thirteen  rings,  linked  in  uniform  order,  as 
by  rotation,  making  an  endless  chain  in  circular  form.  Le- 
gend: "UNITED  ®  STATES  ^  "  inscribed  on  a  narrow- 
label  around  a  small  central  field.  Center :  An  inscription 
"WE  ARE  ONE  "  in  three  lines. 

Kevcrse  1 :  A  sun  dial,  above  which  appears  the  sun,  with 
many  rays,  shining  upon  the  dial.  Legend:  "  ®  FUGIO.  © 
®  1787  9  "  In  the  exergue,  an  inscription :  "mind  your 
business"  in  two  lines.  Border,  milled ;  Edge,  plain;  size, 
17|  to  18  ;  weight,  126  to  178  grains. 


The  Fugio.    Second  Obverse.     Keverse  2. 


Obverse:  Similar  to  First  Obverse,  except  that  a  star  of 
eight  i)oiiits  is  ur ed  in  the  punctuation  of  the  legend. 

Reverse  2  :  Same  as  Reverse  1,  except  in  the  details  of  the 
finish  of  iho  face  of  the  sun  dial,  and  the  variation  in  the 
punctuation  of  the  legend  and  inscription,  as  shown  in  the 
ipreceding  illustration. 

The  types  and  varieties  of  the  Fugios  are  generally  created 


252  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

"by  minor  points  of  difference.  On  the  obverse  the  words 
UNITED  STATES,  are  frequently  changed  to  states  united. 
In  one  die,  of  which  but  three  impressions  are  known,  the 
word  UNITED  is  inscribed  in  the  upper  part  of  the  circular 
label,  and  the  word  states  appears  in  the  lower  part  of  the 
same;  specimens  from  another  die,  show  the  words  united 
STATES  divided  by  a  star  of  eight  points.  The  inscription  we 
AKE  ONE  is  differently  placed  and  spaced  on  various  pieces. 
The  reverses  of  the  Fugios  vary  in  the  finish  of  the  liice  of 
the  sun  dial ;  also  in  different  punctuations  of  the  legend  and 
inscription,  and  in  the  light  or  heavy  engraving  of  the  rays 
of  the  sun.  The  coins  were  heavily  struck;  the  illustration 
of  the  First  Reverse  shows  six  figures  in  the  field  produced 
by  the  rings  showing  through  from  the  obverse  ;  this  is  com- 
mon, and  on  many  pieces  the  impression  of  the  reverse  shows 
upon  the  obverse.  The  description  thus  far  is  of  the  regular 
issue  of  this  coinage. 

The  Fugio  Pattern  Pieces. 

With  the  regular  authorized  Fugio  currency  of  the  United 
States,  have  been  found  a  number  of  coins  of  like  general 
character,  which,  in  the  absence  of  positive  information,  are 
regarded  as  j)attern  pieces. 

First  Obverse:  Thirteen  rings,  interlinked,  as  by  alterna- 
tion of  position,  in  a  circle,  a  mullet  enclosed  in  each  ring. 
Legend:  "UNITED  ♦  STATES  «  "  inscribed  upon  a  label, 
borne  by  a  large,  open  star,  of  thirteen  triangular  points,  at 
the  middle  of  the  field.  In  the  center,  an  inscription :  "WE 
ARE  ONE  " 

Second  Obverse :  Thirteen  rings,  linked  in  uniform  order, 
as  by  rotation,  making  an  endless  chain  in  circular  form,  the 
name  of  a  state  inscribed  on  each  ring.  Legend:  "AMERI 
CAN  •  CONGRESS-"  upon  a  small  circular  label ;  within  the 
label,  nt  the  center,  is  an  eye  ;  from  the  outer  edge  of  the  label 
radiates  a  glory  of  many  rays,  filling  the  space  to  the  circle  of 
rings. 


UNITED  STATES  COINAGE— THE  FUGIOS.  253 

Third  Obverse :  Identical  with  Second  Obverse,  except  the 
eye  in  the  center.  These  obverses  are  all  rare,  but  two  speci- 
mens from  each,  some  in  silver  and  others  in  copper. 

Fourth  Obverse :  Similar  to  Third  Obverse,  except  that  the 
rays  of  the  glory  extend  into  and  nearly  across  the  space  in- 
side the  several  rings. 

Fifi,h  Obverse :  Thirteen  rings,  interlinked  alternately,  a 
mullet  in  each  ;  in  the  field  a  large  star,  open  at  the  center. 

Sixth  Obverse :  Thirt(.'en  rings,  linked  in  uniform  order,  as 
by  rotation,  making  an  endless  chain  in  circular  form,  the 
name  of  a  state  inscribed  on  each  ring.  Legend:  "AMERI- 
CAN  CONGRESS-"  on  a  small  circular  label.  In  the  center, 
an  inscription :  "we  are  one."  The  space  between  the  legend 
and  the  circle  of  rings  is  filled  by  a  glory. 

Reverse  1 ;  A  sun-dial ;  above,  the  sun  shining  down  upon 
the  dial.     The  field  is  plain. 

Reverse  2  :  A  sun-dial ;  above,  the  sun  shining  down  upon 
the  dial.    Legend:  "©  FUGIO.  ^     ®  1787  ®  "    Exergue: 

"  m.  MIND  "^  YOUR  "^  BUSINESS" 

Reverse  3  A  sun-dial;  above,  the  sun  shining  down  upon 
the  dial.    Legend:  "FUGIO  .      1787-.."     Exergue :"  mind 

— YOUR — BUSINESS." 

The  First,  Second,  Third  and  Fourth  Obverses  have  been 
used  with  Reverse  1. 

The  First  Obverse  and  the  Fifth  Obverse  have  been  used 
with  Reverse  2.  The  first  in  silver  and  brass,  the  other  in 
silver  only,  as  far  as  known.  Specimens  excessively  rare  or 
unique. 

The  Sixth  Obverse  has  been  used  with  Reverse  3,  upon 
copper  specimens.     Excessively  rare. 

The  die  of  Reverse  3  was  used  with  the  First  and  Second 
Obverses  of  the  regular  authorized  issue  of  the  Fugios. 

The  pattern  pieces  were  of  the  same  size  as  the  regular 
issue,  17^  to  18. 

A  number  of  dies  of  this  coinage,  were  found  at  a  store  in 
New  Haven,  Connecticut,  once  occupied  by  Browne  k  Piatt,, 


254  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

sometime  the  owners  of  the  mint ;  from  these  dies,  restrikes 
have  been  made  ;  on  these  the  rings  appear  to  be  interlinked 
in  alternation  of  position,  in  a  manner  unlike  that  shown  in 
the  illustrations  lierein  given. 

"The  Fugios"  are  so  called  by  Mr.  S.  S.  Crosby,  of  Boston, 
in  his  work  The  Eaely  Coins  of  America,  an  excellent  au- 
thority. They  were  generally  know^n  as  the  Franklin  Cents, 
otherwise  as  the  Sun-dial  Cents,  the  Eing  Cents,  and  the  Mind 
Your  Business  Cents.  It  has  been  proposed  by  very  respecta- 
ble parties  to  denominate  this  coinage  the  Rittenhouse  Cent. 
The  Scientist  and  Philosopher,  David  Rittenhouse,  of  Phila- 
delphia, when  only  twcnly-four  years  of  age,  adopted  as  his 
mottoes  the  words  "  Tempus  Fu(jxt "  (Time  Flies),  and  the 
terse  maxim  '  Mlntl  Your  Business ' .  The  famous  results  of 
Ills  life,  demonstrate  his  adherence  to  the  rule  of  action  thus 
chosen  by  him. 

lu  1756,  David  Rittenhouse  made  an  eight-day  clock  for 
Mr.  Barton,  his  brother-in-law,  over  the  dial-plate  of  which 
he  engraved  '"'' Tetnpus  Fufjil^''  and  beneath  the  same  '■^Mind 
Your  Business  "  From  this  time-piece,  these  curt,  sensible 
phrases  found  their  way  to  the  Continental  Bills  of  Credit,  the 
tin  cons  of  the  "Continental  Currency,"  and  the  dies  of  the 
Fugios,  the  first  authorized  coinage  of  the  United  States. 

The  various  devices  of  the  Continental  Currency  were  much 
admired  for  their  appropriate  significance;  they  were  sup- 
posed to  be  the  designs  of  Judge  Hopkinson,  an  intimate  friend 
of  Rittenhouse. 

The  first  coins  struck  for  America,  arc  supposed  to  have 
been  tneSommer  Island  Shilling  and  Sixpence,  the  first-named 
piece  being  known  as  the  "Ilogge  Penny."  An  account  of 
these  pieces,  is  given  in  this  volume,  under  the  head  of 
"Briiish  Colonial  Coinages."  The  Ilogge  Penny  was  issued 
about  the  year  1612.  From  that  time  on,  the  subject  of  a 
currency,  and  the  regulation  of  the  value  of  various  foreign 
coins,  was  a  matter  of  frequent  consideration  in  the  British 
American  Colonies.     Laws  in  relation  to  the  various  forms 


UNITED  STATES  COINAGE—THE  FUGIOS.  255 

■■-of  money  in  use,  were  passed  in  Virginia  as  early  as  1640  ;  by 
Virginia  and  Maryland  in  1642  ;  in  Massachusetts  the  same 
year,  and  afterwards  in  the  different  colonies.  Virginia  passed 
a  law  for  the  establishment  of  a  mint  and  the  creation  of  a 
coinage,  November  20,  1645 ;  Massachusetts  passed  a  law  of 
the  same  kind,  May  27th,  1652.  The  Virginian  law  was  with- 
out issue,  but  the  Massachusetts  coinage  was  effected.  Mary- 
land passed  a  law  "concerning  the  setting  up  of  a  mint,"  May 
1st,  1661,  the  coinage,  however,  being  made  for  the  colonv,  by 
Lord  Baltimore,  in  England,  thereafter.  New  Hampshire 
voted  the  consideration  of  a  copper  coinage,  March  13,  1776, 
the  matter  being  afterward  agreed  upon,  but  never  concluded. 
Vermont  authorized  a  coinage  June  15,  1785 ;  Connecticut 
October  20,  1785,  and  New  Jersey  did  the  same,  June  1st, 
1786. 

The  Congress  of  the  Confederated  States  of  America,  not 
only  issued  paper  money  in  large  amounts  for  carrying  on  the 
war  against  England  for  independence,  but  is  credited  with 
having  put  forth  a  coinage  of  tin  in  1776,  described  as  the 
"  Continental  Currency."  Robert  Morris,  the  "  Financier  of 
the  Revolution,"  made  his  report  of  a  scheme  for  a  National 
Coinage  to  Congress  on  January  15,  1782,  the  sams  being 
represented  herein  by  the  Nova  Coxstellatio  Patterns, 
The  scheme  presented  by  Morris  not  being  adopted,  the  sub- 
jiect  of  a  Coined  Currency  continued  to  be  discussed  in  Con- 
gress, and  on  Wednesday,  July  6,  1785,  that  legislative  body 
considered  the  report  cf  a  grand  Committee  on  the  subject  of 
a  monetary  unit,  and  resolved  : 

"  That  the  money  unit  of  the  United  States  of  America,  be 
one  dollar. 

"  That  the  smallest  coin  be  of  copper,  of  which  200  shall 
pass  for  one  dollar. 

"  That  the  several  pieces  shall  increase  in  a  decimal  ratio." 

On  August  8,  1786,  the  subject  was  further  considered,  and 
the  names  and  weights  of  the  several  coins  of  the  United  States 
were  specified,  and  the  Board  of  Treasury  ordered  to  report  the 


256 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


draft  of  a  law  to  be  passed  for  the  establishment  of  a  mint.  On 
October  16,  1786,  an  "Ordinance  for  the  establishment  of  the 
Mint  of  the  United  States  of  America,  and  for  regulating  the 
value  and  alloy  of  coins,"  was  passed,  as  may  be  found  in  the 
Journals  of  Congress.  The  adoption  of  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States  in  1787,  arrested  all  local  issues,  and  vested  the 
sole  right  of  coinage  in  the  general  government. 


American  And  Other  Gold, 


AND     THE 


The  vast  production  of  the  precious  metals  in  the  Western 
Hemisphere  since  the  American  voyages  of  Columbus  in  the 
year  1492,  is  the  most  remarkable  phenomenon  of  the  im- 
portant facts  of  modern  history. 

Of  the  precious  metals,  gold,  the  earliest  known  and  most 
beautiful  of  all  metallic  substances,  has  been,  and  remains,  of 
the  greatest  commercial  consequence. 

The  Private  Coinage  of  Gold  in  the  United  States,  is  one  of 
the  most  noteworthy  of  all  known  mintages,  though  less  ar- 
tistic and  varied  than  some  series  of  classical  origin,  and  lack- 
ing the  scientific  accuracy  and  mechanical  finish  of  the  best 
work  of  modern  dates  ;  it  is,  notwithstanding,  an  evidence  of 
the  richness  of  American  geologic  formations,  an  incident  in 
the  establishment  of  art  and  civilization  in  a  new  land,  and 
later,  as  appearing  in  California,  a  result  of  the  unequaled  en- 
terprise of  a  free  and  cosmopolitan  people  in  the  most  extra- 
ordinary natural  and  social  conditions.  It  is  proper  then,  that 
in  a  work  like  the  present,  the  history  and  description  of  this 
coinage  should  be  preceded  by  some  brief  notes  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  gold  in  general,  and  a  more  particular  account  of  the 
gold  regions  of  the  United  States. 
Q  (257) 


258  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Of  Gold,  it  may  be  said,  that  it  is  not  only  "the  earliest 
known  and  most  beautiful  of  all  metallic  substances,"  as  has 
already  been  stated,  but  it  is  also  most  widely  disseminated, 
and  thoroughly  diffused  through  various  elements  in  multi- 
form states  and  combinations.  Qold  ba3  been  found  in  all 
quarters  of  the  globe;  no  considerable  region  seems  to  be 
without  this  metal  in  greater  or  less  abundance.  The  earliest 
supplies  of  gold  were,  it  may  be.  supposed,  found  in  masses 
now  called  "nuggets,"  which  consist  of  metallic  gold  in  a 
natural  state,  mjbced  to  a  greater  or  less  degree,  with  pebbles, 
or  fragments  of  rock,  called  "matrix,"  and  blended  with  other 
metals,  or  with  different  minerals.  Gold  is  found  otherwise 
in  small  grains,  in  deposits  called  "placers,"  in  varied  forms 
in  "lodes"  and  "veins,"  and  as  "gold  dust"  mingled  with  the 
sand  and  earth  in  many  places.  Common  clay,  such  as  un- 
derlies the  whole  of  the  extensive  city  of  Philadelphia,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  which  is  used  there  for  the  general  manufacture 
of  bricks  for  building,  contains  in  many  instances  considera- 
ble amounts  of  gold.  The  walls  of  the  houses  of  Philadelphia 
are  supposed  to  contain  many  millions  of  dollars  worth  of  su- 
perfine gold  embedded  in  the  bricks  of  which  the  buildings 
are  constructed.  It  has  been  shown  from  chemical  analysis 
by  Soustadt,  that  about  a  grain  of  gold  is  diffused  in  every 
ton  of  sea  water,  and  that  the  gold  can  be  separated  so  as  to 
be  recognized  from  a  quantity  of  the  water  no  more  than 
from  one  hundred  and  fifty  to  two  hundred  cubic  centimetres. 
Nevertheless,  aa  universally  as  gold  may  in  this  manner  be 
traced,  there  are  comparatively  few  localities  where  the  labor 
and  expense  of  obtaining  the  same  does  not  exceed  the  value 
of  the  metal  secured. 

The  symbol  of  gold,  in  chemistry,  and  among  numisma- 
tists, is  Au^  from  Aurum^  the  Latin  term  for  this  metal.  In 
chemistry,  the  equivalent  number  of  gold  is  98.5,  though  in 
the  practice  of  many  chemists,  the  same  is  expressed  by  the 
double  of  this,  the  equivalent  being  written  as  167.  Gold  is 
the  most  ductile,  the  most  malleable,  and  the  only  yellow 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  269 

metal.  The  density  of  gold  varies  with  the  degree  of  com- 
pression to  which  it  may  be  subjected ;  that  of  hammered  gold 
is  from  19.258  to  19.4.  Finely-divided  gold,  obtained  by  pre- 
cipitation from  its  solution  by  sulphate  of  iron,  has  a  specific 
gravity  of  20.72.  Pure  gold  is  about  the  softness  of  lead  in 
the  same  state,  and  the  higher  the  degree  of  purity  in  the 
gold,  the  greater  the  capacity  of  the  metal  for  extension  by 
the  processes  of  rolling,  beating  and  wire-drawing.  An  ounce 
of  gold  can  be  made  to  cover  one  hundred  square  feet  of  sur- 
face ;  leaf  gold  of  this  thickness  transmits,  if  pure,  green  rays 
of  light,  but  if  somewhat  alloyed  with  silver,  pale  violet  rays 
are  transmitted  also.  One  grain  of  gold  may  be  made  to  cover 
a  surface  of  from  56  to  56,3-4  square  inches.  Ordinary  gold 
leaf  is  made  one  two  hundred  thousandth  of  an  inch  in  thick- 
ness; the  French  leaf  is  but  one  two  hundred  and  eighty 
thousandth  of  an  inch  thick,  and  in  some  cases  of  but  one  two 
hundred  and  ninety  thousandth  of  an  inch  thick,  while  speci- 
mens have  been  made,  of  which  367,500  were  required  to  make 
a  pile  one  inch  high,  or  about  1200  leaves  of  gold  to  make 
the  thickness  of  a  sheet  of  common  printing  paper.  A  grain 
of  gold  can  be  drawn  into  a  wire  500  feet  in  length.  In  gild- 
ing silver,  an  ounce  of  gold  may  be  extended  to  cover  a  wire 
1300  miles  in  length,  when  the  thickness  of  the  gold  is  re- 
duced so  much,  that  three  million,  three  hundred  and  eighty- 
four  thousand  such  films  of  metal  would  be  required  to  make 
a  pile  an  inch  high.  The  tenacity  of  gold,  is  less  than  that  of 
iron,  copper,  platinum,  or  silver.  The  experiments  of  Seck- 
ingen  are  said  to  have  demonstrated  that  a  gold  wire  0.078  of 
an  inch  in  diameter,  is  capable  of  supporting  a  weight  of 
150.07  lbs.  avoirdupois,  without  breaking.  Upon  more  re- 
cent authority,  we  are  informed  that  a  wire  of  gold  0.787,  or 
rather  more  than  one  thirty-sixth  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  will 
support  150  pounds  avoirdupois.  After  the  conquest  of  Car- 
thage, the  ancient  Romans  used  gold  leaf  upon  various  articles 
of  furniture,  and  ultimately,  in  an  excess  of  extravagance, 
gilded  the  ceilings  of  their  apartments  and  halls.     The  gold 


260  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

leaf  used  for  this  purpose,  was  by  the  writers  of  that  age. 
compared  to  a  cobweb,  and  yet  from  their  more  definite  state- 
ments, we  learn  that  it  was  about  three  times  the  thickness  of 
the  common  gold  leaf  used  at  the  present  time. 

The  thin  leaf  of  pure  gold,  as  has  been  stated,  transmits 
light  of  a  green  color ;  heat  changes  the  color  of  the  same  to  a 
ruby  red,  and  finely-divided  gold,  under  certain  conditions, 
imparts  this  to  glass.  The  melting  point  of  gold,  has  been 
variously  stated,  at  1200  degrees  Centigrade  by  Pouillet,  at 
1380  degrees  Centigrade  by  Guyton  de  Morveau,  and  at  1425 
degrees  Centigrade  by  Daniells.  From  a  comparison  of  the 
results  obtained  by  these  different  authorities,  Reimsdijk  con-( 
eludes  the  exact  point  at  which  gold  fuses,  is  1240  Centigrade. 
Otherwise,  the  melting  point  of  gold  has  been  given  at  2016 
degrees  Fahrenheit;  at  2192  degrees,  at  2518  degrees,  and  at 
2590  degrees,  of  the  same  thermometrical  scale.  "When  melted, 
gold  becomes  of  a  bright  bluish  green  color ;  it  expands  more 
than  most  metals  in  fusing,  and  in  consequence  contracts  more 
in  cooling,  and  becoming  solid  again.  Thus,  although  the 
ductility,  malleability,  and  considerable  tenacity  of  gold,  com- 
bine with  its  fineness,  beauty  of  color,  and  capacity  for  finish, 
to  fit  it  for  the  varied  arts,  and  recommend  it  pre-eminently 
for  the'use  of  every  mint,  its  action  when  fused  in  the  crucible 
or  cooling  in  the  mold,  prevents  the  metal  from  being  founded 
or  cast  in  any  practical  manner,  except  into  blanks,  ingots,  or 
similar  masses,  of  a  rude  form  and  rounded  outline. 

Gold  is  remarkable  for  the  long  time  during  which  it  may 
be  submitted  to  a  high  degree  of  heat,  without  loss  by  vola- 
tilization. Gasto  Claveus  placed  an  ounce  of  pure  gold,  in  an 
earthen  vessel,  in  the  furnace  of  a  glass-house,  where  the  heat 
was  BuflRcient  to  melt  glass,  and  there  the  same  was  kept  at 
that  heat  for  two  months,  but  upon  careful  examination,  the 
gold  was  found  to  have  lost  nothing  by  the  prolonged  fusion. 
Other  experimenters,  however,  describe  gold  as  somewhat 
volatile  under  a  higher  and  long-continued  heat.  When  sub- 
jected to  the  flame  of  the  oxyhydrogen  blow-pipe,  gold  wire 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  261 

is  dispersed  in  vapor ;  the  same  result  may  be  obtained  by  the 
use  of  the  heat  of  the  rays  of  the  sun  concentrated  by  a  pow- 
erful convex  lens,  or  by  a  strong  current  of  electricity.  As 
the  current  from  a  powerful  electric  battery  is  made  to  pass 
along  a  gold  wire,  vapors  of  the  metal  are  produced  which 
may  be  collected  upon  a  sheet  of  paper  beneath  the  wire.  The 
paper,  in  such  an  experiment,  will  be  stained  a  purplish  brown 
by  the  deposit  of  impalpable  gold-dust ;  if  a  sheet  of  silver  be 
used  in  the  place  of  the  paper,  in  the  same  way,  a  like  deposit 
will  be  formed  upon  the  silver  which  may  thus  be  gilded. 
The  primitive  natural  form  of  gold  is  that  of  a  cubical  crys- 
tal. When  gold  is  melted  in  a  large  quantity  and  made  to 
cool  and  resolidify  slowly,  cubical  crystals  sometimes  appear, 
and  crystals  of  gold  have  been  found  in  a  state  of  nature  in  the 
form  of  the  regular  octohedron. 

Chemically,  gold  is  not  acted  upon  by  the  alkalies,  nor  by 
any  simple  acid,  except  selenic  acid ;  neither  is  it  affected  by 
the  oxygen  of  the  air,  though  long  exposed  to  the  same  when 
in  a  state  of  fusion.  It  is  not  affected  by  sulphur,  but  is  dis- 
solved by  bromine  and  chlorine,  or  by  any  combination  of 
acids  or  different  substances  wherein  free  chlorine  may  be 
found.  Chlorine,  as  generated  in  chemical  compounds,  is  a 
powerful  solvent  of  gold ;  to  this  is  due  the  potency  upon  gold 
of  the  combination  of  4  parts  of  hydrochloric  acid  and  one 
part  of  nitric  acid,  which  is  called  aqua  regia.  Gold  can  be 
alloyed  with  most  of  the  metals ;  the  addition  of  silver  or  of 
copper  increases  the  hardness  of  gold  and  fits  it  to  endure  the 
wear  to  which  the  metal  is  subjected  in  coins  and  in  articles 
of  jewelry  or  of  plate.  At  the  same  time  the  tenacity  of  the 
metal  is  increased,  and  it  is  rendered  more  fusible.  Articles 
of  jewelry  and  such  wares  of  red  gold,  are  soldered  with  a 
composition  consisting  of  one  part  of  copper  to  five  of  gold. 
A  solder  for  light-colored  gold  is  made  of  four  parts  of  gold 
and  one  part  of  silver,  or  for  a  deeper  shade,  of  one  part  cop- 
per, one  part  silver  and  four  parts  of  gold.  Gold,  when  ob- 
tained from  chemical  solution,  is  presented  in  a  variety  of 


262  DYE'S  COIN  ENGYCLOPJRDIA. 

forms ;  from  a  chlorine  solution  of  gold  may  be  obtained  a 
mass  of  peculiar  nature,  which  bj  a  process  involving  heating, 
annealing,  and  other  proper  manipulation,  becomes  the  "sponge 
gold  "  used  in  dentistry.  Gold  can  be  welded  coid,  and  sponge 
gold,  when  properly  prepared,  is  readily  reduced  to  a  perfectly 
solid  condition  by  a  moderate  amount  of  percussion  or  ham- 
mering. Gold  "plugs"  have  been  found  in  the  teeth  of  mum- 
mies centuries  on  centuries  since  alive  in  Egypt,  but  we  are 
not  aware  the  ancients  had  knowledge  of  such  a  form  of  gold 
as  is  here  described. 

Binary  Compounds  of  Gold. 

The  atomic  weight  of  gold  has  been  given  by  various  au- 
thorities at  196.0,  193.2,  196.8,  196.5,  and  196.67,  the  same 
quantity  of  heat  being  required  to  produce  a  given  change  of 
temperature  in  7  grains  of  lithium,  56  of  iron,  207  of  lead,  108 
of  silver,  or  from  196.0  to  196.7  grains  of  gold.  The  most 
important  compounds  of  gold  are — 

First.  Oxide  or  Protoxide  of  Gold.  Oxygen  and  gold  unite, 
but  only  by  indirect  chemical  action.  The  oxide  or  protoxide 
of  gold  is  prepared  by  adding  a  solution  of  potash  to  one  of 
protochloride  of  gold;  a  green  powder  is  separated,  which  is 
the  oxide  or  protoxide  named.  It  is  an  exceedingly  unstable 
compound.     It  consists  of  oxygen  8,  gold  200. 

Second.  Peroxide  or  Teroxide  of  Gold.  This  may  be  ob- 
tained by  decomposing  a  solution  of  perchloride  of  gold,  by 
digesting  it  with  a  small  excess  of  magnesia,  and  treating  the 
precipitate  with  diluted  nitric  acid.  This  oxide  decomposes 
v«rhen  exposed  to  daylight,  and  its  oxygen  is  very  readily  ex- 
pelled.    It  consists  of  oxygen  24,  gold  200. 

Third.  Chlorine  and  Gold.  These  form  two  compounds. 
Primarily^  the  Perchloride  or  Terchloride  of  Goldy  which  is 
most  readily  obtained.  For  this  gold  may  be  digested  in  an 
aqueous  solution  of  chlorine,  or  it  may  be  treated  with  nas- 
cent chlorine,  derived  from  aqua  regia  through  the  mutual 
decomposition  of  nitric  and  hydrochloric  acids.    Gold  is  pre- 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  263 

cipitated  from  this  compound  in  a  metallic  state  bj  the  action 
of  light  and  various  agents.  It  consists  of  chlorine  108,  gold 
200.  Secondarily,  the  Protochloride  of  Gold,  which  may  be 
obtained  by  heating  the  perchloride  to  about  600  degrees 
Fahrenheit  in  a  porcelain  vessel,  and  treating  that  which  re- 
mains with  water.  The  result  is  a  colorless  saline  mass,  un- 
alterable in  the  air,  but  instantly  decomposed  in  boiling  water. 
It  consists  of  chlorine  36,  gold  200. 

Fourth.  Bromide  of  Gold.  This  may  be  obtained  by  dis- 
solving gold  in  a  mixture  of  hydrobromic  and  nitric  acids  and 
evaporating  the  solution,  when  a  deep  red  saline  mass  is  left, 
which  is  sometimes  deposited  in  crystals,  and  is  so  intense  in 
color  that  one  part  of  the  same  will  tinge  five  thousand  parts 
of  water. 

Fifth.  Sulphuret  of  Gold.  This  may  be  obtained  by  pass- 
ing hydrosulphuric  acid  gas  into  a  solution  of  perchloride  of 
gold.  The  result  is  a  black  powder,  which  if  heated,  at  once 
decomposes  into  sulphur  and  gold.  It  consists  of  sulphur  48, 
gold  200. 

Sixth.  Phosphuret  of  Gold.  This  may  be  obtained  by  heat- 
ing gold  leaf  and  phosphorus  in  a  vacuum,  or  by  passing 
phosphuretted  hydrogen  gas  into  a  solution  of  chloride  of 
gold.  The  first  process  results  in  a  grey  substance  of  metallic 
lustre,  the  second  process  produces  a  brownish  powder.  When 
heated  in  the  air  it  decomposes.  The  composition  has  not 
been  exactly  determined. 

Seventh.  Iodide  of  Gold.  This  may  be  obtained  by  mixing 
a  solution  of  iodide  of  potassium  with  the  solution  of  chloride 
of  gold.  The  result  is  a  yellowish  brown  precipitate,  insolu- 
ble in  cold  w^ater,  soluble  by  alkaline  solutions,  and  decora- 
posing  when  heated.  It  should  be  boiled  in  water  to  separate 
a  probable  excess  of  iodine,  when  it  is  estimated  to  consist 
of— iodine  126,  gold  200. 

Such  are  the  principal  binary  compounds  formed  by  the 
union  of  gold  with  non-metallic  elements.  Neither  azote  or 
hydrogen  combine  with  gold  in  any  form. 


264  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

The  Principal  Alloys  op  Gold. 

Most  metallic  substances  combine  with  gold  under  proper 
conditions  by  suitable  manipulation,  some  more  readily  and 
perfectly  than  others.  Of  the  compounds  of  gold  with  the 
metals  of  the  alkalies  and  earths,  such  as  potassium,  calcium, 
etc.,  there  is  no  information. 

First.  Arsenic  and  Gold.  This  alloy  is  made  by  heating 
gold  leaf  and  arsenic  together ;  by  a  gentle  heat  the  arsenic 
vaporizes  and  combines  with  the  gold.  AVhen  one  part  of 
arsenic  is  added  to  900  parts  of  gold,  the  color  of  the  metal 
remains  unchanged,  but  its  malleability  is  destroyed.  One 
part  of  arsenic  added  to  240  parts  of  gold,  renders  the  metal 
grey  and  brittle.  The  alloy  is  readily  decomposed  by  calcina- 
tion. 

Second.  Tellurium  and  Gold.  These  occur  in  combination 
in  a  state  of  nature,  mixed  also  with  a  considerable  portion 
of  lead ;  the  varieties  of  this  natural  alloy,  are  known  as 
"graphic  tellurium,"  "yellow  tellurium"  and  "black  tellu- 
rium." 

Third.  Antimony  and  Gold.  These  make  an  alloy  of  a 
pale  yellow  color,  with  a  fine  grain.  Gold  loses  its  ductility 
when  combined  with  but  one  part  in  1920  by  weight  of  anti- 
mony. The  alloy  is  made  by  fusing  the  metals  together.  By 
long-continued  calcination  in  an  open  crucible,  the  antimony 
may  be  entirely  expelled  and  the  alloy  decomposed. 

Fourth.  Manganise  and  Gold.  These  make  an  alloy  of  a 
yellowish  color,  which  breaks  readily  under  the  hammer, 
showing  a  spongy,  coarse-grained  substance. 

Fifth.  Zinc  and  Gold.  These  make  an  alloy  of  a  pale 
greenish  color,  like  brass.  The  addition  of  small  quantities 
of  zinc  destroys  the  ductility  of  gold.  The  mixture  of  eleveu 
parts  of  gold  and  one  part  of  zinc  forms  a  brittle  composition, 
but  large  quantities  of  zinc  may  be  added  to  gold  and  the  duc- 
tility of  the  metal  still  remain.  An  alloy  of  gold  and  copper, 
with  five-eighths  of  one  per  cent,  of  zinc,  is  perfectly  ductile. 

Sixth.  Tin  and  Gold.     These  make  an  alloy  of  a  very  pale 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  265 

wliitisli  yellow  color,  which  in  bars  of  one-eighth  of  ;ia  inch 
thick  may  be  easily  bent,  but  when  the  bars  are  passed  be- 
tween rollers  they  break  lengthwise  into  several  pieces.  The 
fracture  in  such  cases  shows  a  fine  grain,  of  a  somewhat  earth- 
like appearance  and  pale  yellowish-grey  color.  Gold  alloyed 
with  one  thirty-seventh  part  of  tin,  has  been  found  sufficiently 
ductile  to  be  rolled  and  ftamped  into  coin  if  the  metal  be  an- 
nealed at  a  low  temperature.  In  general,  the  alloys  of  tin  and 
gold  are  hard  and  brittle,  the  combination  of  the  metals  caus- 
ing a  contraction  of  their  substance. 

iSixlh.  Iron  and  Gold.  These  make  an  alloy  of  a  pale  yel- 
lowish grey  color ;  it  is  very  ductile  and  may  be  rolled  in  bars 
from  the  thickness  of  three-quarters  of  an  inch  to  that  of  the 
gold  half  eajile.  An  alloy  of  eleven  parts  of  gold  and  one  part 
of  iron  can  be  readily  rolled  without  annealing.  The  density 
of  this  last-named  alloy  is  less  than  could  be  calculated  from 
that  of  the  component  metals. 

Seventh.  Nickel  and  Gold.  These  make  an  alloy  of  a  rich 
light-yellow  color  ;  eleven  parts  of  gold  and  one  part  of  nickel 
forms  an  alloy  resembling  fine  brass ;  with  a  greater  propor- 
tion of  nickel  the  alloy  becomes  brittle,  and  when  tested  by 
the  hammer,  breaks  at  once  with  a  coarse-grained  earthy 
fracture. 

Eighth.  Cobalt  and  Gold.  These  make  an  alloy  of  a  pale 
dull  yellow  color,  mixed  with  grey  in  the  proportion  of  eleven 
parts  of  gold  to  one  of  cobalt ;  the  alloy  is  brittle  and  breaks 
with  a  fine-grained  earthy  fracture. 

Ninth.  Copper  and  Gold.  These  make  an  alloy  of  a  hand- 
some reddish  yellow,  the  effect  upon  the  color  of  the  gold  be- 
ing very  small  in  comparison  with  other  alloys.  The  alloying 
of  gold  with  copper,  diminishes  the  density,  but  increases  the 
hardness  of  the  metal.  English  plate  and  jewelry  of  gold,  are 
manufactured  of  a  fineness  which  varies  from  875,  500,  625, 
or  750,  to  916.6 ;  the  alloy  for  this  purpose  is  of  copper  and 
silver,  in  different  proportions.  In  France,  the  standards  for 
articles  of  jewelry  manufactured  from  gold,  are  750,  8-10,  or 


266  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

920.  The  Japanese  make  an  alloy  of  70  of  copper  to  30  of 
gold,  which  they  call  Shi-ya-ku-Do,  which  being  made  into  or- 
naments and  exposed  to  the  air,  becomes  coated  with  an  oxide 
of  an  exceedingly  fine  and  beautiful  black  color.  An  alloy  of 
from  one  part  of  copper  and  twenty-five  of  gold,  to  one  part 
of  copper  and  fifty  of  gold,  is  used  for  making  wire,  though, 
gold  may  be  spun  when  pure.  The  composition  of  various 
solders  for  gold,  has  been  stated  in  a  preceding  paragraph. 
Manufactured  articles  of  gold  ware  whicb  contain  a  considera- 
ble percentage  of  copper,  are  liable  to  tarnisb  by  oxidati<)n, 
but  the  color  may  be  restored  by  treating  the  surface  with 
ammonia.  Copper  is  the  most  important  alloy  used  with  gold 
to  fit  it  to  endure  the  wear  to  which  it  is  subjected  when  made 
into  coin.  The  composition  of  the  gold  coin  of  Great  Britian, 
is  one  of  copper  to  eleven  of  gold ;  the  specific  gravity  of  tins 
alloy  is  17.157,  its  fineness  916.6.  Twenty  pounds  Troy  of 
standard  British,  gold  are  coined  into  934  sovereigns  and  one 
half  sovereign.  The  United  States  of  America,  and  the  na- 
tions of  "The  Latin  Convention"  have  established  a  standard 
fineness  of  900  for  their  gold  coin,  the  alloy  being  of  copper 
with  a  small  part  of  silver. 

Tenth.  Bismuth  and  Gold.  These  form  a  very  brittle  alloy 
of  a  pale  yellow  color.  If  one  part  of  bismuth  be  added  to 
1920  parts  of  gold,  the  metal  is  made  brittle.  Eight  parts  of 
bismuth  and  ninety-two  parts  of  gold,  form  a  pale  yellow  and 
brittle  alloy. 

Eleventh.  Silver  and  Gold.  These  combine  well,  and  form 
a  very  ductile  alloy  of  a  very  pale  yellow  color.  Five  ])arts 
of  silver  in  one  hundred  parts  of  gold,  is  sufiicient  to  efibct  a 
decided  change  of  color  in  the  metal.  Silver  combines  a\  ith 
gold  in  a  state  of  nature,  forming  electrum.  The  ancient  G:ceks 
were  familiar  with  this  natural  product ;  it  contained  from  20 
to  40  parts  of  silver  to  80  or  60  parts  of  gold.  The  rough 
nuggets  of  electrum  were  often  stamped  by  the  Greeks  to  cre- 
ate the  original  Lydian  coins.  The  electrum  analyzed  by 
Klaproth  consisted  of  64  parts  of  gold  and  36  parts  of  silver, 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   OOLD.  267 

almost  the  exact  proportions  of  one  chemical  equivalent  of 
each  metal.  Later,  Boussingault  found  the  electrum  from  dif- 
ferent South  American  placers  to  consist  of  very  different  pro- 
portions of  the  metals,  yet  all  were  definite  chemical  com- 
pounds. 

Twelfth.  Lead  and  Gold.  These  form  a  very  brittle  pale 
alloy.  One  part  of  lead  in  1219  parts  of  gold,  is  sufficient  to 
make  the  metal  brittle ;  the  fumes  of  lead  alone  will  destroy 
the  ductility  of  gold  which  may  be  exposed  to  them. 

Thirieenih.  Mercury  and  Gold.  These  combine  with  ex- 
ceeding facility  and  form  a  soft  white  alloy  called  an  amalgam, 
which  is  extensively  used  in  certain  kinds  of  gilding.  On  ac- 
count of  its  affinity  for  gold,  mercury  or  quicksilver  is  much 
used  to  separate  gold  from  various  substances  found  with  the 
metal  in  mining  or  during  some  process  of  manufacture.  This 
procedure  is  termed  amalgamation. 

Fourteenth.  Platinum  and  Gold.  These  combine  in  every 
proportion,  making  a  pale  fusible  alloy.  Two  parts  of  platina 
in  98  parts  of  gold  is  sufficient  to  sensibly  affect  the  color  of 
the  metal.  The  alloy  of  equal  parts  of  platina  and  gold,  makes 
a  ductile  alloy  almost  the  color  of  pure  gold. 

Fifteenth.  Palladium  and  Gold.  These  combine  in  every 
proportion.  Equal  parts  of  palladium  and  gold,  make  a  grey 
alloy  more  brittle  than  either  of  its  constituent  metals.  One 
part  of  palladium  and  four  parts  of  gold  makes  a  white,  hard, 
and  yet  ductile  alloy. 

Sixteenth.  Rhodium  and  Gold.  These,  when  combined  in 
the  proportions  of  from  20  parts  of  rhodium  to  80  of  gold,  or 
25  of  rhodium  to  75  of  gold,  make  a  very  ductile  infusible  al- 
loy the  color  of  gold. 

Seventeenth.  Iridium  and  Gold.  When  small  quantities  of 
iridium  are  added  to  a  mass  of  gold,  the  ductility  of  the  gold 
remains,  notwithstanding  the  extreme  hardness  of  iridium. 
When  the  alloy  is  fused,  the  iridium  fulls  to  the  bottom  of  the 
vessel  in  which  the  melting  is  done ;  the  inference  is  that  it 
has  simply  been  mixed  with  and  disseminated  through  the 


268  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

gold  in  particles,  not  forming  a  true  alloy,  and  to  this  the  pre- 
servation of  ductility  in  the  gold  is  supposed  to  be  due. 

The  Salts  of  Gold. 
The  salts  of  gold  based  upon  the  oxide,  are  obtained  with 
great  difficulty;  whea  the  peroxide  of  gold  is  dissolved  in 
nitric,  acetic,  or  sulphuric  acid,  the  result  requires  concentra- 
tion, the  acids  are  not  saturated  by  the  oxide,  and  the  solu- 
tions may  all  be  decomposed  by  water.  "Where  the  peroxide 
acts  as  an  acid,  but  one  of  the  salts  of  gold  thus  formed,  pos- 
sesses any  remarkable  properties ;  this  peroxide  is  soluble  in 
alkalies,  potash  and  soda,  but  neither  definite  or  crystalline 
compounds  have  been  formed.  When  ammonia  is  added  to  a 
solution  of  perchloride  of  gold,  the  water  is  decomposed  and 
a  substance  precipitated  of  a  yellowish  brown  color,  consisting 
of  the  peroxide  of  gold  in  combination  with  a  portion  of  the 
ammonia.  The  product  is  called  the  ammoniuiet  of  gold,  or 
the  aurate  of  ammonia;  it  is  collected  in  a  filter,  and  after  be- 
ing washed  with  a  small  quantity  of  water,  dried  at  a  tem- 
perature of  212  degrees  Fahrenheit.  Upon  the  application  of 
heat,  the  ammoniuret  of  gold  explodes  violently,  the  gold  be- 
ing reduced  to  the  metallic  state ;  water  forms  by  union  of  the 
oxygen  in  the  oxide  of  gold,  and  the  hydrogen  of  the  ammo- 
nia, azotic  gas  being  simultaneously  evolved.  The  ammoniu- 
ret is  supposed  to  consist  of  two  equivalents  of  ammonia  and 
one  of  peroxide  of  gold.  Some  of  the  most  permanent  salts 
of  gold  are  the  double  chlorides.  The  sodio  chloride  is  con- 
sidered the  most  stable  of  all  the  salts  of  gold. 

The  Ancient  History  of  Gold. 
The  nature  of  gold,  which  is  easily  wrought  into  any  form, 
of  a  beautiful  yellow  color,  and  capable  of  a  high  and  perma- 
nent luster,  has  given  that  metal  a  remarkable  value  from  the 
earliest  dates  of  history.  When  gold  was  first  discovered, 
used  and  preserved,  is  unknown,  but  prehistoric  relics  prove 
the  exceeding  antiquity  of   various  manufactures   of   this, 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  269 

probably  the  first  known  of  all  the  metals.  There  is  but  lit- 
tle information  in  classical  literature  regarding  the  sources  of 
gold,  or  the  methods  by  which  it  was  procured. 

In  the  first  recorded  ages,  the  Phoenicians  and  Egyptians 
were  well  supplied  with  gold  and  various  other  metals.  The 
oldest  known  mines  were  those  of  the  Egyptians,  who  ob- 
tained gold,  silver  and  copper  in  large  quantities,  from  mines 
opened  by  them  upon  both  the  Ethiopian  and  Arabian  bor- 
ders of  their  territories.  In  the  Sinaitic  desert,  may  still  be 
found  traces  of  the  ruins  of  mines,  supposed  to  have  been 
operated  by  the  ancient  Egyptians.  Articles  of  jewelry,  and 
vessels  of  gold,  found  in  the  tombs  of  Egypt,  and  drawings 
still  to  be  seen  upon  the  walls  of  these  depositories  of  the  bo- 
dies of  the  dead,  prove  the  early  people  of  that  country,  had 
developed  a  great  degree  of  perfection  in  the  art  of  working 
gold,  even  making  use  of  the  blow-pipe  in  an  approved  modern 
form,  sometime  before  the  reign  of  that  Pharoah,  described  in 
the  Bible  as  the  friend  and  patron  of  the  Hebrew  Joseph. 
The  Ilebrew  scriptures  make  frequent  mention  of  gold,  both 
for  money  and  ornament ;  it  was  recorded  as  part  of  the  riches 
of  Abraham,  some  2000  B.  C.  The  Hebrew  poets  described 
the  process  of  refining  gold  by  cupellation,  as  a  common  illus- 
tration in  their  writings. 

The  Phoenicians,  who  occupied  the  coast  of  Syria  from  the 
first  dawn  of  history,  obtained  gold  and  iron,  as  well  as  other 
metals,  from  Sardinia,  and  other  islands  of  the  Mediterranean 
sea;  they  had  also  mines  in  Spain,  and  imported  the  ores  of 
tin  from  Britain.  The  Etrusci,  a  cultivated  people,  residents 
of  Italy,  long  before  Rome  was  founded,  perhaps  1000  or  1300 
B.  C,  were  experts  in  working  gold ;  in  Etruria,  examples  of 
their  art  in  this  particular  have  been  exhumed,  of  light  and 
beautiful  workmanship,  enriched  with  minute  grains  of  gold 
upon  the  surface.  This  style  of  art  remained  unrivalled  until 
Castellani  rediscovered  and  revived  the  methods  of  the  Etrus- 
cian  goldsmiths. 

The  Greeks  of  Athens  worked  rich  gold  mines  in  Thrace 


270  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

and  Thasos,  Gold  was  produced  in  Thessaly,  and  Mt.  Tmo- 
lus,  the  source  of  the  river  Pactolus,  now  called  the  Sarabat, 
and  Mt.  Sipjlus,  near  Sardis,  or  Sardes,  past  which  city  the 
Pactolu3  ran,  were  seamed  with  rich  veins  of  gold.  Tlie  Pac- 
tolus, rising  on  the  north  side  of  Mt.  Traolus,  ran  in  a  norther- 
ly direction  through  Lydia,  and  emptied  into  the  Llermus. 
Though  a  small  river,  it  bore  from  the  region  of  its  springs, 
an  immense  amount  of  gold,  which  was  taken  from  its  sands 
by  the  process  of  washing.  Croesus  son  of  Alyattes,  sole  king 
of  Lydia,  about  668  B.  C,  inherited  great  riches  from  his  father, 
to  which,  from  the  gold  dust  of  the  Pactolus,  and  from  gold 
mines  he  owned  in  Asia  Minor,  he  continued  to  make  vast  ad- 
ditions, until  his  boundless  wealth  became  and  still  remains 
proverbial.  To  a  woman  who  saved  him  from  assassination 
by  poison,  Crcesus  is  said  to  have  raised  a  statue  of  gold  fifty 
feet  in  height. 

In  the  mythological  poetry  of  Greece,  it  was  related  that 
one  of  the  first  kings  of  Phrygia,  called  Midas,  obtained  from 
the  god  Bacchus,  a  gift,  by  virtue  of  which,  whatever  the  king 
touched  turned  to  gold.  When  it  was  found  that  even  the 
food  of  Midas,  became  metal  in  his  hands,  it  was  seen  he  was 
in  danger  of  starvation.  In  this  unfortunate  dilemma,  the 
king  again  applied  to  Bacchus  and  asked  a  modification  of  his 
power,  so  as  to  save  his  life.  Bacchus  kindly  told  the  sup- 
pliant, to  go  and  bathe  in  the  waters  of  the  Pactolus  for  relief. 
This  Midas  at  once  did,  and  by  the  blessing  of  the  god,  found 
that  he  could  thereafter,  handle  the  necessaries  of  life  without 
making  gold  of  them,  as  he  could  still  do  of  other  things.  But 
an  unexpected  result  followed  the  presence  of  Midas  in  the 
river ;  he  imparted  his  power  to  the  water,  thus  dividing  his 
energy,  when  wonderful  to  tell,  the  sands  of  the  Pactolus  Avere 
turned  to  gold,  and  though  afterwards  mixed  with  other  de- 
posits, were  perpetually  and  eagerly  sought  for  by  those  who 
would  be  rich  ! 

The  gold  mines  which  belonged  to  Croesus,  were  worked  in 
the  time  of  Xenophon,  as  described,  about  400  B.  C,  but  in  the 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  271 

days  of  Strabo,  about  the  beginning  of  the  Christian  era,  that 
distinguished  author  wrote  they  were  exhausted.  At  the 
same  date,  the  "golden  sands"  of  the  Pactolus  had  become  too 
scarce  to  repay/fcoUection. 

Ancient  writers  describe  rich  mines  of  gold  in  Arabia  Fe- 
lix, no  traces  of  which  remain.  The  tribes  of  northern  Italy 
obtained  gold  by  washing  the  sands  of  the  streams  and  certain 
deposits.  Britain  formerly  produced  gold.  The  early  Ro- 
mans neglected  mining,  ^^et  Rome  under  the  Caesars,  became 
by  conquest  mistress  of  the  metallic  production  of  the  world. 
According  to  Pliny,  the  metallurgists  of  his  time,  used  mer- 
cury to  separate  the  precious  metals,  and  also  in  the  process 
of  gilding.  Vitruvius  describes  in  detail,  the  method  of  amal- 
gamation, by  which  in  the  days  of  Ceesar  and  Augustus,  gold 
was  recovered  from  cloth  into  which  threads  of  that  metal 
had  been  wrought  or  woven. 

Under  the  Roman  republic,  the  mines  were  leased  to  per- 
sons who  employed  numerous  slaves,  and  worked  the  mineral 
deposits  with  rapid  and  reckless  wastefulness.  From  the  first 
Punic  war  to  the  Roman  empire,  there  was  in  consequence  an 
immense  production  of  metals,  of  gold  among  the  rest,  and 
many  mines  became  exhausted.  Under  the  Roman  empire, 
the  mines  were  placed  in  charge  of  regular  officers  of  the  gov- 
ernment and  managed  with  greater  economy.  A  striking  pic- 
ture of  ancient  mining  for  gold,  or  other  metals,  is  given  in 
the  Bible,  Job  xxviii  1-11,  and  by  Pliny  in  his  Natural  His- 
tory xxxiii,  4. 

After  the  third  century  of  the  Christian  era,  the  production 
of  gold  in  the  western  Roman  empire  rapidly  declined,  and  at 
the  end  of  the  fifth  century  ceased  entirely.  The  Byzantines 
gradually  gave  up  their  mines  to  the  Arabs,  retaining  those 
of  Asia  Minor,  Thrace  and  Greece  longest  of  all — finally,  bar- 
barism overran  Europe,  and  during  the  dark  ages  of  a  thou- 
sand years,  literature,  art  and  civilization  were  in  eclipse. 
Meantime,  the  Arabs,  who  from  the  earliest  times,  divided  with 
their  neighbors  the  Phoenicians  the  most  of  the  commerce  of 


272  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

fhe  world,  beginning  tteir  progress  anew  from  the  era  of  Ma- 
hommed  about  A.  D.  570,  cultivated  learning,  graramer  and 
poetry  with  the  arts ;  made  the  conquest  of  the  Moors  in  A.D. 
700;  with  them  invaded  Spain  A.D.  711 ;  e'tablished  them- 
selves in  Granada,  and  not  only  drew  from  Yemen,  Africa, 
and  Spain  itself,  gold  to  support  their  magnificence  and  embel- 
lish the  Alhambra,  but  by  intellectual  vigor  and  industry  en- 
larged the  sciences  and  inscribed  forever  upon  the  text  books 
of  the  world,  the  technical  terms  and  characters  of  their  re- 
markable language. 

Gold  in  Modern  Times. 

"With  the  revival  of  learning  in  Europe,  the  enterprise  of 
civilization  and  commerce  was  renewed,  the  spirit  of  discovery 
was  aroused,  speculative  thinking  became  active,  imagination 
was  quickened,  hope  inspired,  great  undertakings  were  begun, 
and  presently  a  new  world  was  discovered.  The  voyages  of 
Columbus  and  those  who  followed  him  to  the  Western  Hem- 
isphere, were  attempted  with  a  threefold  object.  First,  as 
originally  by  Columbus  and  the  scholars  who  were  his  only 
early  and  reliable  friends,  the  glory  and  the  perfection  of  learn- 
ing, an  increase  of  geographical  knowledge ;  secondly,  as  with 
the  pious  Columbus,  and  the  liberal  among  the  ecclesiastics, 
and  part  of  the  Spanish  court,  for  the  spread  of  the  Christian 
power  and  religion ;  thirdly,  last  and  greatest  with  most,  and 
potent  in  influence  with  all,  for  the  discovery  and  collection 
of  gold,  and  silver,  then  considered  the  only  actual  and  inte- 
gral forms  of  wealth. 

Returning  from  his  first  American  voyage,  that  to  the  "West 
India  islands  in  1402,  Columbus  took  back  with  him  to  the 
Spanish  court  then  at  Barcelona  in  Spain,  "rich  and  strange" 
spoil  from  the  lands  he  had  discovered ;  he  was  privileged  to 
present  to  the  monarchs  of  his  nation,  Ferdinand  and  Isabella, 
"the  gold,  the  cotton,  the  parrots,  tlie  curious  arms,  the  mys- 
terious plants,  the  unknown  birds  and  beasts,  and  the  nine  In- 
dians he  had  brought  with  him  for  baptism,"  into  the  Chris- 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHSn    GOLD.  273 

tian  faith.  During  his  second  voyage  in  149-i,  Columbus  ef- 
fected a  settlement  upon  Ilispaniola,  now  San  Domingo,  and 
founded  the  mining  camp  of  San  Tomaso,  in  the  gold  fields  of 
that  island.  Although  the  Spanish  voyagers  and  colonists  had 
been  instructed  from  the  throne  of  Spain  to  treat  "well  and 
lovingly "  the  Indians,  who,  the  monarchs  assumed,  were  by 
virtue  of  a  grant  from  the  Pope,  their  vassals,  yet  during  the 
absence  of  Columbus  from  Hispaniola,  his  officers  so  abused 
the  natives  as  to  make  enemies  of  them.  Under  the  circum- 
stances, it  became  necessary  to  subjugate  the  Indians  or  aban- 
don the  colony.  The  Spaniards  quickly  availed  themselves 
of  this  excuse  for  war.  In  the  fighting  which  followed,  the 
Spaniards  were  successfully  led  by  Bartholomew,  the  brother 
of  Columbus.  The  cacique  Caonabo  was  captured  by  strata- 
gem, five  ship-loads  of  Indians  were  sent  to  Spain  to  be  sold 
as  slaves,  and  a  tribute  imposed  upon  those  who  remained. 
Thus  the  "West  Indian  slave  trade  began,  and  thus  began  that 
system  of  robbing  the  Indians  by  taxes,  called  repartimentos, 
or  ecomiendas,  which,  while  bringing  in  one  way  and  another, 
large  amounts  of  gold  and  silver  to  the  conquerors,  was  con- 
tinually made  the  instrument  of  cruel  extortion  and  oppression 
to  the  enslaved  aborigines  of  all  Spanish  America. 

After  various  voyages,  Columbus  in  1499  was  in  San  Do- 
mingo, in  charge  of  his  colony,  which  he  had  reduced  to  order ; 
gold  mining  was  actively  carried  on  there  at  this  time,  under 
his  immediate  direction,  and  so  great  was  the  product  from 
the  same,  and  so  encouraging  the  prospect  in  this  pursuit,  that 
Columbus  calculated,  by  the  year  1502,  the  net  revenue  of 
the  crown  of  Spain  from  the  San  Domingo  gold  mines,  would 
be  no  less  than  60,000,000  reals,  or  $7,500,000.  But  the  sym- 
pathies of  Isabella  the  queen,  had  been  aroused  at  the  sight 
of  the  ruined  captive  Indian  girls  among  the  slaves  taken 
to  Spain  by  some  of  the  adventurers,  the  enemies  of  Columbus 
clamored  against  him,  and  Bobadilla  was  sent  to  supersede 
him  in  office.  On  the  arrival  of  this  arrogant  grandee,  every- 
thing was  thrown  into  confusion,  industry  was  checked,  thede- 
R 


274  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

velopment  of  the  gold  mines  ceased  for  the  time,  and  Colum- 
bus and  his  two  brothers  being  stripped  of  power  with  every 
insolence,  were  put  in  irons  and  straiglrtway  shipped  to  Spain. 

Restored  once  more  to  his  power  and  dignity,  Columbus  in 
1502  discovered  the  mainland  of  the  American  continent,  at 
Honduras.  Being  driven  by  a  heavy  storm  into  the  mouth 
of  a  river,  he  gave  the  name  of  Bethlehem  to  the  gulf-like 
harbor  he  found,  and  effecting  a  landing  there,  soon  learned 
that  gold  was  very  plentiful,  and  undertook  to  open  mines  and 
establish  a  colony  upon  the  spot.  In  this,  from  various 
causes,  he  failed,  and  the  great  discoverer,  yet  unfortunate 
colonizer,  soon  after  retired  from  action  in  America.  But 
he  had  already  done  more  than  enough  to  prove  the  actual 
riches  of  the  lands  l»e  had  made  known  to  Europe,  and  to  fire 
the  avaricious  imagination  of  all  Spain,  and  the  rest  of  the 
civilized  world,  with  the  most  wild,  and  extravagant,  and  fatal 
dreams  of  endless  riches  to  be  realized  in  the  western  El 
Dorado. 

The  Spaniards  who  came  to  America  immediately  after  Co- 
lumbus, had  no  intention  of  becoming  permanent  residents, 
and  cared  but  little  for  colonizing  the  strange  lands  they 
visited.  It  was  the  policy  of  the  government  of  Spain  to 
Christianize  and  utilize  the  newly-claimed  possessions  of  the 
crown,  but  the  desperate  adventurers  to  whom  for  the  most 
part  the  execution  of  this  purpose  was  entrusted,  were  princi- 
pally controlled  by  private  greed  and  ambition.  Gold,  or  sil- 
ver, was  their  only  object.  Instead  of  engaging  in  any  un- 
dertakings of  ordinary  industry,  all  of  which  were  beyond 
their  comprehension  and  for  which  they  had  the  utmost  dis- 
like, they  merely  sought  to  suddenly  enrich  themselves  by 
robbing  the  feeble  and  defenseless  aborigines  of  the  gold  and 
silver  they  had  accumulated  for  centuries  by  simple  means, 
and  which,  though  really  considerable  in  amount,  fell  im- 
mensely short  of  the  monstrous  estimates  which  had  been 
made  by  all  the  enthusiasts  of  Europe.  "When  Spanish  ad- 
venturers reached  a  new  country,  any  unknown  coast,  their 


AMERICAN  AND  OTHER   GOLD.  275 

first  demand  was  for  gold.  If  this  was  found  abundant,  ngt 
degree  of  hostility  on  the  part  of  the  natives,  no  deadliness  of; 
the  climate,  could  drive  them  from  the  locality  until  they 
learned,  or  at  least  heard,  of  more  excessive  riches  in  a  farther 
region.  If  no  gold  was  found,  nothing  could  detain  them< 
Auri  rahida  sitis  a  cultura  Hispanos  divertit^  wrote  Petru^ 
Martyrus,  at  the  time,  in  the  Novus  Orhus  of  Grynaeus,  p.  SIL 
To  this  spirit,  and  to  the  absurdly  tyrannical  rules  and  regUr 
lations  of  the  mother  country,  is  to  be  attributed  the  slow  an(J 
unsatisfactory  progress  of  the  colonies  of  Spain,  and,  notwith- 
standing their  subsequent  achievement  of  independence,  many 
of  the  evils  which,  despite  considerable  progress,  still  affliqt 
those  countries. 

Mexico  was  discovered  by  Grijalva,  a  lieutenant  of  Diego 
Velasquez,  governor  of  Cuba,  in  1511,  but  no  settlement  was 
attempted-  Chagrined  at  the  lack  of  enterprise  shown  by 
Grijalva,  Velasquez  sent  young  Hernan,  or  Ilernando,  Cortesj 
whom  he  had  made  alcade  of  St.  lago  in  Cuba,  to  conquer 
Mexico.  Cortes  and  his  small  force  landed  at  Vera  Crua, 
where  he  received  such  rich  presents  from  the  natives,  whQ 
regarded  him  and  his  men  as  gods,  and  was  told  of  such  opu^ 
lence  in  the  country  before  him,  that  he  and  all  his  force  be-, 
came  quite  beside  themselves  with  avarice  and  ambition. 
They  burned  their  ships  behind  them  to  make  retreat  impossif 
ble  and  advanced  upon  the  capital  of  the  MontezUmas.  Aft^f 
a  series  of  most  remarkable  adventures,  the  city  of  Mexico 
was  taken,  Montezuma  captured  and  loaded  with  chains,  hij 
ministers  and  officers  burned  alive,  and  the  unfortunate  auto- 
crat of  the  Aztecs  compelled  to  purchase  a  mere  resemblanc^^ 
of  freedom  by  a  ransom  of  600,000  marks  of  pure  gold  and  4 
prodigious  quantity  of  precious  stones.  i 

During  the  year  1524,  Francisco  Pizarro,  a  low  bred,  dest 
perate,  illiterate  Spanish  adventurer,  while  on. a  voyage  souths 
ward  from  Panama,  obtained  a  small  amount  of  gold  from  thf 
.natives  of  New  Granada,  and  at  the  same  time  heard  from 
those  Indians  of  the  rich  empire  of  Peru.    On  a  second  voy.- 


276  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

age,  Pizarro  plundered  a  small  town  on  the  San  Juan,  where 
he  obtained  a  considerable  amount  of  gold,  with  which  he  un- 
dertook to  prepare  for  the  exploration  of  Peru.  In  the  earlj 
summer  of  1528,  Pizarro  landed  at  Seville  in  Spain ;  with  him 
he  brought  several  natives  of  Peru,  a  few  llamas,  and  many 
articles  of  Peruvian  manufacture  in  gold  and  silver.  Upon 
landing,  Pizarro  was  arrested  for  debt  and  imprisoned,  but 
upon  application  bj  his  friends  at  court,  his  release  was  pro- 
vided for,  and  he  granted  a  hearing.  The  result  of  his  repre- 
sentations and  exhibits  was,  that  Pizarro  was  granted  a  royal 
commission  as  governor  and  captain-general  of  Peru,  with  an 
annual  salary  of  725,000  maravedis. 

The  conquest  of  Peru  by  Pizarro  and  his  associates,  was 
characterized  by  the  greatest  rapacity,  the  most  infamous 
perfidy,  and  monstrous,  horrible  cruelty.  When  Atahualipa 
or  Ataba'lipa,  the  Peruvian  Inca,  had  been  captured  by  a  dis- 
honorable trick,  he  offered  his  kidnappers  and  jailers,  as  a  ran- 
som, to  fill  the  apartment  in  which  he  was  confined,  described 
as  22  feet  long  and  17  feet  wide,  with  gold,  as  high  as  he  could 
reach,  the  Spaniard  accepted  the  proposal,  but  after  the  tem- 
ples and  palaces  of  the  vast  empire  had  been  stripped  of  their 
ornaments,  and  contributions  of  gold  paid  to  the  amount,  when 
melted  down,  of  more  than  $17,500,000  value,  Pizarro,  upon 
a  new  or  baseless  pretense,  caused  the  royal  captive  to  be  put 
to  death  the  Iwenty-ninth  of  August,  1533. 

By  such  ravages  and  extortions  as  those  practised  under 
Columbus  and  his  successors  in  office,  by  Cortes,  by  Pizarro, 
and  others  to  whom  reference  might  be  made,  the  gold  and 
silver  which  the  aboriginal  Americans  had  gathered  for  gen- 
erations and  centuries,  was  in  a  few  years  acquired  altogether 
by  those  marauders  from  Europe  who  invaded  peaceful  coun- 
tries with  the  name  of  Christ  upon  their  lips,  and  the  banner 
of  a  civilized  nation  above  their  heads,  with  a  pretended  zeal 
for  religious  truth,  and  yet  left  upon  the  minds  of  the  com- 
paratively innocent  pagans  and  savages  they  intruded  upon,  a 
reasonable  doubt,  whether  Christians  were  men   or  devils, 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  277 

since  a  greed  for  gold,  an  aptitude  for  lies,  and  a  thirst  for 
blood,  seemed  equal  elements  in  their  most  cruel  natures.  For 
interesting  particulars  as  to  the  Peruvians  and  their  country 
under  the  government  of  the  Incas,  the  reader  is  referred  back 
to  the  article  "The  Primitive  Forms  of  Money,"  pages  38  to 
42  inclusive,  of  this  volume. 

The  American  Indians  of  the  Spanish  colonies  having  beeu 
subjugated,  and  robbed  of  their  treasures,  the  adventurous  Eu,- 
ropeans  who  swarmed  into  the  gold  and  silver-bearing  regions 
of  the  new  world,  diverted  their  skill  and  energy  to  the  ofteijf 
unproductive  and  frequently  ruinous  business  of  mining.  A 
few  large  fortunes  made  in  the  search  for  the  precious  metals, 
excited  the  avaricious  hopes  of  numbers,  while  the  misfortunes 
and  disastrous  failures,  seemed  to  pass  unnoted.  In  this  way 
the  excessive  and  wild  enthusiasm  of  adventure  was  kept  alive, 
and  the  prodigious  over-statements  as  to  the  enormous  riches 
of  American  mines,  made  credible  to  the  reckless  gambler^ 
who  sought  and  expected  unheard  of  profits  from  them. 

The  mines  were  of  course  without  machinery,  but  the  Iqt 
dians  who  had  been  enslaved,  were  compelled  to  labor  in  the 
excavation  of  ores,  or  the  washing  of  sands,  and  by  thousands 
degraded  to  mere  beasts  of  burden,  and  worked  to  a  cruel 
death,  bearing  often  from  great  depths,  and  for  loug  distances, 
by  terrible  passage  ways  and  most  difficult  paths,  the  ores 
upon  their  backs  to  places  where  they  were  operated  upon  bj 
still  other  slaves  for  the  separation  of  the  metal.  The  really 
vast  product  of  the  Spanish  American  colonies  in  gold  an4 
silver,  was  thus  obtained  at  an  incredible  cost  of  human  labor 
and  life.  Ever  since  the  establishment  of  these  colonies,  thej 
and  the  territories  formed  from  them,  have  been  largely  pror 
ductive  of  the  precious  metals.  Ilumboldt  estimated  the  aver;- 
age  yield  of  gold  and  silver  in  Peru  at  $5,300,000  a  year.  Of 
late  years  very  rich  gold  quartz,  has  been  mined  at  Carabaya, 
on  Lake  Titicaca,  in  Peru,  and  valuable  deposits  opened  at 
Caratal,  in  Venezuela,  aud  at  St.  Elie,  in  French  Guinea,  the 
region  of  the  "El  Dorado"  sought  by  Sir  Walter  Kaleigh  of 


278  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA, 

England,  wben  in  1595  and  again  in  1617,  he  explored  foi 
gold  the  country  along  the  Orinoco  river,  "the  large,  rich,  and 
teaatiful  empire  of  Guiana."  The  empire  of  Brazil  has  also 
been  productive  of  gold,  and  gold  has  been  found  thence  north- 
trard  in  considerable  amounts,  in  the  United  States  of  Colum- 
bia and  all  along  the  isthmus  of  Darien,  not  only  in  natural 
position,  but  also  in  ancient  places  of  concealment,  among 
iuins,  and  formed  into  idols  which  were  buried  in  graves. 

The  search  for  gold  was  carried  on  all  along  the  American 
coast,  as  far  north  as  Hudson's  Bay  and  Frobisher's  Straits, 
\rhere  some  kind*  of  pyrites  or  ore  having  been  discovered,  an 
effort  was  made  in  1578,  to  establish  an  English  minim?  and  asr- 
ricultural  colony  in  that  frozen  country.  A  dozen  ship  loads 
of  the  supposed  gold  ore  was  taken  to  London,  but  history  is 
(Silent  as  to  the  result.  The  existence  of  gold  in  California, 
Tvas  discovered  by  the  expedition  under  Sir  Francis  Drake, 
which  sailed  from  England  in  1677,  and  between  that  date  and 
1580,  explored  the  Pacific  coast  of  the  western  continents, 
j^lundered  various  Spanish  settlements,  took  possession  of  Cal- 
ifornia in  the  nam«  of  queen  Elizabeth  of  England  and  circum- 
navigated the  globe.  In  the  account  of  California  given  by 
Hakluyt,  the  historian  of  this  expedition,  the  gold  of  that  re- 
gion was  particularly  noted.  The  gold  placers  of  California, 
were  mentioned  in  the  account  of  upper  California  by  Loyola 
Cavello,  which  was  published  in  Spain  in  the  year  1690.  In 
1721,  Capt,  Shelvocke  wrote  favorably  of  California,  as  a 
probably  rich  gold  field,  and  deposit  of  metals.  The  "Ilis- 
torico-Geographical  Dictionary"  of  Antonio  Alcedo,  which  re- 
fers to  dates  as  early  as  1786-'9,  declares  positively  that  Cali- 
fornia contained  an  abundance  of  gold,  of  which  lumps  could 
be  found  weighing  from  five  to  eight  pounds  each. 
*  Gold  is  said  to  have  been  discovered  in  Cabarrus  county  in 
North  Carolina  in  1709,  and  subsequently  small  amounts  of 
placer  gold,  were  found  from  time  to  time  at  various  places 
among  the  hills  on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Appalachian  moun- 
tains, all  the  way  from  the  Coosa  river  in  Alabama,  to  the 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  279 

shores  of  the  Potomac.  Nothing  is  known  of  the  amount  »f* 
gold  thus  incidentally  gathered,  and  as  there  Avas  no  reo-ular 
market  for  the  sale  of  the  metal,  the  gold  fields  of  the  southera 
United  States  received  but  little  attention  until  the  second 
quarter  of  the  present  century.  In  1824,  native  gold  from 
the  region  already  noted,  began  to  appear  among  the  deposits 
at  the  United  States  Mint  in  Philadelphia,  and  the  amount 
presented  increased  so  rapidly,  that  in  five  or  six  years  it  was 
the  principal  supply  of  bullion  for  the  gold  coinage  of  the  na- 
tion. During  the  year  1826,  a  Mr.  Barringer  discovered  a 
gold  vein  in  Montgomery  county,  North  Carolina,  and  after- 
wards other  veins  of  like  nature  were  found  and  worked  in 
various  places  in  the  same  state,  some  of  which  were  highly 
productive.  The  veins  of  gold  discovered  in  Virginia  were, 
however,  more  profitable  than  the  average  of  those  in  North 
Carolina,  the  coarse  gold  being  more  readily  obtained  from 
the  quartz  through  which  it  was  conspicuously  disseminated-. 
Subsequently,  traces  of  gold  were  found  in  the  states  of  Mary- 
land, Pennsylvania  and  Vermont,  but  nowhere  in  the  eastern 
United  States  north  of  the  Potomac  river,  except  a  small  area 
in  Vermont,  have  the  indications  of  gold  been  sufficiently  en- 
couraging to  induce  a  practical  mining  exploration.  North 
of  the  St.  Lawrence  river,  gold  has  been  discovered  and  op- 
erated for  on  the  banks  of  the  Chaudiere  river,  near  the  city 
of  Quebec,  in  Canada,  and  not  far  from  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia, 
there  are  veins  of  gold-bearing  quartz  which,  though  not  ex- 
tensive are  rich,  and  have  been  worked  with  good  average  re- 
sults for  years. 

In  1830,  the  first  deposits  of  Georgia  gold  were  made,  their 
amount  being  $212,000. 

To  revert  briefly  to  the  era  preceding  the  discoveries  hy 
Columbus,  it  may  be  stated  that  during  the  period  from  the 
seventh  to  the  fifteenth  century,  the  metallurgists  of  Europe, 
instead  of  making  discoveries  of  new  veins  and  deposits  of 
gold,  to  take  the  place  of  the  ancient  and  exhausted  sources 
of  supply,  were,  in  accordance  with  the  spirit  of  the  dark  and 


280  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Superstitious  age  in  which  they  lived,  engaged  in  the  bcwil- 
^ring  attempt  to  solve  the  secrets  of  alchemy,  and  by  discov- 
tariug  the  philosopher's  stone,  enable  themselves  to  transmute 
Vaser  metals  to  gold.  Although  moderh  chemistry  may  be 
Iftid  to  have  had  its  origin  in  the  studies  of  these  men,  and 
philosophy  owes  them  thanks  for  important  suggestions,  yet 
they  failed  in  the  object  of  their  countless  and  costly  experi- 
ments, leaving  to  Oriental  nations,  and  to  the  Moors  or  the 
Arabians,  the  practical  progress  of  the  world,  and  the  general 
working  of  its  gold  fields  and  silver  mines.  In  consequence, 
it  was  estimated  that  at  the  time  of  the  voyages  of  Columbus 
ia  1492,  the  whole  supply  of  gold  and  silver  in  the  Old  World, 
exclusive  of  that  held  in  the  more  or  less  unknown  countries 
of  the  Orient,  had  fallen  to  an  amount  to  be  valued  at  no  more 
than  £34,000,000,  while  the  supply  obtained  from  year  to 
y-ear  was  merely  sufficient  to  make  good  the  loss  caused  by 
the  abrasion  of  coin  and  other  forms  of  destruction. 

•.  After  Columbus,  the  enormous  amounts  of  gold  and  silver 
taken  from  America  to  Kurope,  soon  made  good  the  lack  of 
supply  from  old  sources,  and,  as  in  the  classic  days  of  Rome 
gold  had  been  reduced  at  one  time  one-third  in  value  by  over- 
production, so  at  this  time,  the  product  of  America  exported 
to  Europe,  much  reduced  the  value  of  the  precious  metals  there 
in  comparison  with  other  thing?,  and  caused  the  abandonment 
of  a  number  of  gold  fields  and  silver  mines  which  had  previous- 
ly been  worked  with  profit.  From  1492  to  1500,  the  amount 
of  gold  yearly  shipped  from  America  to  Europe,  was  stated  by 
Humboldt  to  have  been  of  the  value  of  £52,000.  Silver  was 
not  received  from  America  until  1519.  The  supply  of  gold 
from  America  continued  about  the  same  until  1521,  when  upon 
the  conquest  of  Mexico,  as  has  been  noted,  the  precious  metals, 
especially  silver,  were  secured  in  immensely  larger  quantities. 

Modern  Sources  of  Gold  in  the  Old  World. 
Having  thus  referred  to  the  events  which  led  to  the  dis- 
covery and  development  of  the  American  gold  fields,  after  the 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  281 

disappearance  of  the  dark  ages,  and  traced  in  raoid  outline  the 
history  of  the  production  of  gold  in  America,  to  as  late  a  date 
as  I'iGO,  it  is  essential  to  a  comprehensive  understanding,  that 
a  statement  should  be  made  of  the  modern  sources  of  gold  in 
Asia,  Europe,  Africa  and  Australia,  bcfoi;;e  giving  an  account 
of  the  two  great  gold  fields  of  the  United  States,  and  the  pro- 
duction of  bullion  from  them  for  the  last  half  century. 

Of  the  production  of  gold  in  Asia,  outside  of  the  Russian 
provinces,  comparatively  little  can  be  precisely  stated.  3  »oubt- 
less,  there  are  Asiatic  gold  fields  of  importance  Avhich  are 
worked  extensively,  but  it  is  only  from  the  islands  iu  the  In- 
dian archipelago  that  any  considerable  amount  is  iorwarded 
for  general  circulation.  In  China,  gold  is  said  to  exist  in  four- 
teen of  the  nineteen  provinces;  the  Chinese  placers,  nuggets, 
and  gold  washings,  form  extensive  sources  of  gold  which  have 
long  been  known,  but  the  government  of  China  is  said  to  dis- 
courage the  production  of  native  gold,  in  carrying  out  Fome 
peculiar  financial  theory  entertained  by  the  rulers  of  the  coun- 
try. The  gold-bearing  formations  of  southern  and  central 
China,  are  supposed  to  extend  into  Chinese  Tartary  to  the 
north,  and  so  onward,  and  connect  with  those  of  eastern 
Siberia. 

The  empire  of  Japan  formerly  exported  large  amounts  of 
gold,  which  was  one  of  the  chief  articles  of  the  trade  carried 
on  by  the  Dutch  and  Portuguese,  who  for  a  long  time  monopo- 
lised the  foreicrn  commerce  of  the  countrv.  It  i.s  stated  bv 
Hildreth,  that  the  value  of  the  precious  metals  exported  from 
Japan,  for  two  hundred  years  after  1540,  must  have  been 
worth  some  $200,000,000.  The  gold  of  the  island  of  Yesso, 
or  Yezo,  occurs  in  fine  scales,  among  the  gravel  along  the 
streams,  and  in  deposits  on  the  high  terraces  of  the  hillsides. 
Extensive  mines  of  gold  and  silver  arc  worked  upon  a  large 
vein  of  gold  and  silver- bearing  ore  on  the  island  of  Sado.  The 
gold  regions  of  Yesso,  or  Yezo,  were  surveyed  for  the  Tycoon 
of  Japan  by  Blake  and  Pumpclly  in  1SG2  ;  the  estimated  yield 
of  the  island  is  but  $25,000  in  value  per  annum.     'Ihe  mines 


282  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPuEDIA. 

of  Sado  employ  3,000  native  miners,  wifli  modem  machinery, 
under  English  superintendents  ;  the  yield  of  these  mines  was 
formerly  kept  a  state  secret.  Gold  is  much  used  in  the  arta 
of  Japan,  for  making  fine  bronzes,  for  gilding,  and  for  inlaid 
or  overlaid  work  in  metals.  According  to  a  Japanese  author^ 
the  amount  of  gold  exported  from  Nagasaki,  a  principal  port 
of  Japan,  from  the  year  1611  to  1706,  was  valued  at  $68,000,- 
000,  silver  being  exported  during  the  same  time  to  the  value 
of  $157,000,000.  Like  other  Asiatic  peoples,  the  Japanese 
formerly  placed  a  higher  proportionate  value  upon  silver  in 
relation  to  gold,  than  the  nations  of  Europe  and  America,  and 
when,  after  the  United  States  expedition  to  Japan  in  1854, 
that  country  was  opened  to  foreign  trade,  speculators  in  bul- 
lion were  for  a  time  enabled  to  profit  largely  by  the  purchase 
of  Japanese  gold  for  Mexican  and  other  silver.  Since  the  po- 
litical revolutions  of  the  years  1868,  1869,  1870,  1871,  Japan 
has,  through  an  entire  change  of  her  former  jealous  and  re- 
strictive policy,  entered  upon  a  marvelous  progress.  There  ia 
a  Japanese  mint  at  Ozaka,  with  buildings,  machinery  and  ap- 
pliances in  approved  European  style,  which  was  of  late  under 
English  supervision.  All  the  old  gold  and  silver  coinage  o/ 
Japan,  has  been  called  in,  and  with  a  part  of  the  present  proba- 
ble increased  product  of  the  mines,  is  minted  into  coin  upon  a 
decimal  system,  to  be  noted  in  proper  place  hereafter.  For 
the  year  ending  July  31st,  1873,  the  Ozaka  Mint  issued  $25,- 
162,614.  During  the  year  1872,  $14,488,981  were  coined  in 
gold,  and  from  1871  to  1873,  $10,213,598  were  coined  in  silver. 
India  produces  but  small  quantities  of  gold,  which  are 
gathered  by  the  natives  from  washings  earned  on  in  the  hilla 
of  the  south  part  of  Bengal,  or  obtained  from  quartz  veins  of 
modern  discovery  and  considerable  value  in  the  district  of 
Wynaad  in  the  southern  part  of  the  presidency  of  Madras. 
The  island  of  Borneo  in  the  East  Indian  or  Malay  archipelago, 
is  notably  rich  in  minerals,  diamonds  and  gold  being  the  chief; 
the  diamonds  occur  in  the  beds  of  the  rivers;  the  largest  gem 
ever  found  there  weighed  86/  carats.     The  Dutch  have  long 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  283 

found  an  abundance  of  gold  in  Borneo,  in  Sarawak,  and  the 
districts  under  their  control,  the  yield  being  of  small  grains 
from  alluvial  deposits.  The  existence  of  gold  throughout  the 
island,  in  varying  quantities,  is  asserted,  and  upon  the  river 
Kapola,  gold  is  found  with  iron  ores,  sulphuret  of  antimony 
and  diamonds.  Gold  is  also  reported  among  the  products  of 
Thibet,  Ceylon,  Sumatra,  Celebes,  the  Phillippine  islands  and 
other  Asiatic  regions  of  less  importance,  or  concerning  which 
we  have  no  reliable  information. 

Between  Asia  and  Europe,  lie  the  gold  fields  of  the  Russian 
empire,  which  have  not  only  supplied  the  finest  known  speci- 
mens of  native  gold,  but  are  more  productive  than  any  other 
in  the  Old  World.  Most  of  the  gold  taken  from  Russian 
sources,  is  from  territories  in  Asia.  The  most  important  of 
the  old  Russian  gold-bearing  districts  are  situated  on  the  east- 
ern slope  of  the  Ural  Mountains,  around  Miask,  Kamensk, 
Berezovsk,  Nijne  Tagilsk,  and  Bogoslowsk,  covering  more  or 
less  completely,  a  region  some  six  hundred  miles  long,  from 
51  to  61  degrees,  North  latitude.  Outside  of  these  limits,  the 
alluvial  deposits  of  the  Ural  are  continued  northward  to  a  vast 
region  without  population,  and  south  into  the  Cossack  and  the 
Bashkir  provinces.  The  richest  of  the  Ural  gold  mines  are 
those  of  Smolensk,  not  far  from  Miask,  and  those  of  Ouspensk, 
near  Katchkar,  52  decfrces  Korth  latitude. 

The  conquest  of  Siberia,  the  immense  country  of  the  Ural 
and  the  Altai  Mountains,  was  made  for  Russia  in  1581  and  a 
few  subsequent  years.  The  Ural  gold  mines  were  discovered 
about  1745,  and  thereafter  other  mineral  riches  being  found, 
geological  explorations  were  finally  made  in  a  thorough  and 
scientific  manner.  Some  of  the  Siberian  washings  and  de- 
posits of  gold  show  traces  of  prehistoric  workings.  Yekater- 
enburg,  or  Ekaterenburg,  the  principal  city  of  the  Ural  gold 
region,  was  founded  by  Peter  the  Great,  emperor  of  Russia,  in 
1722  ;  a  few  years  since,  this  place  was  famous  for  its  metals 
vnd  manufactures,  and  had  an  industrious  population  of  from 
about  twenty-five  to  thirty  thousand.     At  the  same  time  over 


284  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

fifty  thousand  men  were  employed  in  the  varied  mines  of  the 
Ural  mountain  country.  The  produce  of  different  metals, 
minerals,  and  gems,  was  very  large  and  valuable ;  among  these 
platinum  was  mined  near  Yekaterenburg,  the  amount  secured 
each  year  being  fiom  eight  to  ten  thousand  pounds.  Speci- 
mens of  gold  found  near  Yekaterenburg  showed  upon  analysis 
a  greater  degree  of  fineness  than  any  other  known  native  gold. 
In  100  parts  there  were:  gold  98.96,  silver  0.16,  copper  0.35 ; 
the  specific  gravity  of  the  mass  having  been  determined  to  be 
19.099.  In  the  Zarewo  Alexandrowsk  mine,  in  1S26,  a  nusr- 
get  of  native  gold  was  found  which  weighed  about  twenty- 
three  pounds,  and  others  were  discovered  of  from  two  to  four 
pounds  each. 

The  district  of  Miask  contains  the  most  valuable  mines,  and 
there  the  largest  nuggets  have  been  found.  In  the  Katchkar. 
very  productive  mines  are  worked,  which  are  remarkable  for, 
yielding  with  the  gold  great  numbers  of  pink  topazes,  emer- 
alds, and  other  gems. 

During  the  reign  of  Nikolai  Pavlovitch  (Nicholas  I),  em- 
peror of  all  the  Russias  from  1825  to  1855,  a  new  gold  field, 
as  large  as  all  France,  was  discovered  in  southern  and  eastern 
Siberia,  Avhich  has  proved  to  be  of  greater  richness  than  even 
the  old  diggings  and  washings  of  the  Ural  Mountains.  The 
gold  of  tliis  new  field  has  been  taken  from  crystalline  rocks, 
found  in  a  system  of  low  ridges  which,  springing  from  the 
north  slope  of  the  great  East  and  West  extending  chain  of  the 
Altai  Mountains,  run  northward  into  the  provinces  of  Tomsk 
and  Yeniseisk.  The  working  of  these  ridges,  made  Russia 
the  greatest  gold- producing  country  in  the  world  until  the 
discovery  of  California.  In  18-13,  the  Ural  district  produced 
gold  to  the  value  of  $2,500,000 ;  the  same  year,  the  Altai 
ridges  yielded  the  same  metal  to  the  value  of  $11,000,000. 
The  average  annual  product  of  all  the  gold  fields  of  Russia,  is 
estimated  to  be  worth  $15,000,000,  or  perhaps  even  more. 
The  produce  of  Russia  in  gold  during  1865  was  given  as  69,- 
600  lbs.  troy,  $17,032,080.00  in  value.     The  gross  value  of 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  285 

the  amount  of  gold  secured  in  Russia  since  about  1745 
to  the  present,  may  be  estimated  in  round  numbers  at  $700,- 
000,000.  The  gold  deposits  of  the  Caucasus  Mountains  in 
Southern  Russia,  between  the  Caspian  and  the  Black  Sea, 
which  were  of  classical  notoriety  and  referred  to  in  connection 
with  the  mythical  account  of  the  expedition  of  Jason  and  the 
Argonauts,  are  practically  exhausted,  the  last  attempt  at 
working  them,  having  been  abandoned  in  1875. 

In  Europe,  various  great  rivers,  the  Rhine,  the  Rhone,  the 
Danube,  the  Reuss,  the  Aar  of  Switzerland  and  other  smaller 
streams  springing  from  crystalline  rocks  of  the  Alpine  moun- 
tain regions,  and  also  the  rivers  which  flow  from  the  granitic 
formations' in  the  center  of  France,  deposit  gold  in  their  sands, 
but  in  such  exceedingly  small  quantities  that  the  washing  of 
of  the  drift  bannot  be  made  profitable.  The  search  for  gold 
in  such  deposits  is,  however,  carried  on  at  various  places  by 
the  gipsies  or'  by  the  peasants  of  tlie  neighborhood  at  irregu- 
lar seasons  when  lacking  better  employment.  The  results  of 
such  operations  are  very  small  in  proportion  to  the  amount 
of  labor  expended.  Few  of  the  sources  of  gold  in  Europe  are 
of  importance  compared  with  those  in  other  parts  of  the  world, 
yet  from  historical  reasons  or  from  certain  peculiarities,  some 
of  them  are  worthy  of  note. 

The  grand  duchy  of  Transylvania,  forming  part  of  the 
lands  of  the  Ilungarian  crown,  is  surrounded  by  the  Carpa- 
thian Mountains.  The  whole  drainage  flows  to  the  Danube, 
the  chief  rivers  being  the  Aluta,  Maros,  Great  Kokcl,  Little 
Kokel,  Bistritz,  Szamos  and  the  Koros.  In  all  these  and  in 
most  of  the  smaller  streams,  gold  is  found  more  or  less  abun- 
dant. A  number  of  gold  mines  beside  the  washings  mentioned, 
are  worked  in  Transylvania  and  have  had  the  reputation  of  be- 
ing very  productive.  The  mines  of  Nagy-Ag  and  Zalatna  in 
the  south-western  part  of  Transylvania,  produce  a  natural  alloy 
of  tellurium  and  gold.  At  the  Rathausberg  mines,  near  Gas- 
tein  in  the  Austrian  Alps,  at  an  elevation  of  some  9,000  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea,  there  are  mines  of  gold-bearing 


,^8aa  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

quartz  which,  though  of  small  importance  at  present,  are,  with 
the  mines  at  Zell  in  the  province  of  Tyrol,  famous  as  the  places 
where  the  system  of  amalgamation  ia  mills  was  first  developed. 
It  may  also  be  noted  that  at  Zell  and  at  Bockstein  in  the  prov- 
ince of  Salzburg,  gold  is  practically  obtained  from  poorer  ores 
than  have  ever  been  made  to  pay  elsewhere.  From  the  auri- 
ferous pyrites,  argentiferous  mispickel,  grey  argentiferous 
copper,  and  sulphuret  of  silver,  contained  in  the  quartz  gangue 
and  argillaceous  slates  of  these  mines,  gold  has  been  separated 
with  a  profit,  when  the  per  centage  of  metal  obtained,  was  but 
4,  6,  or  15  parts  of  gold  in  1,000,000  of  the  ore.  With  this, 
.however,  is  secured  six  or  seven  times  this  weight  of  silver, 
of  less  than  half  the  value  of  the  gold.  The  gold  mines  of 
■Hungary  are  richer,  and  yield  a  considerable  amount  of  gold. 
The  total  product  of  the  gold  mines  of  Austria,  has  of  late 
years,  averaged  from  5,500  to  5,800  ounces,  being  from  $113,- 
685.00  to  $1 19,886,00  in  value. 

In  Italy,  the  ancients  obtained  gold  from  various  localities. 
For  some  time  past,  the  Pestarena  mines,  a  group  of  workings 
on  the  Italian  side  of  the  Austrian  Alps  in  the  Val-Anzasca 
and  the  Val  Toppa  above  the  Lago  Maggiore,  have  yielded 
from  2,D00  or  3,000  ounces  of  gold,  to  be  valued  at  from  $1:1,- 
310.00,  to  $62,010.00  each  year.  There  is  also  a  rich  vein  of 
gold-bearing  copper  ore,  a  recent  discovery,  at  Ollomont  in  the 
Val  d'Aosta.  Thei^e  are  important  gold  mines  in  the  Val  An- 
trona,  and  smaller  ones  in  the  Val  Alagna,  Val  Sesia,  and  tl^e 
Val  Novara.  The  chief  gold  mines  of  Lombardy  are  at  Pes- 
ehiera  and  Minerva  di  Sotto.  The  total  yield  of  all  the  gold 
mines  of  Italy  may  be  valued  at  about  $100,000  each  year. 
Gold  is  found  in  but  few  places  in  Germany,  and  those  situated 
iu  the  Hartz  mountains  and  in  Savoy,  produce  but  small  quan- 
tities. 

Argentiferous  galena  is  found  among  the  minerals  of  Turkey 
in  Europe,  but  the  amount  of  gold  separated  from  Turkish 
ores  is  small.  The  mineral  resources  of  Turkey  in  Asia,  are 
quite  undeveloped.     Gold  is  not  reported  among  the  natural 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  287 

resources  of  modern  Greece.  In  Prussia,  a  very  small  quan- 
tity of  gold  is  produced.  Gold  is  not  reported  among  the  pro- 
ducts of  Denmark.  The  scarcity  of  fuel  in  Norway,  prevents 
the  development  of  mines ;  iron  ore  is  common,  but  no  pro- 
duction of  gold  is  recorded.  Gold  has  been  found  in  small 
quantities  in  the  rich  mineral  districts  of  Sweden.  Belgium, 
though  very  rich  in  common  minerals,  produces  little  if  any 
gold.  Holland  has  no  mines,  nor  deposits  of  gold.  No  trace 
of  gold  has  been  reported  from  Iceland.  The  rivers  flowing 
from  the  center  of  France,  have  as  has  already  been  noted,  a 
little  gold  in  their  sands,  but  the  greater  part  of  the  small 
amount  of  gold  secured  in  France,  is  taken  from  the  small 
streams  which  rise  among  the  Pyrenees  between  that  country 
and  Spain.  Gallicia  in  Spain,  was  a  well-known  gold  field  in 
ancient  times,  but  the  veins  and  deposits  are  exhausted  and 
no  other  noteworthy  source  of  supply  has  been  discovered. 
>  The  small  but  famous  kingdom  of  Portugal  still  yields  a  lim- 
ited amount  of  gold. 

During  the  occupation  of  Britain  by  the  Romans,  from  B.C. 
54  toA.D.  420,  veins  of  gold-bearing  quartz  were  worked  at 
Ogofau  near  Llanpumpsant,  in  Carmarthenshire.  In  the  time 
of  queen  Elizabeth,  from  A.D.  1558  to  A.D.  1603,  gold  was  ob- 
tained at  the  Leadhills  in  the  south  of  Scotland,  and  within  the 
last  hundred  years  gold  has  been  collected  in  the  granite  district 
of  the  county  of  Wicklow  in  Ireland,  at  the  rate  of  $50,000 
worth  of  the  metal  in  two  months.  These  deposits  were  worked 
in  1876,  but  yielded  only  4  ounces  of  gold,  worth  $82.68.  In 
ancient  times,  gold  was  gathered  in  the  county  of  Cornwall, 
England,  and  it  is  still  sometimes  found  there  in  small  pieces, 
in  the  alluvial  or  stream- workings  for  tin,  for  the  production 
of  which  last-named  rare  metal,  the  locality  has  a  world-wide 
celebrity.  Gold  has  also  been  found  in  recent  years  at  Helms- 
dale, Sutherlandshire,  England,  and  is  known  to  exist  in  the 
English  county  of  Devonshire.  The  largest  nugget  of  gold 
ever  obtained  in  the  British  islands,  weighed  but  three  ounces. 
The  most  productive  British  gold  field  has  b^en  found  in  a 


288  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA, 

district  of  an  area  of  about  25  square  miles  in  North  Wales ; 
the  mines  of  tliis  Welsh  district  are  still  operated,  but  the  pro- 
duct has  become  very  much  diminished.  During  the  year 
1863,  5,300  ounces  of  gold  were  produced  from  gold-bearing 
veins  of  quartz  at  the  Vigra  and  Clogau  mine,  in  the  Lower 
Silurian  slates  near  Dolgelly .  The  product  falling  off  presently, 
the  mine  was  closed ;  but  in  1875,  the  workings  there  were 
resumed,  and  by  the  process  then  used,  a  profit  was  realized ; 
288  ouncesof  gold,  worth  $5,852.96,  were  secured  in  1876,  and  in 
1878,  the  mine  produced  720  ounces  of  gold,  worth  $14,882.-10. 

Africa  was  in  ancient  times  the  principal  source  of  the 
known  product  of  gold,  and  the  continent  is  still  rich  in  that 
metal.  The  mines  of  Abyssinia  and  Nubia  in  the  upper  valley 
of  the  Nile  still  produce  a  small  quantity  of  gold.  Nubia  hav- 
ing been  the  "land  of  gold"  known  by  the  old  Egyptians. 
Linant  Bey  describes  very  extensive  ancient  mines  of  gold  in 
the  district  of  Attaki,  or  Allaki,  on  the  Red  Sea,  about  120, 
miles  inland  from  the  shore  at  Ras  Elba,  a  headland  midway 
from  Berenice  to  Sauwakin.  These  mines  were  known  to  the 
Egyptians  as  early  at  least  as  the  12th  dynasty  of  their  politi- 
cal chronology,  which  ended  2,851  B.C.  During  the  reign  of 
Setee,  or  Seti  I,  king  of  Egypt,  who  died  1,288  B,  C,  at  the 
end  of  the  19th  dynasty,  wells  were  opened  along  the  route 
from  the  Nile  to  the  district  of  Attaki,  or  Allaki,  in  order 
that  the  even  then  ancient  gold  mines  there,  which  had  been 
closed,  should  be  reopened.  These  mines  are  supposed  to  be 
those  described  by  Diodorus  Siculus,  the  voluminous  author 
of  the  Dibliotheca,  who  wrote  about  the  beginning  of  the 
Christian  Era,  and  at  Turin,  Italy,  there  is  a  map  of  the  route 
from  the  Nile  to  these  mines,  which  is  considered  the  oldest 
topographical  document  in  existence.  Other  old  mines  of  the 
same  character,  were  a  few  years  ago  discovered  by  the  traveler 
Burton,  in  the  ancient  land  of  Midian,  on  the  eastern  coast  of 
the  Gulf  of  Alcaba. 

During  A.D.  1838,  a  traveler  by  the  name  of  Russegger 
passed  through  Nubia,  and  in  the  account  of  his  explorations 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER    GOLD.  289 

stated  that  the  mountain  chain  which  extends  across  the  in- 
terior of  Africa,  from  East  North-east  to  West  South-west, 
with  the  streams  that  flowed  from  the  same,  contained  gold 
in  undetermined  quantities.  There  are  placer  deposits  and 
quartz  veins  of  gold,  in  Sennar  and  southern  Abyssinia. 
There  is  also  a  gold-bearing  region  between  Abyssinia  and 
Darfoor,  and  a  gold  district  in  Kordofan  on  the  Upper  Nile. 
Gold  is  obtained  in  small  quantities  on  the  coast  of  Africa  op- 
posite the  island  of  Madagascar.  The  greatest  part  of  the  gold 
produced  on  the  coasts  of  Africa,  is  brought  from  the  western 
side  of  the  continent,  being  obtained  from  the  mines  of  Bam- 
book,  south  of  the  Senegal  river,  in  the  Kong  Mountains,  be- 
tween Senegambia  and  Bambara,  65  degrees  North  latitude 
and  67  degrees  East  longitude,  which  are  the  most  important 
sources  of  gold  upon  the  continent. 

In  1866,  an  elephant  hunter  named  Hartley,  and  a  traveling 
German  scientist  by  the  name  of  Mauch,  discovered  extensive 
gold  fields  in  south  Africa,  between  17  degrees  and  21  degrees 
30  minutes  South  latitude,  in  the  interior  country,  between 
the  Zambesi  west  of  Tete,  and  the  middle  course  of  the  Lim- 
popo river.  The  mines  are  350  miles  from  the  Portuguese 
settlement  of  Sofala,  which  is  a  port  on  the  east  coast  of  Africa, 
at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Sofala,  in  the  southern  part  of  Mo- 
zambique, latitude  23  degrees  57  minutes  South,  and  longitude 
36  degrees  and  6  minutes  East.  Having  been  known  to  the 
Portuguese  since  early  in  the  16th  century  as  a  place  of  export 
for  gold,  Sofala  is  regarded  by  some,  as  the  Ophir  from  whence 
the  Hebrew  king  Solomon  obtained  the  vast  amount  of  gold 
said  to  have  been  used  in  the  construction  of  his  temple. 

The  mines  found  by  Hartley  and  Mauch  are  said  to  have 
been  known  to  the  Portuguese  in  the  17th  century.  The  re- 
gion containing  the  gold,  is  an  elevated  table  land  of  the  Quat- 
alamba  Mountains,  some  7,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea, 
chiefly  occupied  by  the  Matabele,  part  of  the  warlike  tribe  of 
the  Caffres.  Extended  over  this  table  land.  Hartley  and  Mauch 
found  glistening  beds  of  white  quartz  rock,  which  upon  exam- 

B 


290  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA, 

ination  proved  to  contain  gold.  Gold  was  also  found  by  them 
in  the  sands  along  the  margin  of  the  brooks  of  the  country. 
The  chief  gold  fields  of  Africa  are  on  the  western  coast;  the 
unmanufactured  part  of  the  gold  exported,  has  been  mostly  in 
the  form  of  dust,  doubtless  obtained  by  the  negroes  from  allu- 
vial washings.  Such  African  gold  dust,  has  long  been  famous 
OS  an  article  of  export  from  the  gold  coast  of  upper  Guinea 
and  other  points.  Before  the  discovery  of  gold  in  California 
and  Australia,  the  gold  fields  of  Guinea  in  the  Kong  Mountains 
■were  esteemed  an  important  source  of  supply.  The  discovery 
of  the  south  African  gold  fields  attracted  much  attention,  and 
yet  the  production  of  gold  in  that  part  of  the  world  has  not 
been,  in  view  of  developments  elsewhere,  of  very  great  im- 
portance. In  recent  years  alluvial  deposits  in  the  Drakens- 
berg  Mountains  of  Transvaal,  in  the  Leydenburg  district,  sit- 
uated in  25  degrees  South  latitude,  and  31  degrees  East  longi- 
tude, have  been  successfully  worked  and  gold  produced  in  con- 
siderable quantities,  the  form  of  the  native  metal  being  that 
of  coarse  nuggetty  gold  of  various  sizes,  up  to  masses  of  eleven 
pounds  in  weight.  It  is  difficult  to  form  a  correct  estimate  of 
the  gold  produced  in  Africa  at  present.  A  few  years  since  the 
calculations  of  Birkmyre  fixed  the  annual  yield  of  African  gold 
at  the  inconsiderable  quantity  of  4,000  ounces,  which  was 
valued  at  about  $900,000.  Though  the  precious  metals  do 
not  seem  to  be  very  generally  distributed  throughout  Africa, 
iron  and  copper  are  found  in  the  tropical  part  of  the  terri- 
tory. Livingstone  found  seams  of  coal  along  the  Zambesi 
river  of  south  Mozambique,  and  salt  is  said  to  abound  almost 
everywhere  on  the  continent.  In  1867,  extensive  diamond 
fields  were  discovered  in  the  districts  north  of  the  Orange 
river,  about  28  degrees  South  latitude,  from  which  many 
stones  of  fine  quality  and  large  size  have  been  obtained ;  the  dia- 
mond "the  Star  of  South  Africa,"  found  shortly  after  the  open- 
ing of  the  diggings,  brought  £11,500  sterling,  or  $55,964.75. 
The  probabilities  are  that  with  the  increase  of  scientific 
knowledge  regarding  the   African  continent,  and  with  the 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  291 

possible  future  progress  and  measurable  civilization  of  its 
people,  new  sources  of  gold  may  become  known,  and  even 
some  of  the  old  fields  worked  by  improved  methods  to  ad- 
vantage. At  present,  some  of  the  African  nations  and  tribes, 
though  partly  civilized  in  some  respects,  are  quite  unaware 
of  the  intrinsic  value  of  the  precious  metals  as  such.  In  his 
recent  highly  interesting  work  upon  "Moslem  Egypt  and 
Christian  Abyssinia,"  William  McE.  Dye,  formerly  of  the 
United  States  Army,  and  late  Colonel  of  the  Egyptian  Staff, 
in  giving  his  original  account  of  millitary  service  under  the 
Khedive,  in  his  provinces  and  beyond  their  borders,  as  expe- 
rienced by  the  American  Staff,  relates  as  an  evidence  of  the 
benighted  state  of  the  Abyssinians,  "that  thousands  of  dollars 
in  gold  taken  from  them  by  the  Egyptians  who  had  fallen 
into  their  hands,  were  thought  by  them  to  be  of  little  value," 
and  that  "During  the  peace  negotiations,  certain  Egyptians 
took  advantage  of  this  ignorance  by  visiting  Abyssinian  camps 
land  speculating  with  them  for  gold.  Two  Maria  Theresa 
thalers,  even  one"  (the  thaler  being  worth  bat  $1,11.7825  each), 
"bought  an  Egyptian  pound,  or  say  five  dollars." 

Australia,  the  latest  discovered  of  the  great  modern  gold 
fields,  next  demands  attention  precedent  to  a  description  of 
the  gold  regions  of  the  United  States  of  America,  since  an  ac- 
count of  the  gold  coinage  of  the  latter  country  is  to  follow. 

The  great  island  formerly  called  New  Holland,  but  now 
classed  as  a  continent,  under  the  name  of  Australia,  by  most 
geographers,  forms  a  principal  part  of  the  Australasian 
(South  Asian),  division  of  the  glolve.  Situated  at  the  an- 
tipodes of  the  civilized  portion  of  the  world,  this  vast  island 
continent  long  remained  an  unknown  territory,  though  the 
existence  of  some  such  body  of  land  was  surmised  by  the  an- 
cient Phoenician  sailors ;  it  was  reported  to  Marco  Polo  by 
the  Chinese,  and  its  shores  may  have  been  visited  repeatedly 
before  definite  information  regarding  the  same  became  public. 
The  continent  of  Australia  was  probably  known  to  the  Portu- 
guese by  the  name  of  Great  Java  early  in  the  16th  century. 


292  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Upon  a  map  made  by  some  Portuguese  navigators  wliicli 
bears  date  A.D.  1542,  the  position  of  Australia  in  the  south- 
ern ocean  is  marked  bv  vas^ue  outlines  indicatinsr  land  found 
thereabouts  of  unknown  form  and  extent.  Under  the  name 
of  Australis  Terra,  Australia  was  mentioned  by  Cornelius 
Wytfliet  in  1598,  as  a  country  of  vast  extent,  south  of  all 
other  lands,  separated  from  New  Guinea  by  a  narrow  strait, 
and  which,  if  explored,  "would  be  regarded  as  a  fifth  part  of 
the  world."  The  confusion  of  names  given  by  the  early  navi- 
gators to  lands  visited  by  them  in  the  Australasian  seas,  ren- 
ders it  impossible  to  determine  with  accuracy  when  Australia 
was  discovered,  or  to  whom  the  first  voyage  from  any  civil- 
ized country  to  its  shores  is  to  be  credited. 

In  1606,  a  Portuguese  named  Lniz  Yaez  de  Torres,  com- 
mander of  a  ship  commissioned  by  the  Spanish  Government  of 
Peru,  having  with  Pedro  Fernandez  de  Quiros,  discovered  Espi- 
ritu  Santo,  or  the  New  Hebrides,  sailed  his  vessel  alone  from 
east  to  west  and  passed  through  the  channel  now  called  Torres 
Strait,  between  the  northernmost  point  of  Australia,  Cape 
York,  and  Banks  and  Mulgrave  islands  off  that  coast.  During 
the  same  year,  York  peninsula  was  visited  by  a  yacht  called 
the  "Duyfhen,"  or  "Dove,"  which  had  been  sent  out  by  the 
Dutch  from  Bantam  in  Java,  to  explore  part  of  the  coast  of 
New  Guinea.  The  captain  of  the  Duyfhen,  who  "saw  the 
northern  shore  of  the  continent  at  a  distance,"  considered  the 
land  to  which  he  came  a  portion  of  the  not  far  distant  island 
of  New  Guinea.  Other  voyages  followed;  in  1616,  under  the 
Dutch  commander  Dirk  Ilartog;  in  1618,  by  the  "Pera"  and 
"Arnhem,"  Dutch  vessels  from  Amboyana ;  in  1622,  by  the 
Leuwin ;  in  1627,  by  the  "Guldene  Zeepard,"  with  Peter  Nuyts 
on  his  way  to  the  embassy  in  Japan;  in  1642  and  1644  by 
Tasman;  in  1697,  by  Vlamingh  ;  by  an  exploring  expedi- 
tion in  1705,  and  at  different  times  by  various  Dutch  t'-aders, 
until  in  one  way  and  another,  the  Dutch  had  pretty  thorough- 
ly circumnavigated  the  island  they  named  New  Ilolland,  and 
had  somewhat  explored  a  number  of  points  on  the  coast,  but 


AMERICA]^  AN^D    OTHER   GOLD.  293 

whetlier  thej  touched  on  the  northern  or  the  southern  sea- 
board of  the  newlj-discovered  land,  they  had  to  report  the 
country  very  generally  of  an  uninviting  appearance. 

The  famous  English  buccaneer  and  navigator,  Captain  Wil- 
liam Dampier,  landed  on  the  coast  of  Australia  in  1688,  and 
spent  five  weeks  ashore  at  Roebuck  Bay,  on  the  North-west- 
ern coast  of  western  Australia.  In  1699,  Dampier  visited 
Australia  under  a  commission  from  the  English  Admiralty, 
and  made  explorations,  of  which  he  gave  an  account,  but  his 
representations  were  not  very  encouraging.  The  voyages  of 
Captain  Cook  in  the  English  expeditions  from  1769  to  1777, 
made  the  civilized  world  acquainted  with  Australia,  New 
Zealand,  and  Tasmania,  and  opened  up  the  wonderful  Aus- 
tralasian lands  to  European  enterprise.  Captain  Cook  came 
upon  the  mainland  of  Australia  in  April,  1770,  at  Gipps* 
Land,  Victoria,  South  latitude  30  degrees,  East  longitude  148 
degrees  and  53  minutes.  Botany  Bay  was  so  called  at  that 
lime  by  Sir  Joseph  Banks,  of  Cook's  expedition,  on  account 
of  the  wonderful  floral  display  he  found  upon  the  plains  of 
the  country  thereabouts.  In  1788,  the  first  English  penal 
settlement  of  Australia  was  established  in  New  South  Wales, 
and  the  towns  of  Sydney  and  Port  Jackson  founded  there. 
About  1790  to  1800,  the  voyages  of  two  Englishmen  named 
Bass  and  Flinders,  begun  on  private  account,  and  continued 
with  great  courage  and  perseverance,  added  much  to  the 
knowledge  of  Australian  geography.  Bass  having  died, 
Flinders  made  a  complete  and  detailed  survey  of  the  coast  of 
Australia,  except  the  west  and  northwest  portion.  He  was 
captured  by  the  French  and  kept  seven  years  in  Mauritius. 

The  shores  of  the  province  of  Victoria  were  explored  by 
the  English  Captain  Grant  in  1800,  who  was  followed  in  1802 
by  Lieutenant  Murray  of  the  same  country.  In  1837,  1839, 
and  after  the  settlement  at  Swan  river,  after  1843,  coast  sur- 
veys of  west  Australia  were  made  for  the  British  Government, 
being  commenced  by  IE.  M.  S.  the  "Beagle"  and  continued  by 
Mr.  Stokes  and  his  party  of  assistants.     This  work  was  car- 


S§l  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

ried  on  for  the  next  three  years  by  Baudin,  Freycinct  and 
Flinders,  and  subsequently  perfected  by  others.  For  twenty- 
five  years  after  the  founding  of  Sydney  and  Port  Jackson,  the 
settlers  in  New  South  Wales  knew  almost  nothing  of  the 
country,  except  a  narrow  strip  some  fifty  miles  wide  between 
the  sea-coast  and  the  Blue  Mountains.  This  range  of  precipi- 
tous mountains  3,400  feet  high,  intersected  by  abrupt  ravines 
1,500  feet  deep,  prevented  travel  to  the  back  country  until 
1813,  though  several  resolute  attempts  at  a  passage  Were  made. 
From  this  time  on,  various  well-equipped  expeditions  were 
made  into  the  interior  of  Australia,  and  much  hardship  en- 
countered, while  a  number  of  valuable  lives  were  sacrificed, 
yet  through  the  patronage  of  the  Colonial  Government,  im- 
portant geographical  and  topographical  information  was  ac- 
quired, the  resources  of  the  continent,  especially  in  all  the 
eastern  districts,  were  in  part  made  known,  and  the  area  of 
progress  and  civilization  slowly  extended. 

The  original  design  of  the  British  Government  was  to  make 
Botany  Bay  and  other  points  in  Australia  convict  colonies. 
The  plan  was  acted  upon  there  and  at  Sydney,  New  South 
Wales,  on  Van  Diemen's  Land,  now  called  Tasmania,  and  at 
King  George's  Sound.  Owing  to  the  opposition  of  the  free 
colonists  who  emigrated  to  these  countries,  the  transportation 
of  convicts  to  New  South  Wales  was  virtually  suspended  in 
1839,  and  none  were  taken  to  Van  Diemen's  Land  after  1853. 
From  1821,  the  colony  of  New  South  Wales,  though  not  rap- 
idly settled,  had  made  a  fair  start  in  free  industrial  progress. 
The  history  of  the  convict  colonies  under  almost  irresponsible 
military  or  naval  governors,  was  full  of  the  record  of  every 
kind  of  abuse  and  vice.  In  1821,  the  population  of  New 
South  Wales  was  30,000,  three-fourths  of  whom  were  con- 
victs. Western  Australia  made  slow  progress,  having  ac- 
quired a  population  of  less  than  4,000  at  the  period  from  1835 
to  1840.  In  1839,  there  was  a  population  of  45,000  convicts 
and  others  in  New  South  Wales,  and  yet  in  1850,  after  the 
sixty  years  of  effort  at  English  colonization,  and  though  the 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  295 

general  progress  of  the  country  was  noted  as  satisfactory,  so 
many  discouraged  emigrants  had  departed  thence  for  the  South 
American  coast  and  other  lands,  that  in  1850,  the  entire  popu- 
lation of  Australia  was  estimated  at  only  fifty  thousand  per- 
sons, of  whom  the  greater  number  were  adult  males.  Mean- 
time, however,  the  trade  of  the  country  had  increased,  the  an- 
nual export  of  wool  being  about  45,000,000  pounds,  various 
productive  mines  of  copper,  iron,  coal  and  other  minerals  had 
been  opened  and  considerably  worked,  while  events  were  im- 
pending which  were  destined  not  only  to  revolutionize  at  once 
the  condition  of  Australia,  but  to  affect  promptly  and  most 
powerfully  the  permanent  commercial,  social,  and  political  in- 
terests, of  the  whole  civilized  world. 

During  the  year  1839,  Count  Strzelecki  discovered  the  ex- 
istence of  gold  in  the  rocks  of  New  South  Wales,  but  as  proba- 
bly in  duty  bound,  communicated  the  fact  only  to  Sir  George 
Gipps,  then  Governor  of  that  colony.  There  were  45,000 
persons,  of  whom  three-fourths  at  least  were  convicts,  under 
the  immediate  control  of  Sir  George,  and  that  official  was  ap- 
prehensive that  a  general  knowledge  of  the  startling  and  im- 
portant information  gained  by  the  Count,  would  be  destructive 
of  discipline  among  that  mixed  and  unreliable  body  of  colo- 
nists. At  the  request,  or  order,  of  the  Governor,  Count 
Strzelecki  postponed  the  publication  of  his  discoveries,  and 
"discipline"  of  the  old-fashioned  sort,  was  yet  for  awnile  con- 
tinued in  New  South  Wales. 

No  further  trouble  arose  from  the  gold  mines  and  deposits, 
until  1841,  when  another  geologist  of  New  South  Wales,  the 
Eeverend  W.  B.  Clarke,  following  in  the  hidden  footprints  of 
the  silent  Strzelecki,  again  found  the  Australian  gold.  Like 
Strzelecki,  and  doubtless  for  the  same  reasons,  Clarke  reported 
that  which  he  had  found  to  none  but  Sir  George  Gipps,  and 
upon  Clark,  as  formerly  upon  the  Count,  the  Governor  strictly 
enjoined  silence  regarding  that  matter.  Having,  as  it  would 
seem,  in  carrying  out  that  which  he  considered  good  policy, 
done  all  he  could  to  hinder  the  spread  of  scientific  knowledg^^ 


296  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

under  his  jurisdiction,  and  to  postpone  the  progress  of  Aus- 
tralia, the  Governor  continued  to  govern.  But  science,  in  its 
development  and  benign  application  to  the  wants  of  civilized 
man,  had  already  become  too  positive  and  too  great,  to  admit 
of  the  suppression  of  truth  by  official  presumption  of  any  kind 
from  any  quarter,  while  its  noble  Professors  were  found  too 
patriotic,  and  too  entirely  philanthropic  to  permit  themselves, 
under  any  circumstances,  to  be  long  diverted  from  their  legiti- 
mate work. 

Without,  according  to  report,  any  full  knowledge  of  what 
had  been  done  by  the  two  explorers  already  named,  the  veteran 
geologist  Sir  Eobert  Murchison,  of  England,  who  had  thor- 
oughly and  scientifically  explored  the  auriferous  region  of  the 
gold-bearing  Ural  Mountains  of  Russia,  reasoning  upon  what 
had  been  made  known  concerning  the  peculiar  geologic  forma- 
tion of  Australia,  in  1844,  avowed  his  belief  in  the  existence 
of  gold  in  that  country,  and  made  a  prediction  of  its  early 
discovery.  In  1846,  Count  Strzelecki  submitted  to  Sir  Rob- 
ert Murchison  a  series  of  rock  and  mineral  specimens  which 
had  been  gathered  in  South  Australia,  when  the  distinguished 
explorer  of  the  Ural  at  once  recognized  the  resemblance  of  the 
specimens  presented  him,  to  those  he  had  found  in  the  Rus- 
sian gold  fields,  and  declared  they  were  demonstrative  of  the 
abundance  of  gold  he* had  assumed  existed  in  the  localities 
from  which  they  were  taken.  Although  unable  to  learn  that 
gold  had  ever  been  secured  in  any  part  of  Australia,  Murchi- 
son was  so  certain  that  the  precious  metal  existed  there,  and 
eould  be  raised  with  profit,  that  he  caused  a  circular  to  be 
printed  and  distributed  among  the  miners  of  Cornwall,  Eng- 
land, urging  them  to  emigrate  to  New  South  "Wales  and  seek 
for  gold,  in  the  same  manner  in  which  they  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  secure  tin  and  zinc  from  among  the  alluvial  deposits 
of  the  streams  which  flowed  from  their  native  hills. 

Gold  is  said  to  have  been  discovered  at  Clunes,  Victoria,  in 
1850,  and  it  is  not  impossible  that  the  same  and  other  metals 
may  have  been  found  in  other  Australian  localities,  but  if  so, 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  297 

the  gold  was  in  quantities  too  small  to  attract  notice,  or  found 
by  persons  too  ignorant  to  appreciate  the  importance  of  the 
knowledge  probably  gained  by  merest  accident,  as  the  Burra 
Burra  copper  mines  were  discovered.  In  1851,  the  farmers 
of  South  Australia  were  prosperously  turning  up  with  the 
plough  the  rich  gold-bearing  alluvium,  and  their  millions  of 
sheep  were  grazing  undisturbed  above  the  most  productive 
veins  of  the  precious  metal;  pebbles  of  gold-bearing  quartz 
were  used  to  cover  garden  walks,  and  it  is  reported  that  a 
graduate  of  the  English  University  of  Oxford  ornamented  the 
walls  of  his  Australian  garden,  by  building  into  them  masses 
of  v.'hite  quartz,  handsomely  variegated  with  portions  of  the 
unrecognized  yellow  metal. 

It  was,  however,  in  the  year  1851,  that  Mr,  E.  11.  Ilar- 
greaves  returned  to  Australia  from  California,  which  last  state 
was  then  in  the  full  rush  of  the  wonderfully  rapid  develop- 
ment of  i.ts  mineral  and  other  resources.  To  the  task  of 
Australian  geologic  exploration,  Mr.  Hargreaves  applied  him- 
self with  a  zeal  born  of  the  land  he  had  visited,  and  at  once 
began  actively  "  prospecting,"  after  the  California  method,  near 
Bathurst  on  the  Macquarie  river,  New  South  Wales,  where 
gold  was  found  in  considerable  quantities.  A  great  excite- 
ment ensued.  The  time  dreaded  by  the  conservative  Gov- 
ernor Gipps  had  come,  and  the  old  order  of  things  in  New 
South  Wales  disappeared  forever.  But  the  worst  anticipa- 
tions were  not  realized.  The  Government  at  once  proclaimed 
its  right  of  domain  and  possession  over  the  newly-discovered 
treasure,  and  began  to  grant  licenses  to  persons  who  engaged 
in  digging  for  gold.  The  gold  was  soon  traced  along  the  range 
of  hills  from  Bathurst,  both  north  and  south,  and  discoveries 
of  deposits  of  surpassing  richness  were  made  in  the  colony  of 
Victoria,  near  the  southern  coast,  seventy  miles  to  the  north- 
west of  Melbourne.  By  October,  1851,  there  were  7,000  men 
working  the  new  diggings  at  Ballarat  near  Mt.  Buninyong,  all 
engaged  upon  a  piece  of  ground  less  than  a  square  mile  in  ex- 
tent.    In  November,  many  of  these  removed  to  still  richer  de- 


2M  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

posits,  whicli  were  opened  around  Mt.  Alexander  in  the  same 
district.  In  this  second  field  ten  thousand  men  were  sup- 
posed to  be  at  work  before  December,  1851,  during  which 
ifionth  63,300  ounces  of  gold,  then  valued  at  £3.  19s.  6d.,  or 
$19.34.45  the  ounce,  worth  at  that  time  $1,224,506.85, 
were  sent  to  Melbourne.  From  Ballarat  and  Mt.  Alexander 
together,  there  were  forwarded  from  September  30,  1851,  to 
December  31,  1851,  124,835  ounces  of  gold,  and  the  whole 
gold  product  of  the  colony  of  Victoria  alone,  for  the  time  men- 
tioned, was  345,146  ounces. 

At  this  time  began  an  emigration  unmatched  in  the  history 
of  the  world,  and  which,  putting  all  foresight  and  calculation 
at  defiance,  notwithstanding  the  distance  of  Australia  from 
Europe  and  America,  quickly  supplied  the  various  parts  of 
the  Australasian  continent  with  a  most  intelligent,  energetic^ 
enterprising  and  very  numerous  population.  In  1852,  the 
number  of  persons  in  the  colony  of  Victoria,  was  more  than 
doubled  by  an  immigration  of  104,000  souls,  and  within  a 
year  from  the  discovery  of  the  gold  at  Bathurst,  the  European 
population  of  Australia  had  increased  to  250,000,  having  been 
estimated,  as  has  been  noted,  at  but  50,000  in  1850.  Esti- 
mates were  made  in  London  that  up  to  the  close  of  the  year 
1852,  the  whole  amount  of  gold  exported  from  Victoria,  was 
valued  at  £16,000,000,  or  $77,864,000.00  and  from  New 
South  Wales  during  the  same  time  to  the  value  of  £3,500,000, 
or  $17,032,750.00  or  for  fifteen  months,  about  four  times  the 
amount  supposed  to  have  been  produced  in  the  whole  world 
annually,  for  the  five  preceding  years.  The  richest  and  largest 
gold  fields  of  Australia,  were  in  the  colony  of  Victoria,  the 
area  of  the  mining  region  there,  being  about  725  square  miles, 
comprising  the  districts  of  Ballarat,  Beechworth,  Sandhurst, 
Maryborough,  Castlemaine,  and  Ararat 

The  Australian  gold  is  obtained  from  three  sources,  shallow 
placers,  deep  diggings  and  quartz  veins.  It  is  estimated  that 
some  2,000  quartz  veins  exist  in  the  colony  of  Victoria  alone, 
and  that  these,  which  traverse  the  lower  palaeozoic  strata  and 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  299 

are  associated  with  granitic  and  igneous  rocks,  are  the  primary 
source  of  the  whole  of  the  gold  found  in  that  region.  The 
early  Australian  gold  diggers,  were  provided  only  with  the 
simplest  tools,  and  yet  such  was  the  richness  of  the  placers, 
that  they  obtained  for  a  considerable  season  a  large  amount 
of  the  precious  metal  they  sought.  After  vast  sums  had  been 
taken  in  this  way,  the  placers  being  much  exhausted,  and  none 
of  equal  productiveness  discovered,  resort  was  made  to  deeper 
diggings,  with  more  effective  appliances,  where  a  great  return 
for  the  labor  expended  was  still  realized.  For  a  long  time, 
mining  operations  were  not  pushed  into  the  veins  between 
the  palaezoic  rocks,  known  to  be  the  original  matrices  of  the 
gold,  the  presumption  being  entertained,  that  the  quantity  of 
metal  decreased  as  the  depth  of  the  vein  grew  greater.  Finally, 
at  the  suggestion  of  Mr,  Selwyn,  colonial  geologist  for  Victo- 
ria, work  was  regularly  and  properly  begun  upon  the  quartz 
veins,  and  mines  have  thus  been  operated  in  various  places  to 
great  depths,-  and  with  good  results.  As  far  down  as  600  feet 
from  the  surface,  no  decrease  of  the  product  was  noted.  At 
Cluncs,  Victoria,  the  mines  were  over  1000  feet  deep  several 
years  since.  The  veins  vary  in  thickness  from  a  mere  thread, 
to  130  feet,  the  thinner  veins  yielding  the  largest  percentage 
of  gold  to  the  ton  of  ore.  The  placer  deposits  are  from  100 
to  400  feet  thick  ;  they  have  yielded  about  double  the  amount 
of  gold  taken  from  the  quartz. 

The  geologic  features  of  the  Continent  of  Australia  are  very 
simple ;  they  consist  in  outline  of  a  vast  interior  concave  table- 
land of  sandstone,  with  a  surface  area  of  1,500,000  square 
miles.  The  southern  margin  of  this  great  plain,  is  a  wall  of 
sandstone  cliffs  along  the  sea-coast.  On  the  east,  south-east, 
west,  and  partly  in  the  north,  the  interior  plateau  is  bounded 
by  terraced  ramparts  of  mountains.  The  formation  of  these, 
according  to  locality,  is  of  granite  and  syenite,  or  of  sandstone 
masses,  torn  assunder  and  mingled  with  basalt  and  trap.  On 
the  west  side  of  the  continent,  the  mountains  are  from  1,000 
to  3,000  feet  high;  at  the  southeast  corner,  the  Australian 


300  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Alps  are  7,000  feet  high.  On  the  north,  in  places,  the  sand- 
stone cliffs  along  the  coast  are  very  lofty,  the  Alligator  river 
cutting  them  into  gorges  3,800  feet  deep. 

It  it  assumed  that  Australia  emerged  from  the  sea,  at  a 
comparatively  recent  geologic  period,  and  for  some  time,  the 
unexplored  interior  was  thought  to  be  an  immense  lake.  The 
late  Count  Strzelecki,  already  mentioned  as  the  original  dis- 
coverer of  the  gold  of  New  South  Wales,  being  the  author  of 
the  first  scientific  treatise  upon  the  subject,  in  1845,  minutely 
describes  all  the  mountain  ranges,  of  New  South  Wales,  and 
from  observations  made  from  that  region,  all  along  the  coast 
to  Wilson  Promontory,  the  southernmost  point  of  Australia, 
concludes  that  the  continent  and  the  island  of  Tasmania  are 
results  of  a  similar  volcanic  upheaval.  Tasmania  certainly 
presents  the  same  mineral  wealth  characteristic  of  the  conti- 
nental strata,  but  it  has  not  been  so  fully  worked.  The  prin- 
cipal Tasmanian  gold  mines  are  at  Nine  Mile  Springs,  Math- 
inna,  and  Ilellyer  river.  The  geology  of  New  Zealand  resem- 
bles that  of  Australia.  Gold  was  first  discovered  in  New 
Zealand  in  1843 ;  further  discoveries  of  the  same  kind  were 
made  there  in  1851,  and  mining  operations  on  an  extensive 
scale  were  commenced  in  1856.  The  rock  veins  and  alluvial 
deposits  of  gold  in  New  Zealand,  are  deep  and  extensive  like 
those  of  Australia.  The  Australian  gold  has  a  higher  color 
and  in  a  state  of  nature  is  finer  than  that  of  California.  The 
native  Ballarat  gold  is  23.5  carats,  or  979.166  fine;  other 
specimens  from  different  places  vary  in  quality,  the  poorest 
being  about  20  carats,  or  833.333  fine.  Much  of  the  Ballarat 
gold  was  in  the  form  of  nuggets,  of  which  various  specimens 
were  found  weighing  from  28  to  60  pounds  troy  each.  In 
1858,  a  nugget  of  gold  was  found  at  Ballarat,  which  weighed 
2,217  ounces  and  16  pennyweights,  or  about  185  pounds  troy, 
and  which  being  exhibited  in  the  Paris  exposition  of  1867, 
was  valued  at  nearly  £10,000,  or  $48,665.00.  A  nugget  from 
the  colony  of  Victoria  was  exhibited  in  London,  which 
weighed  146  pounds  3  pennyweights  troy,  and  of  which  but 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER    GOLD.  301 

6  ounces  were  supposed  to  be  matrix,  or  the  rock  of  the  vein. 
The  largest  piece  of  gold  ever  found,  is  said  to  have  been  the 
great  Australian  nugget  known  as  the  "Sarah  Sands,"  which 
weighed  233  pounds  and  4  ounces  troy. 

The  International  Exhibition  of  1862,  contained  a  gilded 
pyramid  ten  feet  square  at  its  base,  and  forty-five  feet  high, 
which  represented  the  mass  of  gold  exported  from  the  Aus- 
tralian colony  of  Victoria,  from  October  1st,  1851,  to  October 
1st,  1861.  The  weight  of  such  a  column  of  solid  gold,  would 
have  been  26,162,432  ounces  troy,  which  at  an  average  esti- 
mate in  round  numbers  of  £4,  or  $19,466  an  ounce,  would 
have  been  worth  £104,649,728,  or  $509,277,901,312. 

Within  twenty  years  from  the  discovery  of  gold  by  Ilar- 
greaves  in  New  South  Wales,  in  1851,  Victoria  exported  40,- 
750,000  ounces  of  gold,  and  New  South  Wales  during  the 
same  time  exported  nearly  10,000,000  ounces  of  the  same  pre- 
cious metal.  Subsequent  to  the  year  1860,  the  gold  mines  of 
Queensland  displayed  increasing  promise,  and  up  to  the  close 
of  the  year  1872,  had  yielded  a  little  less  than  1,000,000 
ounces ;  since  then,  workings  have  been  opened  at  Palmer 
river  and  other  northern  districts,  from  which  good  results 
have  been  anticipated. 

The  total  of  bullion,  gold  and  silver,  in  various  forms,  ex- 
ported from  Australia,  after  deducting  imports  thither,  which 
were  chiefly  intercolonial,  varied  during  the  fifteen  years  from 
1858  to  1872,  from  £11,500,000,  or  $55,964,750.00  to  £7,500,- 
000,  or  $36,498,750.00.  The  average  value  of  the  gold  export- 
ed from  Australia  each  year,  from  1860,  fifteen  years,  to  1875, 
was  £10,000,000,  or  $48,665,000.00,  a  total  of  £150,000,000, 
or  $729,975,000.00,  for  the  period  named.  Up  to  1875,  the 
colony  of  Victoria  alone  added  gold  to  the  value  of  £170,000,- 
000,  or  $827,305,000.00,  to  the  wealth  of  the  world. 

Australia  being  second  only  to  the  United  States,  of  all  the 
countries  of  the  globe,  in  the  production  of  gold,  its  monetary 
statistics  are  of  great  interest. 

Mr.  O.  M.  Spencer,  the  United  States  consul-general  at  Mel- 


302  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

bourne,  has  communicated  information  of  importance  in  rela- 
tion to  the  production  of  the  precious  metals  and  the  circula- 
tion of  the  banks  of  Australia  later  than  any  officially  pub- 
lished in  this  country. 

The  gold  mines  of  Australia  are  yielding  a  diminished  an^ 
jiual  supply,  the  amount  for  1877  being  only  about  two-thirds 
the  production  of  1873,  and  a  still  further  reduction  is  re- 
ported in  the  yield  for  1878,  The  product  for  1873,  was 
2,243,372  ounces,  valued  at  $42,779,908,  that  for  1877,  was 
but  1,519,548  ounces,  valued  at  $29,018,223,  showing  a  de- 
crease in  five  years  of  723,824  ounces  of  gold  produced,  to  be 
valued  at  $13,761,685.  During  this  period  the  net  exports  of 
gold  from  Australia,  although  diminished,  have  not  fallen  off 
in  a  ratio  corresponding  to  the  decrease  of  production,  owing, 
as  is  supposed  by  official  experts,  to  the  large  stock  of  gold  in 
the  country  held  over  from  former  years. 

The  gold  coined  by  the  Australian  Mint  at  Sydney,  New 
South  Wales,  from  1855  to  1877,  was  of  the  value  of  $200,- 
558,198.00.  The  following  table  shows  the  value  of  the  gold, 
coined  at  the  Australian  mints  at  Sydney,  New  South  Wales,' 
and  at  Melbourne,  Victoria,  from  1872  to  1877,  inclusive : 


Years. 

Sydney  Mint. 

Melbourne  Mint. 

1872 

$  9,698,935 

$  3,640,142 

1873 

7,1^2,687 

3,659,608 

1874 

9,854,663 

6,681,705 

1875 

10,326,713 

9,187,952 

1876 

7,995,660 

10,336,446 

mi 

■      7,737,735 

7,236,4S6 

52,806,393 

40,742,339 

Grand  Total  Australian  Oold  Coinage  from 

1872  to  1877,  inclusive,  $  93,548,732 

It  may  be  of  interest  to   state  that  for  the  2,500,000  or 
more  people  of  Australia,  March  31st,  1879,  the  circulation 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  303 

of  coin  was  equal  to  $38,275,913,  and  that  of  bank  notes 
was  equal  to  $21,604,936,  for  wliicli  the  banks  held  a  special 
reserve  of  $40,765,131. 

In  the  year  1858,  Australia  had  a  population  of  929,000,  to 
which  if  th^e  be  added  that  of  Tasmania  82,500,  and  of  New 
Zealand  55,000,  the  European  population  of  Australia  is  shown 
to  have  been  1,066,500  persons.  Meantime,  the  eight  merino 
sheep  imported  into  Australia  in  1793,  had  multiphed  into 
vast  flocks,  numbering  in  all  more  than  16,000,000  head,  which 
produced  in  1857  over  54,738,718  pounds  of  wool.  From  that 
time  forward  the  progress  of  the  settled  portions  of  the  coun- 
try has  been  most  marvelous,  its  civilization  originnl  and 
unique,  of  rapid  growth,  founded  on  a  basis  of  gold  and  enor- 
mous mineral  wealth,  sustained  by  boundless  agricultural  re- 
sources in  a  generally  heathful  climate,  the  grand  work  of  a 
cosmopolitan  free  people  emulous  of  every  good  practical  ex- 
ample and  aspiring  to  the  pre-eminence  and  perfection  of  uni- 
versal development. 

American  Gold. 

The  Spanish  and  other  adventurers  who,  in  search  of  slaves 
and  gold,  visited  the  continent  of  America,  for  more  than  a 
century  after  the  voyages  of  Columbus,  imagined  they  had 
reached  the  eastern  shores  of  India,  the  land  of  endless  wealth 
and  unimaginable  splendor,  could  they  but  find  the  great 
center  of  its  unknown  but  supposed  civilization.  For  a  long 
time  thereafter,  the  American  seas  were  supposed  to  be  an 
archipelago,  and  that  between  the  islands  called  ihe  West  In- 
dies a  waterway  could  be  found  to  the  Orient. 

Even  when  settlements  had  been  made  upon  the  North 
American  coasts,  the  continent  at  its  widest  part  was  sup- 
posed to  be  no  more  than  three  hundred  and  fifty  miles 
across,  and  every  inlet  and  arm  of  the  sea,  every  river  and 
bay,  from  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  to  Davis'  Strait  in  the  legions 
of  the  Arctic,  was  explored  in  search  of  the  "north-west  pas- 
sage," a  route  to  the  Pacific,  only  found,  by  water,  around  the 


304  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

far  southern,  stormy  Cape  Ilorii,  opened  up  by  the  Railroads 
across  the  isthmus  of  Darien  to  Panama,  and  from  the  great 
Atlantic  cities  to  San  Francisco,  or  promised  by  way  of  the 
projected  interoceanic  ship  canal  of  Central  America. 

That  bold  navigators  ascended  the  Delaware  and  the  Schuyl- 
kill rivers  and  landed  near  Fairmount  Park,  full  of  confidence 
in  their  ability  to  sail  onward  by  that  route  to  the  Pacific 
ocean,  that  they  ran  their  ships  aground  below  Albany  on  the 
Hudson  river,  sailed  up  the  St.  Lawrence  and  crossed  Dud- 
son's  Bay  in  the  same  faith,  now  seems  as  absurd  as  it  was 
then  true  and  deemed  practical.  But  whatever  miscalcula- 
tions of  geography  or  in  navigation  were  made  in  those  days 
regarding  America,  as  to  the  one  principal  idea  animating 
every  voyager,  explorer  and  colonist  of  the  early  days,  there 
was  neither  error  or  failure.  The  Spaniard  sought  for  gold, 
precious  metals  and  gems,  and  these,  through  conquest,  rapa- 
city and  by  industry,  he  obtained  in  quantities  to  glut  the 
market  of  the  world.  Other  nations  of  Europe  sought  in  the 
New  World  new  lands,  empire,  independent  states,  liberty — 
and  these  too  were  secured.  These  achievements  are  of  the 
past,  but  still  the  mineral  and  metallic  wealth  of  America  has 
increased  with  every  generation,  while  the  political  and  social 
greatness  of  its  nations  exceed  the  highest  aspirations  of  their 
founders  and  offer  nobler  conditions  of  human  existence,  a 
broader  field  of  general  happiness,  than  any  recorded  in  his- 
tory or  extant  elsewhere  among  men. 

Reference  has  already  been  made  to  the  stores  of  gold  and 
silver  secured  by  Columbus  and  those  who  followed  him,  and 
to  the  methods  employed  by  them  in  the  unfortunate  coun- 
tries they  subdued,  the  development  of  mining  by  means  of 
slavery  being  the  last  of  their  operations.  Ilaving  now  re- 
viewed the  modern  sources  of  gold  in  Europe  and  enlarged 
somewhat  upon  the  discovery  and  production  of  the  same 
precious  metal  in  Australia,  it  is  proposed  to  note  the  present 
gold-producing  regions  of  all  America  and  survey  compre- 
hensively, but  more  in  detail,  the  gold  fields  of  the  United 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  305 

States  of  America  and  their  geologic  connections.  To  secure 
a  popular  understanding  of  the  proposed  statement,  a  short 
and  very  general  description  of  the  grand  American  geologi- 
cal system  is  necessary,  and  as  such,  is  here  presented. 

America,  formed  into  two  great  divisions  connected  by  the 
isthmus  of  Darien,  reaches  from  the  Arctic  to  the  Antarctic 
ocean,  and  on  its  central  line,  70  degrees  west  longitude,  extends 
about  10,500  miles.  From  Labrador  in  the  east,  on  the  At- 
lantic coast,  to  British  Columbia  in  the  west,  on  the  shores  of 
the  Pacific,  in  51  degrees  North  latitude  or  thereabouts,  the 
distance  across  the  contiDcnt  is  rather  more  than  3,000  miles. 
Between  Cape  St.  Eoque  in  Brazil,  on  the  east,  to  Parina  of 
Peru,  in  the  west,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific  ocean,  in 
6  de2;rees  South  latitude,  the  distance  is  also  about  3,000  miles. 
In  its  narrowest  part,  the  isthmus  of  Darien,  near  10  degrees 
North  latitude,  is  but  thirty  miles  across. 

The  Isthmus  of  Darien,  which  throughout  most  of  its  ter- 
ritories, is  called  Central  America,  divides  the  American  con- 
tinent into  two  nearly  equal  parts  •  all  that  north  of  the  isth- 
mus, is  known  as  North  America,  and  all  tliat  south  of  the 
isthmus,  as  South  America.  North  America,  with  Green- 
land, is  estimated  to  contain  an  area  of  8,000,000  square  miles, 
while  Central  and  South  America  are  set  down  as  having  an 
area  of  7,000,000  square  miles.  Estimates  of  the  area  of 
America  differ,  however,  some  authorities  stating  the  limit 
of  territory  to  be  little  more  than  14,000,000  square  miles, 
while  others  will  have  it,  that  the  continent,  with  Greenland, 
is  some  17,000,000  square  miles,  or  even  more,  in  extent  The 
area  of  America  is  about  four  times  that  of  Europe,  about  a 
third  more  than  that  of  Africa,  and  some  sixth-sevenths  that 
of  Asia. 

The  geology  of  America  is  eminently  noteworthy.  The 
oldest  strata,  crystalline  rocks,  consisting  mostly  of  gneiss, 
granite  and  trap,  crop  out  from  the  region  of  the  St.  Law- 
rence river  and  the  great  lakes,  and  characterize  the  vast  sec- 
tion which  extends  northward  from  that  latitude  to  the  Arctic 
s 


noa  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

ocean.  In  North  America,  this  formation  lies  on  the  western 
slope  of  the  Hocky  Mountains,  and  of  the  Andes.  It  extends 
from  the  North  to  the  South  about  1,500  mile?.,  in  this  way, 
is  about  200  miles  wide,  and  seldom  more  than  80P  feet  high. 
The  same  strata  extends  over  South  America,  in  the  east, 
though  in  the  valley  of  the  Amazon,  hidden  under  enormous 
alluvial  deposits.  In  the  central  portion  of  the  continent,  the 
crystalline  rocks  dip  under  the  Silurian  strata,  though  found 
free  from  superincumbent  deposits,  proving  that  even  in  the 
Silurian  age  they  formed  dry  land,  and  have  been  less  dis- 
turbed than  most  other  formations. 

The  Silurian  rocks,  sandstone,  limestone,  slate,  shale,  etc., 
are  divided  into  several  periods,  and  are  especially  rich  in  va- 
rious fossil  remains.  These  strata  dip  beneath  the  Devonian, 
which  is  in  part  overlaid  with  conglomerate  rock.  The 
couajlomerate  forms  the  basis  of  the  coal-bearing  strata,  oc- 
cupying  large  districts  in  the  state  of  Pennsylvania  and  the 
valley  of  the  Mississippi.  When  the  carboniferous  era  came 
to  an  end,  the  American  continent,  though  nearly  as  large 
as  at  present,  was  not  anywhere  much  above  the  level  of 
the  sea. 

Since  that  comparatively  modern  geologic  time,  the  various 
lofty  and  extensive  American  ranges  of  mountains  have  ori- 
ginated. These  eminences  were  upheaved  through  the  Silu- 
rian, Devonian  and  carboniferous  strata,  dislocating  the  coals, 
and  upsetting  the  different  layers  of  rock,  which  until  that 
time  had  remained  horizontal.  The  precious  metals  are  gen- 
erally found,  in  places  where  the  ancient  rocks  have  been 
broken  through  by  volcanic  forces,  propelling  vast  quantities 
of  lava-like  matter,  subsequently  hardening  into  the  igneous 
rocks.  In  the  Appalachian  Mountains,  along  the  eastern  coast 
of  North  America,  the  volcanic  fires  have  been  extinguished 
for  ages,  though  rumors  of  subterranean  noises,  and  of  the 
occasional  appearance  of  smoke  far  in  the  interior,  continue 
to  excite  curiosity.  The  metamorphosed  Silurian  and  car- 
boniferous rocks  of  Pennsylvania  and   New  York,  though 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  307 

long  supposed  to  be  primary  granite,  are  found,  upon  more 
critical  examination,  to  present  proofs  of  volcanic  action. 

On  the  Pacific  coast  of  the  American  continent,  the  whole 
range  of  the  Andes  and  Cordilleras  mountains,  from  Chili  to 
the  northern  extremity  of  the  coast  in  Alaska,  contains  a 
number  of  large  and  active  volcanoes,  at  greater  or  less  dis- 
tance from  one  another.  Within  historical  time,  as  related 
to  the  American  continent,  the  most  intense  volcanic  action 
has  been  manifested  in  Ecuador,  within  two  or  three  degrees 
of  latitude  of  the  equator.  In  this  district  is  found  the  great 
volcano  of  Cotopaxi,  one  of  the  two  or  three  burning  moun- 
tains of  the  world  known  to  be  in  a  constant  state  of  eruption. 
In  Ecuador,  and  nearly  upon  its  line  of  latitude,  though  upon 
the  other  side  of  the  continent,  have  in  recent  years  occurred 
some  of  the  most  terrible  and  destructive  earthquakes  ever 
known  to  mankind. 

The  extreme  geographical  points  of  South  America,  are, 
Cape  Horn,  latitude  55  degrees  and  59  minutes  South,  longi- 
tude 67  degrees  l-t  minutes  "West,  and  Cape  Gallinas,  latitude 
12  degrees  and  30  minutes  North,  longitude  71  degrees  30 
minutes  West;  Cape  Saint  Roque,  latitude  5  degrees  and  28 
minutes  South,  longitude  35  degrees  and  IG  minutes  "West, 
and  Parina  Point,  latitude  4  degrees  and  45  minutes  Soutli, 
longitude  81  degrees  26  minutes  West.  From  Cape  Horn,  in 
the  Fuegian  archipelago,  within  a  few  degrees  of  the  Antarctic 
ocean,  to  Cape  Gallinas,  west  of  gulf  Maracaibo,  on  the  shore 
of  the  Caribbean  sea,  the  distance  overland,  in  a  straight  line, 
almost  directly  under  the  70th  meridian  of  longitude,  West, 
is  4,550  miles.  From  Cape  Saint  Roqae,  westward  to  Parina 
Point,  is,  as  already  stated,  somewhat  more  than  3,000  miles. 
The  area  of  South  America,  is  estimated  at  from  7,000,000  to 
7,240,000  square  miles. 

The  most  remarkable  physical  feature  of  South  America, 
is  the  grand  chain  of  the  Andes  or  Cordillera  mountains, 
which  extends  along  the  whole  Pacific  or  western  coast,  from 
50  to  100  miles  from  the  shore.     This  range,  begins  in  the 


308  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

.extreme  soutB,  not  mucli  above  tlie  level  of  the  sea,  present- 
ing a  few  minor  peaks  upon  certain  rocky  islands.  From  this 
legion,  northward,  the  mountains  gradually  increase  in  height. 
At  a  point  near  the  Tropic  of  Capricorn,  not  far  from  the 
northern  boundary  line  of  Chili,  or  between  there  and  latitude 
22  degrees  South,  the  mountains  widen  toward  the  north,  de- 
rYeloping  a  series  of  ridges  mostly  parallel  to  each  other.  The 
range,  along  the  shore,  is  almost  unbroken,  and  forms  the  truq 
Andes  or  the  coast  Cordillera.  This  line  runs  north  through 
Peru,  Ecuador,  and  the  United  States  of  Colombia,  and  forma 
the  isthmus  of  Darien.  From  the  main  range  of  mountains 
other  censiderable  chains  of  mountains  extend  eastward,  and 
to  the  north,  one  of  the  principle  of  them,  reaching  to  the 
shore  of  the  Caribbean  sea  east  of  the  gulf  of  Daiien.  This 
.range,  is  divided  into  spveral  almost  parallel  and  equidistant 
ridges,  in  the  valleys  of  which  the  Atrato  and  Magdalena 
livers  gather  their  waters  and  flow  north  to  the  Caribbean 
sea. 

.  Owing  to  the  general  continuity  of  the  Andes  and  their 
nearness  to  the  Pacific  ocean,  the  westward-flowing  rivers  of 
South  America,  though  numerous,  are  unimportant,  but,  for 
the  same  reason,  the  streams  originating  on  the  eastern  side 
of  the  same  mountains,  unite  to  form  vast  rivers  which  re- 
'ceive  tributaries  for  thousands  of  miles,  and  like  the  Ama- 
zon, enter  the  Atlantic  ocean,  through  gulf-like  mouths  too 
.numerous  for  full  exj>loration.  Ihe  ranges  of  highlands  con- 
nected with  the  Andes  on  the  east,  are  far  extended,  and  di- 
vide the  whole  vast  territory  into  a  number  of  shallow  basins, 
of  great  extent,  which  determine  the  character  of  the  country 
and  the  course  of  its  drainage. 

The  roots  of  the  mountains  are  the  home  of  the  gold ;  the 
metal  is  brought  to  the  surface  by  the  action  of  the  volcano ; 
the  matrix  of  igneous  rock  in  which  the  treasure  is  locked 
and  hidden,  is  broken  by  earthquake  upheaval  and  disinteg- 
rated by  exposure  to  the  weather;  the  mountain  torrents 
grind  the  auriferous  boulders  to  fine  fragments,  the  rivers 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  309 

wash  the  pebbles  into  sand ;  nuggets  of  gold  are  found  among- 
the  foot  hills,  and  the  precious  fine  golden  dust  is  carried 
down  the  vallies — the  finer  the  farther — and  left  by  the  cur- 
rent to  await  the  hand  of  man  in  countless  widespread  allu-- 
vial  deposits.  i- 

Those  who  retain  in  mind  the  very  general  idea  of  Ameri-. 
can  geology  presented  in  the  few  foregoing  paragraphs,  will 
be  able  to  form  an  intelligent  comprehension  of  the  causes  of 
the  presence  of  gold,  in  the  various  localities  now  to  be  de- 
scribed, as  the  sources  in  America,  from  which  that  metal  has 
been  taken,  and  from  which  it  is  still  obtained,  in  quantities, 
varying  from  such  as  are  too  small  to  be  of  commercial  im- 
portance, or  industrial  profit,  to  others,  so  great,  as  to  be  un- 
equalled in  metallurgic  records,  the  basis  of  numerous  and: 
enormous  fortunes,  the  potent  ciuse  of  mighty  and  rapid  evo- 
lutions in  the  commerce  and  progress  of  nations,  and  the  agent 
of  most  radical  changes,  in  the  currency  of  every  country,  the. 
finance  of  the  world. 

The  earliest  colonies  from  Europe  settling  in  America,  were, 
located  in  the  southern  portion  of  the  continent,  and  there  the> 
earliest  discoveries  of  gold  were  made,  in  localities  which  still 
■  continue  to  yield  considerable  amounts  of  the  precious  metals,. 
yet,  on  account  of  the  topographical  character  of  the  territo- 
ries, from  circumstances  of  climate,  from  political,  social,  and, 
other  causes.  South  America  remains  but  partly  explored,  its 
resources  slightly  developed.  Doubtless,  in  the  future  the  ef- 
fects of  past  disorders  will  disappear,  and  in  the  general  pro-„ 
grcss  an  increase  in  the  produce  of  gold  and  other  metals  will: 
take  place. 

The  oldest  and  most  important  country  of  South  America, 
is  Brazil;  it  occupies  mnre  than  two-fifths  of  the  surface  of 
that  division  of  the  "Western  Hemisphere,  and  next  to  the 
empire  of  Russia,  has  the  most  extensive  contiguous  territory 
of  any  nation  in  the  world,  its  coast-line  extending  on  the  At- 
lantic nearly  4,000  miles.  On  April  25th,  1,500,  Pedro  Alva- 
res  Cabial  took  possession  of  the  countiy  now  called  Brazil,, 


310  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

for  king  Emauuel  of  Portugal.  The  settlement  of  parts  of 
Brazil  was  almost  immediate,  the  colonists  engaging  in  the 
very  profitable  commerce  in  dye-woods.  The  Portuguese  have 
ever  since  maintained  their  position  in  Brazil,  and  the  govern- 
ment of  the  country  is  to-day  a  Portuguese  monarchy — the 
only  American  empire.  About  one-half  of  Brazil  is  covered 
by  hills,  highlands  and  mountains.  Mt.  Itatiaiossu,  north- 
west of  Rio  Janeiro,  is  the  highest  Brazilian  peak,  being  10,- 
300  feet  high.  The  rivers  of  Brazil  are  numerous  and  large. 
The  geology  of  the  country  is  too  vastly  varied  to  be  noted  in 
detail  here;  its  mineral  riches  are  immense,  comprising  dia- 
monds, sapphires,  emeralds,  euclases,  rubies,  topazes,  aquama- 
rines, zircon,  gold,  silver,  copper,  tin,  lead,  iron  and  other 
gems,  metals,  and  minerals.  The  largest  diamond  known,  of 
138 1  carats  weight,  was  found  on  the  river  Abaete.  'ihe 
yield  of  diamonds  for  the  first  century  was  worth  al>out  $20,- 
000,000. 

Brazilian  gold  is  found  in  the  metamorphic  rocks,  the  drift 
gravel,  clay,  and  alluvial  deposits.  The  richest  formations  are 
clay  slates,  veined  with  gold-bearing  quartz,  the  itacolumite 
rocks  with  quartz  gold  veins,  and  the  beds  of  iron  ores  called 
itabirite  and  jacutinga.  The  province  of  Minas  Geraes,  which 
abounds  in  gems,  is  also  rich  in  gold,  the  most  prolific  mines 
of  that  metal  being  worked  near  Ouro  Preto,  the  gold  being 
taken  from  quartz  veins  which  traverse  the  metamorphic 
pocks,  or  found  in  a  state  of  dissemination  througliout  the 
etrata  in  a  number  of  places.  The  mines  of  Cachoeira,  Bahu, 
and  Qucbra  Panella,  of  tlie  Morro  Velho  in  the  valley  of  the 
Eio  das  Velhas,  yielded  in  1849,  $190,680  above  the  total  cost 
of  operation.  In  1861,  there  was  a  profit  of  $483,8-1:5;  in 
1865,  $404,190,  from  which  must,  however,  bo  taken  a  loss 
of  $/3,145,  incurred  for  some  reason  during  the  preceding 
year.  These,  mines  are  in  English  hands  and  worked  by  a 
Stock  Company,  which  pays  a  dividend  of  from  13  to  15  per 
cent,  on  the  capital  invested.  The  mines  of  Gongo  Soco,  once 
^leiy  profitable,  are  abanuoued.     The  gold  of  Minas  Geraes, 


AMERICAN  AND    OTUEli    GOLD.  311 

when  taken  from  veins  in  the  alluvial  soil,  is  generally  asso- 
ciated Avith  platina  and  iridium ;  the  gold  from  other  forma- 
tions of  the  same  district,  is  combined  with  tellurium  and  va- 
rious other  metals.  It  has  been  supposed  that  the  gold  mines 
of  Brazil  were  exhausted,  but  this  is  denied  by  a  number  of 
good  authorities,  and  a  great  yield  of  Brazilian  gold  is  among 
the  possibilities  of  the  future,  dependent  upon  more  extended 
scientific  exploration. 

The  Republic  of  Bolivia,  lying  between  latitude  12  degrees 
and  24  degrees  South,  and  longitude  57  degrees  25  minutes 
and  70  degrees  30  minutes  West,  is  distinguished  by  its  gi- 
gantic mountains,  which  are  a  part  of  the  Andes.  The  peaks 
are  Tacora,  Tatasvaya,  and  Pomarapi,  each  about  21,700  feet 
above  the  sea;  Parinacocha,  22*030  feet  above  the  sea;  Gual- 
latiu,  21,960  feet  above  the  sea;  Iquimo,  Toroni,  Yabricoya, 
and  the  volcanic  mountains  Isluya  and  Sajama,  all  about  22,- 
350  feet  above  the  sea.  With  the  exceptit^n  of  Mt.  Aconca- 
gua ia  Chili,  latitude  32  degrees  39  minutes  South,  longitude 
70  West,  22,422  feet  above  the  sea,  the  volcano  Sajama  or 
Bahama,  is  the  highest  American  peak.  Though  in  the  equa- 
torial zone,  all  these  mountains  ascend  above  the  limit  of  per- 
petual snow.  'Ihc  rivers  of  Bolivia  arc  numerous,  mostly  the 
same  that  flow  far  through  Brazil  to  the  Atlantic.  Bolivia 
has  vast  deposits  of  salt.  The  trachytic  conglon^erate  rocks 
arc  the  principal  feature  of  the  geology  of  Bolivia,  tliough 
granite  abounds  in  the  eastern  mountains  of  the  Cordilleras. 
Gneiss  and  porphyry  are  also  found  in  certain  localities,  the 
gneiss  sometimes  overlaid  by  foliated  Silurian  strata,  in  the 
depressions  of  which  are  recent  deposits  of  sedimentary  char- 
acter, containing  fossils  of  colossial  mammalia. 

Gold  is  found  iu  many  parts  of  the  mountain  region  of  Bol- 
ivia. Near  Lake  Titicaca  ia  north-western  Bolivia,  some- 
where about  latitude  16  degrees  30  minutes  South,  and  longi- 
tude 68  degrees  West,  stands  the  Kevado  de  Illimani,  a  moun- 
tain of  three  peaks,  the  loftiest  of  which  ascends  to  21,150 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.     From  one  of  the  crags  at  the 


812  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

base  of  Mt.  lUimani,  a  huge  mass  of  native  gold  was  riven  by 
a  flash  of  lightning ;  this  precious  curiosity,  was  purchased  at 
an  immense  cost  and  sent  to  the  museum  of  natural  history  at 
Madrid,  in  Spain.  The  rivers  flowing  from  the  Cordillera 
Real  to  the  Beni,  or  its  tributaries,  all  bring  gold  from  the 
mountains  and  deposit  the  same  among  the  sands  along  their 
banks.  The  vast  yield  of  Bolivian  silver,  will  be  described  in 
a  future  page  devoted  to  that  metal.  The  nati'onal  assembly 
of  Bolivia,  in  October,  1872,  imposed  an  export  duty  of  20 
cents  per  ounce  on  gold,  50  cents  per  mark  on  bar  silver ;  an 
export  duty  of  4  per  cent,  is  paid  on  good  coin. 

Between  southern  Bolivia  and  Brazil,  lies  the  Republic  of 
Paraguay,  extending  from  latitude  21  degrees  57  minuies,  to 
27  degrees  30  minutes  South,  and  from  longitude  51:  degrees 
33  minutes,  to  58  degrees  40  minutes  West,  a  territory  at 
present  of  but  about  90,000  square  miles.  The  face  of  the 
country  forms  two  great  valleys,  through  which  flow  the 
rivers.  The  elevated  lands  are  in  the  north,  nowhere  over 
2,500  feet  above  the  sea ;  the  south  of  Paraguay  is  low,  and 
often  swampy,  the  apparent  detritus  from  the  distant  Andes. 
There  are  iron  ores  in  Paraguay,  and  copper  has  been  found, 
but  gold  has  not,  as  far  as  known,  been  discovered. 

To  the  south  of  Brazil,  and  east  of  the  Argentine  Republic, 
between  latitude  30  degrees  and  35  degrees  South,  and  longi- 
tude 53  degrees  and  58  degrees  30  minutes  "West,  is  the  Banda 
Oriental  del  Uruguay,  or  Republic  of  Uruguay ;  its  territo- 
ries have  a  sea  and  gulf  coast  of  625  miles,  and  a  land  fron- 
tier of  but  450  miles.  The  interior  is  divided  by  numerous 
ranges  of  forest  hills,  nowhere  over  2,500  feet  above  the  sea, 
with  countless  streams  which  form  many  small  rivers.  The 
mineral  resources  of  this  country  are  undeveloped,  yet  gold 
has  been  found  to  a  limited  extent  and  mining  enterprise  is 
increasinsr. 

The  Argentine  Republic  occupies  that  part  of  South 
America  between  latitude  21  degrees  and  41  degrees  South, 
and  loncdtude  53  decrees  and  71  decrees  17  minutes  West. 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  313 

The  northern  and  western  portion  of  this  territory,  is  gener- 
ally mountainous,  being  occupied  by  the  outspurs  of  Chilian 
Cordilleras.  There  are  numerous  active  volcanoes  alon"-  the 
grand  chain  of  the  Andes,  whose  crest  forms  the  western  por- 
tion of  the  Argentine  Itepublic,  and  traces  of  former  craters 
are  found,  over  a  very  broad  section.  A  cone  near  Jujuy, 
sends  up  every  morning,  a  whirling  spiralinc  column  of  dust, 
which  rises  to  a  great  height,  and  spreads  over  the  land  for 
many  miles,  according  to  the  force  and  direction  of  the  wind. 
The  Despoblado  chain  of  mountains  in  the  northern  province 
of  Salta,  between  the  Tropic  of  Capricorn  and  25  degrees 
South  latitude,  presents  an  elevation  of  14,000  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea,  while  the  highest  summit  of  the  Aconquaja 
ranges,  in  the  province  of  Catamarca,  about  latitude  27  de- 
grees South  and  longitude  67  degrees  West,  is  17.000  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea. 

The  Argentine  rivers  are  most  extraordinary  streams.  The 
principal,  is  the  Rio  de  la  Plata,  or  River  Plate,  as  termed  in 
English,  which  drains  the  whole  region  from  the  valley  of  the 
Amazon,  to  35  degrees  latitude  South.  The  Plata  is  a  river 
of  rivers,  formed  of  the  great  Uruguay,  Parana  and  Paraguay, 
and  up  it  and  these  branches  or  confluents,  steamboat  naviga- 
tion is  carried  to  great  distances.  Passengers  are  taken  from 
the  Uruguayan  port  of  Monteviedo,  to  Cuyaba  in  the  Brazil- 
ian province  of  Matto  Grosso,  a  distance  northward,  of  over 
2,000  miles.  At  Monteviedo,  the  Plata  is  full  75  miles  wide, 
and  at  Buenos  Ayres  oq  the  opposite  and  southern  shore,  yet 
over  125  miles  up  the  stream,  the  river  is  still  28  miles  across. 
The  waters  of  the  Plate,  however,  are  sliallow,  and  navigation 
of  the  same  is  much  obstructed  by  shoals  and  banks  of  mud. 
The  Uruguay  forms  part  of  the  eastern  Argentine  boundary ; 
between  it  and  the  Parana  to  the  west,  lies  the  province  of 
Entre  Eios,  with  a  surface  divided  between  ridges  of  compara- 
tively small  elevation,  great  pampas  or  grassy  plains,  and 
marshes  surrounding  lakes  of  various  sizes,  liable  to  very  ex- 
tensive overflow.     The  streams  and  waters  of  the  Eutrc  llioa 


314  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

are  always  fresh,  and  in  this  distinguished  from  many  streams 
and  lakes  south  of  the  Plata  and  west  of  the  Parina. 

The  Rio  Paraguay  flowing  from  the  territories  of  Bra/.il 
a%d  the  Paraguayan  Republic,  on  its  way  to  the  head-watera 
of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata,  receives  in  its  intermediate  course,  the 
name  of  the  Rio  Parina.  On  the  western  bank  of  these  rivers, 
lies  the  province  of  the  Grand  Chaco,  the  surface  of  which,  in 
the  riparian  part  of  the  valley,  consists  of  broad  pampas  rising 
to  the  west  into  a  country  of  higlilands  and  ridges,  the  foot- 
hills of  tlie  mountains  in  the  distance,  west.  The  region  of 
the  Rio  de  la  Plata,  and  the  country  west  of  its  head-waters, 
may  be  considered  the  indefinite  boundary  of  two  very  dis- 
similar geologic  districts  included  in  the  Argentine  territories. 
The  Jiorthern  section,  west  of  the  Grand  Chaco,  the  valley  of 
the  Parina  and  Paraguay,  is  as  already  noted,  hilly  and  moun- 
tainous, w^ith  out-crojiping  rocks  of  granite,  gneiss,  clay  slate, 
and  almost  every  other  variety  of  geologic  formation,  in  a 
confused  mass  of  broken  and  disordered  strata.  South  of  the 
line  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata,  all  rocks  have  disappeared  beneath 
the  surface,  upon  which  for  hundreds  of  miles,  to  the  south, 
and  to  the  west  from  the  Atlantic  coast,  not  even  a  pebV.c  can 
be  found.  This  section  over  800,000  square  miles  in  area, 
may  be  regarded  as  one  vast  plain,  subdivided  by  many  water- 
courses into  vast  pampas  of  one  general  geologic  character,  but 
varied  surface,  deposits  and  vegetation.  These  pampas  though 
drained  by  numberless  rivers,  some  of  which  disappear  in  the 
earth,  or  lose  themselves  in  marshes,  are  liable  in  the  lower 
parts  to  extensive  inundations  in  the  rainy  season.  In  the 
dry  season,  many  of  the  pamj)a3an  rivers,  marshes  and  lakes, 
lose  all  tlieir  waters  by  rapid  evaporation,  when  their  very 
extensive  l)cds  present  vast  sheets  or  masses  of  dry  salt,  in  de- 
posits, varying  from  some  which  merely  cover  the  ground,  to 
others  over  three  feet  in  thickness. 

Below  the  valley  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata,  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  province  of  Buenos  Ayres,  the  hills  called  the 
Tapalquen,  Tandil  and  Vulcan,  of  unstratified  granular  quartz, 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  315 

break  through  the  formation  of  the  pampas.  The  range  ap- 
pears on  some  maps  as  the  "C.  del  Volcan,"  '-S.  Ventaua,"  and 
"S.  Guamini,"  and  extends  from  the  Atlantic  at  Cape  Corren- 
tes,  near  latitude  88  degrees  South,  south-westward  400  miles; 
south  and  west  again  from  these  elevations,  for  some  380 
miles,  there  are  few  crystalline  rocks,  and  farther,  into  Pata- 
gonia, the  lowest  stratified  formation  of  the  Andes  appears  in 
a  porphyritic  formation.  The  grand  feature  of  the  Argentine 
pampsean  formation,  which  includes  broadly  the  valley  of  the 
Rio  de  la  Plata,  and  to  the  north  that  of  the  Parana  and  Para- 
guay, is  calcareo-argillaceous  conglomerate  earth,  the  deposit 
for  ages  of  the  largely-subsiding  rivers,  which  have  withdrawn 
their  waters  in  consequence  of  a  gradual  geologic  upheaval  of 
the  southern  plains,  to  the  height  of  100  feet  or  more,  an  evo- 
lution still  going  forward.  The  diluvial  deposits  of  the  pam- 
pas consisting  of  detritus  washed  in  cycles  of  time  from  the 
wearing  away  of  the  Andes,  is  everywhere  mixed  with  marine 
and  other  fossils,  and  are  considered  by  Darwin,  as  much  a 
matter  of  astonishment  as  the  gigantic  Andes  themselves. 

The  Rio  de  la  Plata,  River  Plate,  or  silver  river,  was  so 
called  by  the  Spaniards,  on  account  of  the  profusion  of  silver 
ornaments,  worn  by  the  cannibal  Payngua,  Timbus,  and  Guar- 
anis  Indians,  who  we:e  discovered  along  its  banks  when  the 
advcnturers-from  Spain,  after  the  voyage  thither  of  Juan  Dias 
de  Solis  in  1516,  and  of  Magalhaens  in  1519,  undertook,  un- 
der tlie  latter's  command  in  1527,  the  settlement  of  Buenos 
Ayres  and  the  exploration  of  the  surrounding  territories. 
Vaiious  expeditions  followed  that  under  Magalhaens  here 
no'cd.  One  under  Mcndoza,  which  enleied  the  Plata  in  1535, 
was  llic  largest  and  richest  whicli  ever  left  Europe  for  the 
shoes  of  America.  Extensive  cxp'.orations  for  goLl,  and  for 
lines  of  communication,  involved  the  Spaniards  in  numerous 
and  of  Oil  disastrous  conflicts  with  the  Padians,  sometimes  end- 
ing  i  I  the  extermination  of  the  bands  of  Europeans,  even  wlien 
mov  ngiu  i)arties  of  over  200  men.  The  settlements  at  Buenos 
Ay  res  wcva  repeatedly  broken  up  by  hostile  aborigines,  and 


316  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

it  was  not  until  1580,  and  after  an  immense  expenditure  of 
labor,  treasure  and  blood,  that  the  colony  became  firmly  es- 
tablished, and  even  then,  the  achievement  was  made  in  part 
by  compromise,  alliance,  and  intermarriage  of  the  European 
adventurers  and  the  native  tribes,  who  as  wandering  bands, 
still  control  an  immense  region,  covering,  with  the  exception 
of  limited  areas,  all  the  very  sparsely  inhabited  country  from 
the  extreme  south  over  the  Patagonian  plains,  the  central  part 
of  the  pampas,  and  the  middle  part  of  the  Grand  Chaco,  as  well 
as  portions  of  Paraguay  and  Bolivia. 

The  Argentine  Reimblic  is  principally  a  pastoral  country, 
though  somewhat  devoted  to  agriculture  and  a  limited  manu- 
facturing industry.  The  mineral  region  is  in  the  northwest; 
the  resources  of  the  various  mines  known  to  exist  there  are 
vast,  but  hardly  at  all  developed.  The  entire  export  of  metals 
in  1873,  of  copper  and  silver  only,  amounted  to  a  value  of  but 
$420,000.  Gold  exists  among  the  mountains,  between  the 
ridges,  and  along  some  of  the  streams,  but  a  change  in  the 
character  of  the  population,  and  the  permanent  establishment 
of  social  and  political  order,  must  precede  the  regular  develop- 
ment of  the  probably  great  but  at  present  practically  unex- 
plored sources  of  supply  of  the  precious  metals,  which  the 
early  settlers  expected  to  develop,  centuries  ago,  beside  the 
broad -flowing  Rio  de  la  Plata. 

That  part  of  South  America  lying  south  of  the  Negro 
river,  which  flows  eastward  in  the  region  of  the  40th  degree, 
latitude  South,  is  called  Patagonia.  The  territory  ends  with 
Cape  Horn,  55  degrees  59  minutes  latitude  South.  Patagonia 
is  about  475  miles  wide,  in  the  northern  part,  and  gradually 
narrows  toward  the  Cape  in  which  it  ends;  it  is  1,050  miles 
long,  the  70th  meridian,  longitude  "West,  running  nearly  along 
its  center.  This  country  was  discovered  by  Magalhaens  in 
1520,  and  received  its  name  Palagonia,  the  country  of  the  larrje- 
footed^  from  him,  on  account  of  the  size  of  the  foot-prints  of 
gigantic  Indians  found  upon  the  shore.  That  j)art  of  Patago- 
nia west  of  the  Andes,  which  traverse  the  whole  length  of  the 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  3ir 

country  near  the  Pacifie,  belongs  to  Chili ;  that  east  of  the 
mountains,  is  claimed  by  the  Argentine  Republic.  The  Andes 
in  Patagonia,  rise  gradually  from  mere  ridges  and  hills  at  the 
south,  to  Mts.  Cay,  Yanttles  and  Corcovado,  the  two  last  being 
volcanoes  on  the  Chilian  border,  and  about  8,000  feet  high. 
The  head-waters  of  the  Negro  river,  descend  from  a  range  of 
mountain  spurs  from  the  Andes,  which  sweep  in  a  curve  across 
Patagonia,  from  41  degrees  latitude  South,  northward,  to  the 
river,  then  southeast  to  Valedes  Peninsula  on  the  Atlantic. 
From  the  chain  of  curving  highlands,  the  country  descends  in 
a  succession  of  geologic  terraces  toward  the  south,  broken, 
however,  at  various  points  by  elevations,  some  of  which  rise 
to  3,000  feet  in  height.  The  center  of  Patagonia  is  occupied 
by  a  great  desert  of  shingle,  once  the  shore  of  the  sea,  which 
as  the  land  was  upheaved,  receded,  leaving  the  stony  frag- 
ments washed  smooth  as  they  are  now  found. 

The  principal  rivers  of  Patagonia  rise  east  of  the  Andes, 
and  flow  to  the  Atlantic;  they  are  the  Negro,  Chupat,  Sene- 
gal, Desire,  Chico,  and  Santa  Cruz,  the  last  being  the  most 
important  stream  after  the  Negro,  and  navigable  to  Lake  Vied- 
ma,  from  which  it  falls.  The  mouth  of  the  Santa  Cruz,  in 
latitude  50  degrees  South,  is  three  miles  wide,  and  there  the 
tide  rises  from  30  to  50  feet  twice  each  24  hours. 

The  geology  of  Patagonia  is  at  once  simple  and  interesting. 
From  the  Argentine  river  Cobo  Leubu  or  Colorado,  which 
flows  into  the  Atlantic  under  the  40th  parallel  latitude  South, 
to  the  valley  of  the  Santa  Cruz  river,  extends  one  great  de- 
posit, including  immense  numbers  of  remarkable  tertiary  fos- 
sil shells,  of  supposed  extinct  species,  among  which  appears 
an  oyster  a  foot  or  more  in  diameter.  Near  the  southern  por- 
tion of  this  formation,  the  strata  is  fully  800  feet  deep.  The 
beds  just  described,  are  overlaid  by  a  recomposed  soft  stone, 
of  volcanic  origin,  yet  containing  gypsum,  and  having  a  chalk- 
like appearance,  and  largely  made  up  of  the  remains  of  infuso- 
ria, of  30  or  more  forms,  all  of  oceanic  origin.  These  beds  of 
chalk-Hke  pumiceous  stone,  are  throughout  capped  with  grav- 


318  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

el,  in  masses  forming  the  most  extensive  shingle  surface  known 
in  the  world.  The  pebbles  are  well-rounded  pieces  of  porphy- 
ry, derived  from  the  Andes.  The  formation  makes  the  shin- 
gle desert,  and  is  estimated  to  be  of  an  average  width  of  200 
miles,  the  length  over  800  mile??,  and  the  average  depth  of  the 
strata  about  fifty  feet.  The  whole  surface  of  Patagonia  has 
been  raised  by  periodical  upheavals  from  300  to  400  feet,  the 
movement  extending  as  has  been  noted  in  the  description  of 
the  Argentine  Republic,  to  the  shores  of  the  Rio  de  la  Plata. 

The  western  mountains  of  Patagonia,  are  composed  for  the 
most  part,  of  the  primitive  rocks,  of  which  the  eastern  slopes, 
in  the  region  of  Lake  Viedma,  present  immense  disrupted  and 
displaced  masses.  Geologists  assume  the  mineral  resources  of 
Patagonia  to  be  quite  extensive  and  valuable,  bui  the  country 
is  in  possession  of  a  few  thousand  ferocious  Indians  and  a  few 
colonists,  and  practically  unexplored-  In  1874,  gold  was 
found  in  the  valleys  of  the  Santa  Cruz  and  Gallegos  rivers, 
but  mining  operations  have  been  discontinued.  In  the  Galle- 
gos, diamonds  have  been  discovered,  resembling  the  gems  of 
Brazil;  but  an  uninviting  appearance,  a  severe  climate,  a  gen- 
erally desert  surface,  and  a  murderous,  though  scanty  popula- 
tion, have  limited  at  once  our  knowledsre  of  Patao-onia  and  the 
development  of  such  resources  as  may  yet  be  discovered. 

The  Republic  of  Chili,  or  Chile,  derives  its  name  from  the 
Peruvian  Indian  word  Tchile,  meaning  snow,  which  is  always 
seen  upon  the  summits  of  its  mountains.  The  territories  of 
Chili  are  a  strip  of  mountain  land  from  40  to  200  miles  wide, 
extending  south  ward  from  24  degrees  latitude  South,  for  2,270 
miles  to  Cape  Ilorn,  covering  an  area  of  218,925  square  miles. 
The  Andes,  as  a  general  system,  extend  in  two  parallel  lines, 
called  Cordilleras,  the  entire  length  of  Chili,  though  this  out- 
line is  broken  in  places.  The  eastern  range  of  mountains  is 
the  most  important,  and  is  regarded  as  the  true  Andes;  cen- 
trally situated  at  intervals,  is  another  mountain  range,  and 
along  the  shore  of  the  Pacific  runs  la  cordillera  de  la  costa, 
the  range  of  the  coast.     Ilovvever,  this  structure  varies  ac- 


AMERICAN'  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  819 

cording  to  the  region,  and  there  are  multitudes  of  detached 
elevations,  and  numerous  independent  peaks.  The  mean  ele- 
vation of  the  mountains  of  Chili  is  variously  estimated  from 
11,830  to  14,000  feet ;  the  most  of  the  principal  cones  arc  vol- 
canic, or  have  been  eruptive  within  a  recent  period.  Chili  is 
subject  to  frequent  earthquakes,  the  slight  ones,  or  shocks 
called  temhlores,  being  most  common,  and  harmless,  yet  alarm- 
ing, since  often  followed  by  actual  and  destructive  earthquakes 
which  are  called  terremotos,  and  are  real  movements  of  the  land, 
as  the  name  implies.  The  space  between  the  Cordilleras,  is 
occupied  by  table-lands,  the  elevation  of  which  varies  from 
200  to  1,000  feet — the  altitude  of  the  northern  plateau  known 
as  the  desert  of  Atacama. 

The  loftiest  Chilian  mountain  is  the  old  and  at  present  in- 
active volcano  Aconcagua,  22,422  feet  above  the  sea.  Mts. 
Tupungato,  20,269;  Llullaillaco,  21,000;  Villarica,  and  San. 
Jose,  18,150  or  20,000  feet  above  the  sea,  are  intermittent  vol- 
canoes, as  have  been  Mts.  Peteroa,  Llayma,  Antuco,  Ilanahue, 
Chilian,  Calbuco,  Corcovado,  Osomo,  Yant^les,  Minchinma- 
dom,  and  a  number  of  others,  23  volcanoes  in  all  being  recog- 
nized. There  are  many  mountains  not  volcanic  of  equal  ele- 
vntion.  There  are  ten  well  known  passes,  from  the  Pacific  to 
the  Argentine  Eepublic  across  Chili,  besides  others  not  so 
favorable  or  well  traveled.  The  pass  called  the  Planchon, 
6,000  feet  above  the  sea,  has  been  surveyed  for  a  railroad. 
The  other  passes  range  from  an  altitude  of  11,  12,  11,  11,500 
to  15,575  feet  above  the  sea,  at  their  summits.  -These 
passes  are  open  only  for  a  part  of  the  year,  six  months  or 
more,  and  passable  only  for  mules  or  llamas  and  men.  The 
western  slope  of  the  mountains  is  moSt  dilficult  to  ascend. 

The  rivers  of  Chili  are  numerous  but  short,  and  few  of 
them  are  navigable;  they  all  fall  from  the  mountains,  and 
when  swollen  with  melted  snows,  discharge  large  streams  of 
water  and  immense  quantities  of  alluvium  into  the  Pacific 
ocean ;  in  consequence,  almost  all  of  them  are  obstructed  at 
their  mouths  by  considerable  bars  of  sand  and  mud. 


320  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA, 

The  Araucanian  Indians  of  Chili,  successfully  maintained 
their  territories  and  independence  against  the  Peruvian  Incas 
from  A.D.  1433,  and  against  the  Spaniards  who  invaded  the 
country  in  1535  or  1536,  being  engaged  in  sanguinary  war 
with  the  Europeans  until  1722,  when  the  Indians  consented 
to  a  treaty  and  continue  citizens  of  the  republic  at  present, 
though  a  remnant  of  some  24,000  per^ns  still  occupy  a  prov- 
ince south  of  Biobio,  have  their  own  chief  and  an  indepen- 
dent tribal  form  of  government. 

The  territory  of  Chili  is  of  exceeding  interest  to  the  geolo- 
gist ;  the  nature  of  its  formations  have,  however,  been  suffi- 
ciently indicated  for  the  present  purpose,  in  that  which  has 
been  stated  in  the  preceding  paragraphs  in  relation  to  the 
mountains  of  the  Argentine  Republic.  Chili  possesses  im- 
mense and  very  varied  mineral  wealth  of  gold,  silver,  copper, 
lead,  antimony,  cobalt,  zinc,  nickel,  bismuth,  iron,  coal,  molyb- 
denum and  quicksilver,  the  different  ores  being  found  in  all 
the  scries  of  rocks  between  the  granite  and  trachytic  strata, 
the  last  being  barren  in  that  country.  Sulphur,  salt,  nitre, 
alum,  gypsum,  limestone,  and  other  minerals  are  abundant  in 
Chili. 

Gold  exists  in  Chili  in  very  considerable  quantities,  though 
less  sought  after  there  than  copper  and  some  other  metals. 
The  gold-bearing  veins  of  the  mountains  of  Chili,  run  almost 
parallel  to  the  imperfect  cleavage  of  the  granite  rocks  among 
which  it  is  for  the  most  part  discovered.  Certain  Chilian 
copper  ores,  generally  associated  with  micaeous  specular  iron, 
contain  small  quantities  of  gold.  In  some  mines  in  Chili 
having  quartz  veins  running  north  and  south,  gold  is  found 
mixed  with  a  most  remarkable  variety  of  mijicrals,  such  as 
galena,  blende,  copper  and  iron  pyrites  and  the  peroxide  of 
iron.  Near  Illapel  about  31  degrees  and  35  minutes  latitude 
South,  are  some  very  poor  gold  mines,  which  are  worked  in 
the  beds  of  the  gypseous  formation,  the  metal  being  taken 
from  the  altered  felspathic  clay-slate  alternate  with  the  purple 
porphyritic  conglomerate.    Gold  is  also  found  in  the  province 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER    GOLD.  321 

of  Magellan,  the  part  of  Chili  lying  along  the  western  shores 
of  Patagonia.  The  principal  mining  districts  are  in  the  north 
of  Chili,  but  new  discoveries  are  continually  made  elsewhere, 
knd  the  product  of  gold,  being  taken  with  other  metals,  must 
continue  or  increase. 

Between  latitude  3  degrees  and  20  minutes  and  22  degrees 
20  minutes  South,  and  longitude  about  67  degrees  and  81  de- 
grees and  26  minutes  "West,  lies  the  almost  rectangular  terri- 
tory of  the  republic  of  Peru.  The  western  part  of  Peru  lies 
under  the  70th  meridian  of  longitude  West,  and  along  this 
line,  from  the  river  Loa.in  the  south,  to  the  junction  of  the 
rivers  Javary  and  Amazon  in  the  north,  is  somewhat  more 
than  1,150  miles.  The  70th  meridian  may  be  considered  the 
perpendicular  line  of  a  right-angled  triangle,  of  which  the 
northern  boundary  of  Peru,  running  650  miles  from  west  to 
east,  about  5  degrees  sou'di  of  the  equator,  is  the  base,  and  the 
Pacific  shore  1,500  miles  long,  from  Cape  Blanco  to  the  river 
Loa,  is  the  hypothenuse.  The  area  included  is  about  500,000 
square  miles.  For  an  account  of  the  early  history  and  con- , 
quest  of  Pern,  the  reader  is  referred  to  pages  275  and  276. 

The  Peruvian   Andes   traverse  the  entire  country,  from 
north  to  south,  in  two  separate  ranges  called  the  Cordillera 
Oriental,  or  Andes  proper,  and  the  Cordillera  Occidental,  or 
Coast  range.     North  of  the  town  of  Pasco,  in  about  latitude 
11  degrees  South,  a  third  and  still  more  easterly  range  arise?, 
which,  a  little  above  the  9th  degree,  latitude  South,  subdivides . 
into  three  ranges.  The  Cordillera  Occidental  runs  nearly  north- 
west, and  follows  the  indentations  of  the  Pacific  coast  from 
which  its  steep  ascents  are  some  20  to  50  miles  inland.     This  , 
range  is  quite  unbroken,  though  crossed  by  roads  for  men  and  . 
animals,  and  generally  rises  to  14,000  or  15,000  feet  above  the 
level  of  the  sea.     The  snow-line  of  Peru,  is  about  16,000  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea,  so  that  but  few  summits  are  snow- 
capped, and  these  are  all,  as  far  as  known,  in  the  range  along 
the  coast.     The  passes  of  the  Peruvian  mountains,  are  among ; 
the  most  elevated  in  the  world.     The  road  from  Lima  to  Tar- 


322  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

ma  and  Pasco,  ascends  to  a  height  of  15,760  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea.  The  highest  mountain  in  Peru,  is  the  volcano  Mis- 
ti,  in  the  department  of  Arequipa,  and  20,300  feet  above  tho 
level  of  the  sea.  The  peaks  of  Pichu,  Charcani,  and  the  Pan 
de  Azucar,  from  17,000  to  18,000  feet  above  the  sea,  are  in 
the  same  actively- volcanic  district.  In  the  16th  century,  tho 
old  city  of  Arequipa,  situated  among  these  craters,  was  buried 
under  the  ashes  of  an  eruption  from  Mt.  Misti,  and  subse- 
quently rebuilt  on  its  present  site,  seven  miles  further  from 
the  volcano  and  toward  the  west.  The  tract  of  land  desig- 
nated as  la  costa,  or  the  coast,  lying  between  the  Peruvian 
Codillera  Occidental  and  the  Pacific,  nowhere  over  fifty  mile;» 
wide,  slopes  to  the  sea  with  a  very  rapid  and  irregular  descent, 
the  surface  being  broken  by  deep  gullies  dug  out  by  the  tor- 
rents flowing  from  the  mountains  to  the  ocean.  Though  gen- 
erally the  beds  of  rivers,  most  of  these  gullies  are  dry  tho 
greater  part  of  the  year.  The  ridges  between  the  rivers  are 
from  ten  to  ninety  miles  wide  and  perfect  deserts.  Since  its 
occupation  by  man,  the  coast  of  Peru  is  supposed  to  have 
been  elevated  by  an  interrupted  upheaval  some  85  or  more 
feet.  The  crest  of  the  Cordillera  Oriental,  or  proper  Andes, 
in  Peru,  is  flattened  into  the  table-land  of  Cuzco,  having  an 
area  of  some  15,000  square  miles  and  ranging  from  11,500 
feet  in  the  south,  to  12,500  feet  in  the  north,  above  the  sea. 
The  table-land  of  Pasco,  north  of  Lima,  is  some  14,000  feet 
above  the  sea,  and  but  about  1,500  feet  below  the  line  of  per- 
petual snow.  Some  of  the  valleys  enclosed  by  the  Peruvian 
naountains,  are  among  the  hottest  localities  in  all  the  Ameri- 
can countries  of  the  tropics.  Flowing  from  the  Cordillera  Occi- 
dental on  the  eastern  side,  the  rivers  Maranon,  Iluallaga  and 
Ucayali  are  important,  as  far  as  the  Volume  of  their  swift 
waters  is  considered,  they  finding  their  way  among  the  moun- 
tains and  joining  the  Amazon  as  the  chief  tributaries  of  that 
stream  on  its  course  to  the  Atlantic.  The  Apurimac,  Uri- 
bamba,  Javary  and  Purus,  are  great  rivers  of  the  same  region. 
The  eastern  part  of  Peru'fclopes  to  the  valley  of  the  Amazon, 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  323 

forming  a  country  of  dense  forests  in  an  unknown  rainy  re- 
gion of  torrid  heat  and  tropic  vegetation,  inhabited  by  roving 
or  other  Indians  where  not  unpopulated. 

"The  geology  of  Peru  has  not  been  thoroughly  explored  ex- 
cept in  certain  limited  fields  of  observation.  One  of  the  prom- 
inent features  of  the  whole  territory,  is  the  recurrence  on  the 
coast,  and  in  the  interior,  o^  tracts  of  red  sandstone  often  ac- 
companied by  vast  deposits  of  salt.  Granite  and  porphyry 
are  the  principal  rocks  of  the  coast  and  the  highlands.  Over 
7,000  feet  above  the  sea,  and  upwards,  except  the  highest  pla- 
teaux, called  paramos^  the  mountain  country  of  Peru  is  denomi- 
nated the  sierra,  a  region  of  which  trachyte,  augitc,  porphyry" 
and  orite,  are  the  principal  rocks.  Tbe  great  mountains  of 
Peru  north  of  8  degrees,  latitude  South,  are  all  of  trachyte. 
The  more  elevated  ground,  bordering  the  valleys  between  Lake 
Titicaca  and  the  famous  city  of  Cuzco,  is  chiefly  clay  slate; 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  city  of  Arequipa,  and  between 
there  and  Lake  Titicaca,  the  soil  is  very  largely  of  volcanic 
orioin.  Peru  has  been  famous  for  lis  mineral  and  metallic 
wealth,  especially  in  the  precious  metals,  ever  since  its  discov- 
ery by  the  Spaniards  under  Pascual  de  Andagoya  in  1522,  and' 
its  conquest  by  Pizarro  from  1531  to  1540.  Even  before- 
these  dates,  the  country  of  the  Incas  was  widely  known  among 
the  Indians  for  its  abundance  of  gold  and  silver.  In  1512,  the 
son  of  the  Indian  cacique  Comogra,  informed  Yasco  Nunez  de 
Balboa,  then  the  governor  of  a  small  Spanish  colonyin  Dari- 
en,  that  well  to  the  south  of  his  father's  dominions,  there  was 
a  great  country  and  a  wonderful  people,  where  gold  was  in  the- 
most  common  use  and  considered  of  no  more  value  than  that 
given  to  iron  by  the  Spaniards.  That  country  Balboa  sought, 
but  failed  to  discover,  yet  the  report  of  the  Indian  was  subse- 
(juently  learned  to  be  at  least  founded  on  facts,  as  has  been  re- 
lated in  the  early  part  of  this  article. 

Gold  is  at  present  found  in  numerous  places  in  Peru,  and 
almost  all  the  mountain  streams  bring  it  down  in  small  parti, 
cles  with  their  torrents,  and  form  deposits  in  their  sands,  often: 


324  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

of  considerable  richness.  The  irountains  in  almost  every  di- 
rection present  veins  of  gold,  with  silver  and  copper,  and  often 
in  quartz  lodes.  The  gold  mines  of  Carabaya  are  the  most 
important  workings  of  the  country.  As  numerous  as  the 
sources  of  Peruvian  gold  are,  the  product  of  this  metal  has  in 
modern  times  been  small  compared  to  the  common  yield  of 
silver,  an  account  of  which  will  he  given  on  a  future  page  to  be 
devoted  to  that  metal.  Since  1836,  the  principal  wealth  of 
Peru  has  been  derived  from  the  deposits  of  guano,  and  of 
nitre,  with  w  hich  commodities  part  of  its  territories  supera- 
bound.  Until  a  few  years  past,  Peruvian  mining  has  been  in 
a  backward  state,  but  the  introduction  of  railroads  and  im- 
proved machinery,  with  more  modern  processes,  has  brought 
about  a  favorable  change  in  that  and  many  other  branches  of 
industry.  At  present  Peru,  with  Bolivia,  against  Chili,  is 
engaged  in  a  protracted  and  ruinous  war;  what  the  conse- 
quence to  these  countries,  and  the  working  of  their  mines,  may 
be,  it  is  impossible  to  predict.  There  is  no  good  reason,  how- 
ever, why  Peru  should  not  be  for  the  future,  as  in  the  past, 
one  of  the  world's  wonders  as  a  producer  of  silver,  while, 
as  for  ages,  a  fruitful,  well-known  and  permanent  source  of 
gold. 

Ascending  northward  the  Pacific  coast  of  South  America, 
at  5  degrees  80  minutes  latitude  South,  near  the  widest  part 
of  the  continent,  we  enter  the  territories  of  La  Republica  Del 
Ecuador,  The  boundaries  of  Eucador,  which  derives  its  name 
from  its  situation  under  the  equator,  are  unsettled,  and  a  large 
part  of  the  country  unexplored,  but  it  is  generally  considered 
to  be  included  between  the  latitude  already  named,  and  1  de- 
gree 80  minutes  North,  and  longitude  69  degrees  52  minutes 
and  80  degrees  35  minutes  West.  The  extreme  length  of  Ecua- 
dor is  about  7-iO  miles,  from  east  to  west,  and  the  breadth  some 
520  miles  from  south  to  north,  or  the  reverse.  Including  the 
Gallapagos  islands,  which  lie  under  the  equator  (area  2,951 
square  miles),  Ecuador  presents  a  surface  some  254,951  square 
miles,  or  by  planimetric  calculation,  248.680  square  miles,  in 


AMERICAN  AND    OTItER   GOLD.  325 

extent.  The  sinuous  coast-line  of  this  country,  with  numer- 
ous indentations,  is  over  700  miles  long. 

Ecuador  has  a  more  varied  topography  than  any  other 
country  in  the  world;  nine-tenths  of  the  whole  region  is  oc- 
cupied by  immense  snow-clad  mountains,  almost  endless  for- 
ests, and  wide-spread  llanos^  or  savannas.  The  Andes  cross 
Ecuador  from  south  to  north.  The  range  is  divided,  as  in 
Peru,  into  the  Cordillera  Occidental,  or  coast  range,  and  the 
Cordillera  Oriental,  or  eastern  mountains,  which  run  parallel, 
about  40  miles  apart,  and  enclose  for  800  miles  an  elevated- 
valley,  which  is  divided  by  inferior  ranges,  and  subdivided  by 
ridges  into  the  plains  of  Quito,  Amhato,  and  Cuenca,  and 
smaller  irregular  sections.  The  western  or  Cordillera  Occi- 
dental, attains  an  elevation  in  the  great  volcano  of  Chimbo- 
razo,  of  21,422  feet  above  the  sea,  but  the  range  has  no  other 
point  more  than  17,500  feet  above  the  coast.  The  Quito 
plain  is  9,500  feet  above  the  sea,  the  Ambato  plain  8.500,  and 
the  Cuenca  plain  7,800  feet  above  the  sea.  The  Cordillera 
Oriental,  or  eastern  range,  presents  a  number  of  grand  peaks 
and  summits,  more  than  18,000  feet  above  the  coast  line. 
Nowhere  in  the  entire  Andean  system  of  mountains,  are 
the  separate  peaks  so  grandly  developed  as  in  the  Euca- 
dorian  region.  The  single  valley  of  Quito  is-  surrounded  by 
twenty  volcanic  mountains  of  great  elevation  and  remarka- 
bly perfect  forms ;  one  is  a  perfect  trunacatcd  cone,  another 
a  smooth  and  snow-covered  grand  dome,  while  others  are 
magnificent  irregular  crests,  jagged  and  riven  by  the  tremen- 
dous volcanic  forces  to  which  they  have  been  subjected  for 
cycles  of  time. 

Beside  the  world-renowned  Chimborazo,  the  Cordillera  Occi- 
dental in  Ecuador,  shows  a  dozen  or  more  peaks  from  1,500  to 
1,960  feet  above  the  snow  line,  which  under  the  equator, 
whereabout  they  are  situated,  is  not  less  than  14,000  feet 
above  the  level  of  the  sea.  In  the  Ecuadorian  Cordillera  Ori- 
ental, about  an  equal  number  of  similar  mountains  arc  found, 
but  of  even  greater  elevation ;  of  these,  Cayambi,  a  volcano 


326  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

19.813  feet  above  the  sea,  is  situated  directly  under  the  equa- 
tor, and  near  77  degrees  80  minutes  longitude  West,  being 
the  only  volcanic  snow-capped  peak  without  latitude.  Mt. 
Imbabura,  between  the  Cordilleras,  at  the  northern  end  of  the 
great  central  valley,  is  a  volcano  15,029  feet  above  the  sea,  and 
is  celebrated  for  discharging  vast  quantities  of  mud  and  water. 
Cotopaxi  of  the  Cordillera  Oriental,  about  19,500  feet  above 
the  Jevel  of  the  sea,  is  the  highest  volcano  in  the  world.  The 
crater  is  always  smoking,  and  from  time  to  time. discharges 
great  quantities  of  pumice  stone,  the  principal  product  of  its 
eruptions.  Sangai,  in  the  same  range,  is  the  most  active  and 
violent  volcano  in  existence.  The  whole  Quito  table-land,  is 
one  vast  volcanic  hearth,  underlaid  by  an  ocean  of  lava,  which 
breaks  forth  sometimes  from  one  outlet  and  sometimes  from 
another.  Ecuador  is  pre-eminently  the  land  of  volcanoes ;  ac- 
tive or  extinct  craters  are  numerous  and  widespread.  Earth- 
quakes are  common  and  have  been  terribly  destructive.  The 
eastern  part  of  Ecuador  is  crossed  from  west  to  south-east,  by 
numerous  ranges  of  mountains,  which  continue  to  the  banks 
of  the  Maranon  or  Amazon,  and  slope  down  into  the  valley 
of  that  river. 

The  rivers  of  Ecuador  are  numerous  and  many  of  them  are 
great  streams.  On  the  west,  many  independent  rivers  flow 
Jrom  the  Cordillera  Occidental  to  the  Pacific,  while  all  the 
drainage  of  the  mountains  east  of  the  coast  range  descends, 
often  in  sudden  floods,  by  the  channels  of  a  number  of  important 
tributaries  to  the  Amazon.  Many  of  the  mountain  rivers  of 
all  sizes,  have  worn  for  themselves  deep  and  extensive  valleys, 
In  the  walls  and  terraces  of  these  valleys,  and  upon  the  side^ 
of  the  mountains,  may  bo  found  the  grandest,  but  for  the  most 
part  unimproved,  opportunities  for  geologio  observation. 
Granitic,  gneissoid,  and  schistose  rocks,  are  the  principal  ma- 
terials of  the  bodies  of  the  mountains ;  along  their  side3  are 
found  immense  beds  of  gravel  and  volcanic  debris,  with  a 
number  of  vast,  old  and  cold  lava  streams ;  the  mountain  sum- 
mits are  capped  with  trachite  and  porphyry,  rising  in  barren 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  327 

desolation  above  the  line  of  vegetation,  and  of  perpetual  snow 
to  fields  inaccessible  to  the  foot  of  man.' 

With  all  the  granduer  of  its  geology  and  topography,  and 
the  energy  of  its  volcanic  action,  Ecuador  is,  as  far  as  explored, 
less  richly  supplied  with  mines  and  minerals  than  any  other 
country  of  South  America.  Silver,  gold,  iron,  mercury,  lead 
tin,  zinc,  copper,  antimony,  manganese,  alum,  sulphur  and  salt, 
are  reported,  but  few  of  these  have  been  found  in  sufficient 
quantities  to  become  of  great  industrial  or  commercial  im- 
portance. Gold,  mixed  with  silver,  has  been  procured  for  a 
long  time  from  the  neighborhood  of  Zarume  in  the  province 
of  Loja ;  the  gold  mines  of  the  elevated  regions  of  the  Cordil- 
leras were  abandoned  long  since.  Gold  is  said  to  be  washed 
from  the  mountains  by  the  greater  part  of  the  Ecudorian  riv- 
ers flowing  to  the  Amazon,  and  is  actually  gathered  by  the. 
Indians  from  the  beds  of  the  Napo  and  some  of  its  confluents; 
in  the  Canelos  territory,  and  more  especially  from  the  Bobo- 
naza.  The  Canelos  gold  in  the  native  state  is  22  carats  or 
9o8f  fine,  and  that  secured  from  the  valley  of  the  Napo 
but  20  carats  or  833J  fine.  The  town  of  Azogues  derives  its 
name  from  its  quicksilver  mines,  and  similar  ores  are  mined 
in  the  city  of  Loja.  Nearly  all  the  sources  of  quicksilver  in 
Ecuador,  have  been  found  unprofitable  since  the  discovery  of 
that  metal  in  California.  Without  unexpected  discoveries 
the  product  of  gold  in  Ecuador  must  continue  quite  unim- 
portant. At  present,  the  few  gold  mines  operated,  are  all  in 
the  mountains  along  the  coast  of  the  Pacific  ocean. 

To  the  north  of  Ecuador  lies  the  territory  of  Estados  Uni- 
dos  de  Colombia,  the  Republic  of  the  United  States  of  Colom- 
bia, extending  from  2  degrees  and  80  minutes,  latitude  South, 
to  12  degrees  20  minutes,  latitude  North,  and  from  65  degrees 
50  minutes  to  83  degrees  5  minutes,  longitude  West.  Colom- 
bia consists  of  the  confederated  states  of  Antioquia,  Bolivar, 
Boyaca,  Cauca,  Cuninamarca,  Magdalena,  Panama,  Santander, 
and  Tolima,  and  comprises  a  large  part  of  the  old  Spanish 
vice-royalty  of  New  Granada. 


328  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

The  area  of  this  country  is  about  500,000  square  miles.  It 
has  a  coast  line  on  the  Atlantic,  of  more  than  1,000  miles, 
with  an  abundance  of  bays  and  natural  harbors.  The  Pacific 
coast  line  is  less  important,  though  of  about  equal  extent,  in- 
dented with  the  great  bay  of  Panama  and  possessing  several 
well-known  seaports.  The  surface  of  Colombia  is  nearly 
equally  divided  into  mountain,  valley  and  plain.  The  western 
part  is  one  of  the  most  mountainous  districts  in  the  world. 
The  Andes  in  the  south,  near  Ecuador,  form  an  extensive  pla- 
teau, called  the  paramo  of  Vera  Cruz,  which  has  an  elevation 
of  about  11,695  feet  above  the  sea.  From  this  paramo^  the 
mountains  form  three  ranges,  running  north  nearly  parallel. 
The  Cordillera  Occidental,  or  coast  range,  which  here  bears 
the  name  of  Cordillera  de  Choco,  is  the  least  remarkable,  be- 
ing of  comparatively  low  elevation,  and  in  places  worn  away 
into  what  may  be  regarded  as  mere  rounded  hills.  The  Cor- 
dillera de  Choco  is,  however,  the  most  extensive  range,  as  at 
latitude  7  de2;rees  30  minutes  North,  it  turns  to  the  north- 
west  and  extends,  almost  unbrokenly,  along  the  isthmus  of 
Panama.  The  central  range,  or  Cordillera  of  Quindiu,  is  at 
first  the  highest  of  the  three,  containing  the  snow-clad  peaks 
of  Huila,  Ruiz,  and  Tolima,  the  last  being  the  highest  of  the 
Andes  north  of  the  equator.  In  latitude  5  degrees  5  minutes 
North,  the  Cordillera  of  Quindiu  sinks  below  the  snow  line, 
and  some  three  degrees  farther  on,  in  the  same  direction,  dis- 
appears in  the  valley  of  the  Magdalena  river,  about  longitude 
67  degrees  West.  The  eastern  range,  called  the  Codillera  de 
la  Suma  Paz,  takes  a  more  north-easterly  course  than  either 
of  the  others.  Between  7  degrees  and  8  degrees,  latitude 
North,  at  the  paramo  of  Pamplona,  the  eastern  range  divides 
itself,  the  offshoot  passing  into  the  territory  of  Venzuela,  and 
the  direct  line  keeping  almost  due  north  to  Gallinas  Point, 
already  noted  as  the  northernmost  land  of  South  America.  The 
highest  summits  of  the  Cordillera  de  la  Suma  Paz,  are  the  Alto 
de  el  Trio,  9965,  Boca  del  Monte,  12,735,  and  the  Alto  de  el 
Viejo,  12,965  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea. 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  329 

Eastward  from  the  f-lopes  of  the  Cordillera  de  la  Suma  Paz, 
the  surface  of  Colombia  descends  toward  the  valleys  of  the 
Orinoco  and  Amazon  rivers;  the  northeastern  district,  as  far 
south  as  the  river  Vichada,  at  about  the  center  of  Colombia, 
is  almost  an  unbroken  plain,  treeless,  and,  in  the  rainy  season, 
grassy,  and  an  immense  cattle  pasture.  Swamps  occur,  but 
in  the  dry  season,  the  plains  are  arid  and  sunburnt.  South  of 
these  llanos,  the  Columbian  valleys  are  covered  with  great 
tropical  forests,  often  present  considerable  irregularity  of  sur- 
face, and  in  many  places  are  broken  by  variform  steep  rocks, 
rising  to  some  300,  600,  or  more  feet  in  height,  above  the 
level  of  the  local  surface. 

The  eastern  boundary  of  Colombia  is  formed  in  part  by  the 
great  river  Orinoco,  into  which  flow  the  rivers  Guaviare, 
Vichada,  Meta,  and  many  smaller  streams.  On  the  South,  the 
river  Putumayo,  which  flows  eastward,  was  considered  the 
boundary  between  Ecuador  and  Colombia,  but  on  recent  maps, 
the  line  ascends  the  river  Patia  from  the  Pacific,  and  crosses 
the  Andes  to  descend  the  bed  of  the  river  Cagueta,  Japura,  or 
Ilyapura,  to  the  boundary  in  the  east  claimed  by  Brazil.  The 
other  Colombian  rivers  flowing  to  the  Amazon,  are  the  Vau- 
pes  or  Ucayari,  and  the  Rio  Negro,  of  which  the  Yaupes  is  a 
tributary,  and  minor  streams.  Along  the  Pacific  coast  of  Co- 
lombia, south  of  latitude  5  degrees  North,  are  many  short 
rivers  and  torrents  flowing  from  the  coast  range,  like  the 
streams  on  the  same  coast  farther  south,  already  described. 
The  greater  part  of  the  territories  of  Colombia  are  drained 
northward  into  the  Atlantic  ocean,  by  way  of  the  Caribbean 
sea  and  the  gulf  of  Darien.  The  principal  river  flowing  north, 
is  the  Magdalena,  or  Eio  Grande,  which  rises  in  a  small  lake 
called  the  Laguna  del  Buey,  or  Ox  Lake,  situated  near  the 
boundary  of  Ecuador.  The  Magdalena  crosses  the  whole  of 
Colombia  along  the  great  central  valley  between  the  Cordil- 
lera of  Quindiu  and  the  Cordillera  de  la  Suma  Paz.  On  its 
eastern  bank,  the  Magdalena  receives  the  rivers  Sanza,  Rio 
Neiva,  Cabrera,  Prado,  Fuzagasanga,   Bogota,  Carare,  Ofen, 


330  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Sagamoso,  and  Rio  Cesar,  all  of  which  are  considerable  streams, 
and  some  of  which,  in  particular  the  Rio  Cesar,  are  very  noble 
rivers.  From  the  west,  there  flews  into  the  Magdalena  the 
rivers  La  Plata,  Pae?,  Saldana,  Cuello,  Guali,  Samana  or  Miel, 
Nare  or  Rio  Negro,  a  number  of  minor  streams,  and  that  great 
and  almost  coequal  confluent,  the  Cauca.  This  last  river  rises 
near  Popayan,  between  the  Cordillera  de  Choco  and  the  Cor- 
dillera of  Quindiu,  and  flowing  north  in  the  valley  formed  by 
these  ranges  of  mountains,  joins  the  Magdalena  about  130 
miles  from  the  Caribbean  sea.  The  Magdalena  is  a  rapid 
river,  but  is  navigable  for  steamers  to  Honda,  5  degrees,  lati- 
tude North,  or  passable  to  Neiva,  near  latitude  3  degrees 
North,  something  like  700  miles  up  the  river,  which  is  in 
all  some  850  miles  in  length.  The  river  Cauca  is,  on  an  av- 
erage, 1,750  feet  higher  than  the  Magdalena,  and  therefore 
very  rapid.  Another  grand  and  most  interesting  Colombian 
river,  is  the  Atrato,  which  rising  on  the  western  slopes  of  the 
Cordillera  de  Choco,  in  latitude  5  degrees  20  minutes  North, 
flows  300  miles  to  the  north,  midway  from  this  range  to  the 
Pacific  coast,  until  at  the  isthmus  it  breaks  through  the  moun- 
tains and  falls  with  a  mouth  1,000  feet  wide  and  seventy  feet 
deep  into  the  gulf  of  Darien,  Ninety-six  miles  from  its  en- 
trance into  the  gulf,  the  Atrato  is  750  feet  wide ;  180  miles 
from  the  gulf  the  largest  ships  find  an  abundance  of  water  in 
this  river ;  at  Quibdo,  220  miles  from  the  gulf,  the  Atrato  is 
850  feet  wide  and  from  8  to  20  feet  in  depth ;  the  fall  of  the 
stream  is  but  3  inches  to  the  mile,  and  steamboats  can  ascend 
to  Certigui,  252  miles  from  the  gulf,  while  canoes  continue 
navigation  still  farther  toward  Popayan. 

During  the  year  1783,  or  about  that  time,  an  enterprising 
monk  is  said  to  have  cut  a  canal  from  the  Atrato,  near  Quib- 
do, along  a  ravine  called  the  Raspadura,  across  the  lands  inter- 
mediate, to  the  river  San  Juan,  which  lapping  the  valley  of 
the  Atrato,  in  latitude  5  degrees  20  minutes  North,  flows  with 
a  navisrable  stream  southward  and  eastward  into  the  Pacific 
oceaa.    The  truth  of  this  story  is  doubted,  but  it  is  not  in- 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER  GOLD.  8$i 

credible  ;  Colombia  has  many  stupendous  ruins,  built  in  free- 
stone as  early  as  the  time  of  the  Incas,  and  there  are  also  pub- 
lie  works  created  by  the  energy  of  the  old  Spaniards  whp 
ruled  the  land  before  its  independence.  Dr.  L.  D.  Tousley, 
DOW  a  physician  in  successful  practice  in  Philadelphia,  while 
traveling  and  prospecting  through  the  United  States  of  Col- 
umbia in  1857,  came  upon  a  canal  made  by  the  old  Spaniards 
for  the  transportation  of  troops  while  -Carthagena,  havintr 
been  captured  by  the  expedition  under  Sir  Francis  Drake 
in  1585,  was  held  by  the  English.  This  canal,  some  twenty- 
four  feet  wide  and  eleven  feet  deep  on  an  average,  was  opened 
from  a  place  called  Calaraar,  situated  on  the  Magdalena  river,  89 
miles  from  its  mouth,  to  Carthagena,  a  large  walled  city,  a  sea- 
port on  the  shore  of  the  Caribbean  sea,  in  the  province  of  New 
Granada.  This  canal  was  known  to  the  people  of  the  country 
as  the  Dique^  and  yet,  although  after  the  expulsion  or  exter- 
mination of  the  English,  used  for  the  transportation  of  goods, 
had  during  the  political  disturbances  been  neglected,  and  when 
first  seen  by  Doctor  Tousley,  was  overgrown  with  a  mat  of 
floating  vines  peculiar  to  the  swamps  of  the  climate,  forming 
a  safe  bridge  for  the  passage  of  mounted  men.  With  charac- 
teristic North  American  enterprise.  Doctor  Tousley  purchased 
this  canal  from  the  Colombian  Government,  and  returning  to 
New  York,  fitted  up  a  machine,  with  which,  by  the  help  of 
the  current,  he  freed  the  canal  from  the  obstructing  growth, 
and  in  1858  re-established  boat,  or  howjoe  navigation,  between 
Calamar  and  Carthagena,  and  also  in  connection,  a  very  profi- 
table line  of  steamboats  on  the  Magdalena  river.  The  busi- 
ness thus  created  was  sold  to  an  English  corporation  and  is 
still  continued. 

"While  all  the  rest  of  the  commercial  world  was  seeking  for 
the  northwest  passage  to  India,  Spain  holding  control  of  all 
Central  America,  claimed  an  exclusive  right  to  navigate  the 
southern  seas.  Fearful  that  a  channel  for  ships  would  be 
found  somewhere  across  America,  by  which  foreigners  and 
Protestants  would  pass  to  the  Pacific,  and  encroach  upon  the 


832  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

religiously-protected  monopoly  they  claimed  as  their  own,  the 
Spaniards  became  exceedingly  jealous  of  those  who  sought  to 
explore  their  American  rivers.  So  important  was  this  matter 
considered,  and  so  well  were  the  Spanish  statesmen  acquainted 
with  the  wonderful  topography  and  geography  of  their  South 
and  Central  American  colonies,  that  as  early  as  1730,  Philip 
II,  king  of  Spain,  promulgated  an  edict,  denouncing  the  pen- 
alty of  death  upon  all  those  who  undertook  the  navigation  of 
the  Atrato,  its  tributaries,  or  any  of  the  rivers  of  the  isthmus 
of  Central  America.  Needless  as  this  pronunciamento  was 
found  to  be,  its  provisions  were  for  some  time  kept  in  force ; 
quite  in  keeping  with  the  tyrannical  and  often  absurd  policy, 
by  which  the  government  of  Spain,  in  its  eagerness  to  in- 
crease its  revenues,  and  aggrandize  the  royal  power,  contin- 
ually sacrificed  the  interest  of  its  colonists,  hindered  the  devel- 
opment of  its  vast  foreign  possessions,  and  finally,  created  the 
industrial,  social,  and  political  conditions,  which  led  to  rebel- 
lion, revolution,  and  the  absolute  independence  of  all  the 
South  American  Republics. 

The  geological  features  of  Colombia  are  extraordinary  and 
complex.  Traces  abound  everywhere  of  the  most  stupendous 
earthquakes  and  floods,  resulting  in  such  a  displacement,  de- 
rangement, and  heterogeneous  intermixture  of  the  primitive 
and  sedimentary  strata,  as  to  be  most  perplexing  to  the  ob- 
server, and  render  even  an  outline  classification  almost  impos- 
sible. Great  rivers,  and  even  small  streams,  have  in  places 
cut  their  channels  through  mountains  of  the  hardest  rock  to 
an  immense  depth.  The  bed  of  the  stream  of  the  Rio  Minero 
lies  at  the  bottom  of  a  chasm,  a  canyon,  or  valley  of  erosion 
formed  by  the  force  of  the  current,  to  a  depth  of  10,650  feet. 
Vast  subsidences  occur  in  the  surface,  and  there  are  many 
great  caverns  resplendent  with  glittering  stalagmites.  In  other 
localities,  and  often  near  the  chasms  and  abysses  described,  im- 
mense masses  of  rock  have  been  upheaved,  far  above  the  gen- 
eral level,  over  which  they  hang  in  toppling  and  impassable 
grandeur.     Wonderful  changes  have  been  wrought  in  parts 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  333 

of  Colombia  bj  fire  and  flood  even  within  the  past  four  or 
five  centuries ;  the  same  volcanic  causes  are  still  active ;  in 
Batan,  near  Sogamoso,  in  the  heart  of  the  Andes,  where  the 
elevation  would  indicate  a  temperature  so  low  as  to  destroy  any 
but  the  hardiest  growth,  the  soil  is  so  much  heated  by  sub- 
terranean fires  as  to  produce  all  the  fruits  of  the  tropic  zone. 
None  can  predict  what  may -occur  in  such  a  region  at  anv 
time,  to  change  the  condition  of  the  surface,  or  perhaps  divert 
the  course  of  an  important  river. 

The  underlying  formations  of  the  geologic  strata  of  Colom- 
bia, are  the  igneous  and  metamorphic  rocks,  the  great  masses 
of  the  mountain  ranges  being  made  up  of  gneiss^  granite,  por- 
phyry, and  basalt.  In  places,  the  Carboniferous  strata  have 
been  developed  to  a  considerable  extent,  but  are  now  to  be  ob- 
served in  a  strange  state  of  confusion,  the  consequence  of  some 
unknown  disturbance.  The  slopes  of  the  Cordilleras  are  very 
often  covered  by  deep  beds  of  gravel,  Avhile  the  valleys  are 
filled  with  various  alluvial  deposits  of  quite  different  periods. 
From  the  boundaries  of  Costa  Rica,  midway  of  the  great  isth- 
mus to  the  north,  all  along  the  borders  of  the  Caribbean  sea, 
to  the  western  line  of  Venezuela,  the  territories  of  Colombia 
abound  with  rich  gold-bearing  alluvions  of  a  very  extensive 
formation.  There  is  probably  no  Colombian  state  that  has 
not  at  some  point,  or  at  many  places,  a  soil  containing  gold  in 
quantities  sufficient  to  pay  for  working.  Among  other  dis- 
tricts, those  of  Choco,  Antioquia,  Mariquita,  Popayan,  Pam- 
plona, Ocana,  and  Bucaramanga,  are  said  to  have  auriferous 
beds  of  exceeding  richness.  The  gold-bearing  sands  of  Antio- 
quia are  reported  to  yield  nearly  as  good  results  as  those  of 
California.  The  washings  for  gold  along  the  valley  of  the  At- 
rato  river  are  extremely  productive.  The  mining  operations 
of  Colombia  were,  until  of  late,  all  carried  on  with  the  rudest 
machinery,  and  yet  gold  has  been  secured  in  very  considerable 
quantities ;  more  would  probably  be  done,  but  many  of  the 
deposits  of  the  northern  valleys  are  in  localities  oppressed 
with  torrid  heat  and  an  unhealthy  climate,  where,  as  at  Car- 


3^  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

thagena,  the  yellow  fever  is  endemic,  or  native  and  peculiar  to 
the  place,  and  the  myriads  of  insects  make  life  almost  unen- 
durable. Diamonds  are  found  with  the  gold  dust  at  Antio- 
quia,  and  emeralds,  amethysts,  and  other  rare  and  precious 
stones  are  procured  from  different  localities.  The  emerald 
mines  of  Mazo,  in  the  state  of  Boyaca,  among  the  mountains 
of  the  Central  Cordillera,  in  the  valley  of  Tunja  near  Bogota, 
are  worked  in  a  rude  and  careless  manner,  yet  are  the  only 
source  of  the  genuine  stone,  and  yield  enough  to  supply  the 
constant  demand  for  their  product  made  from  Europe  and  the 
rest  of  the  world. 

Of  all  the  abundant  metals  of  Colombia,  gold  is  most  widely 
diffused,  and  has  been  taken  from  the  still  prolific  soil  for  ages. 
Before  the  arrival  of  Europeans  in  South  America — the  Span- 
iards under  Alonso  de  Ojeda  reaching  Colombia  in  1499  and 
1501 — the  native  Indians  of  the  region  now  included  in  Colom- 
bia, made  free  use  of  gold.  The  Miuscas  or  Chibchas,  a  very 
remarkable  aboriginal  tribe  or  people  of  the  northern  part  of 
South  America,  who  located  their  government  on  the  table- 
lands of  Bogota  and  Tunja,  not  only  used  gold  for  decorative 
purposes  iu  general,  like  the  Quichuas  to  the  south  of  them 
under  the  rule  of  the  Incas,  but  actually  had  money  of  gold, 
cast  in  uniform  pieces  of  exact  weight,  and  everywhere  cur- 
rent. The  gold  produced  in  New  Granada,  now  mostly  in- 
cluded in  Colombia,  was  at  one  time  a  source  of  great  revenue 
to  the  Spanish  government,  thousands  of  Indians  and  of  Ne- 
groes being  compelled  as  peons  or  slaves,  to  labor  in  gathering 
the  precious  metal  for  the  benefit  of  the  crown.  During  re- 
cent years,  greater  tranquility  has  obtained  in  Colombia; 
transportation  routes  and  roads  have  been  multiplied  and  im- 
proved, education  has  been  encouraged,  made  compulsory  for 
the  first  time  iu  America,  and  in  part  popularized ;  meanwhile 
industrial  pursuits  and  commerce  have  made  remarkable  pro- 
gress. The  gold  of  Colombia  is  principally  secured  by  wash- 
ings of  the  sands  and  alluvial  deposits,  but  hydraulic  mining, 
as  practised  in  California,  was  introduced  in  1870,  and  the  hill 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD,  335 

and  valley  workings  for  the  precious  metals  are  alike  gradu- 
ally being  brought  under  a  more  systematic  and  scientific 
method  of  operation.  The  state  of  Antioquia  is  the  most  im- 
portant gold-producing  region  of  Colombia ;  15,000  or  more 
men  and  women  are  employed  in  mining.  The  export  of  gold 
and  silver  from  the  capital  of  Antioquia  during  the  year  1875, 
was  valued  at  $2,403,241,  the  yield  of  more  than  eighty  dif- 
ferent lodes  of  the  precious  metals.  Eich  as  the  ores  of  Co- 
lombia are,  the  mines,  on  account  of  the  want  of  routes  of 
transportation,  unfavorable  climate,  civil  war  and  misgovern- 
fnent,  have  often  been  operated  at  a  loss ;  with  the  establish- 
ment of  the  reforms  already  noted,  better  general  results  are 
certain,  and  doubtless  the  United  States  of  Columbia  will  con- 
tinue, as  their  territories  have  been  for  centuries  past,  one  of 
the  important  gold- producing  countries  of  the  world. 

North  of  Brazil,  and  east  of  the  United  States  of  Colombia, 
between  latitude  1  desrree  8  minutes  South,  and  12  degrees  16 
minutes  North,  and  longitude  60  degrees  and  73  degrees  17 
minutes  West,  lies  the  country  governed  by  the  Ecpublic  of 
Venezuela.  Th6  greatest  length  of  Venezuela  is  about  90O 
miles,  from  east  to  west,  and  its  greatest  width,  from  north  to 
south,  770  miles;  the  area,  including  the  islands  of  the  coast, 
has  been  variously  estimated  from  403,000  to  431,000  rquare 
miles.  The  coast  line  from  the  boundary  of  British  Guiana 
on  the  southern  shore  of  the  main  mouth  of  the  river  Orinoco, 
runs  in  general  west-north-west  to  Cape  Chichibacoa,  the  north- 
eastern extremity  of  the  Goajira  peninsula,  to  the  west  of  the 
mouth  of  the  gulf  of  Maracaybo.  The  length  of  this  general 
line  is  some  1,584  miles,  although  to  follow  the  shores  of  the 
various  bays  and  inlets,  increases  the  distance  to  2,000  miles. 
Of  this  coast,  but  a  tenth,  or  about  200  miles,  is  directly  ex- 
posed to  the  Atlantic  ocean.  From  the  Boca  de  Navios,  the 
•principal  mouth  of  the  Orinoco,  65  miles  wide,  the  coast  runs 
west-north-west,  west  of  the  British  island  of  Trinidad,  to  tlie 
shore  of  the  gulf  of  Paria,  a  distance  of  some  200  miles.  The 
first  90  or  100  miles  of  this  line,  lies  across  the  northern  part 


336  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

of  the  great  delta  of  the  Orinoco,  and  over  very  low  lands, 
part  of  whicli  arc  covered  by  the  sea  at  high  water. 

The  surface  of  the  delta  of  the  Orinoco  is  divided  into  many 
islands  formed  of  alluvial  deposits,  and  is  generally  overgrown 
with  trees.  The  peninsula  of  Paria,  between  tlie  Caribbean 
sea  and  the  gulf  of  Paria  to  the  north,  is  a  ridge  of  high  rocks. 
As  far  as  Barcelona,  near  latitude  65  degrees  West,  thie  coast 
continues  rocky,  though  it  becomes  by  degrees  less  elevated 
and  more  even.  To  the  west  of  Barcelona,  the  coast  is  low 
and  sandy,  but  at  Cape  Codera  it  rises  into  a  rugged  rocky  pre- 
cipitous wall,  which  forms  the  shore  to  the  gulf  of  Triste. 
To  the  west  of  the  gulf  of  Triste,  the  beach  is  low  and  sandy, 
broken  by  mangrove  marshes,  or  rising  into  an  occasional 
bluff.  The  peninsula  of  Paraguana,  east  of  the  gulf  of  Mara- 
caybo,  is  rocky,  and  the  northern  part  of  the  coast  of  Goajira, 
west  of  the  gulf,  to  Cape  Chichibacoa,  presents  an  unbroken 
perpendicular  precipice  of  rock,  of  considerable  elevation. 
There  are  71  islands  along  the  coast  of  Venezuela;  a  few  of 
them  are  in  the  mouths  of  rivers,  or  in  Lake  Maracaybo,  and 
these  are  formed  of  deposited  mud  and  sand ;  but  the  greater 
number  are  more  or  less  off  shore,  and  of  volcanic  origin. 
The  largest  of  the  islands  is  called  Margarita,  and  of  itself 
constitutes  a  state;  the  others  are  of  less  importance  and  some 
quite  small  and  unproductive.  Venezuela  has  32  seaports, 
some  of  which  are  the  finest  harbors  in  the  world. 

Venezuela  contains  three  mountain  regions,  which  alto- 
gether cover  a  territory  of  some  107,000  square  miles.  The 
mountains,  which  are  in  the  north-west,  north-east,  and  south- 
east portions  of  the  country,  form  two  separate  systems.  The 
first  is  connected  with  the  Andean  range  in  Colombia.  At 
the  paramo  of  Pamplona,  in  Columbia,  west  of  the  north- 
western border  of  Venezuela,  the  mountains  form  a  node  or 
knot,  in  latitude  7  degrees  15  minutes  North,  and  longitude 
73  degrees  "West.  This  knot  of  mountains  divides;  the  first 
branch  runs  north,  and  under  the  name  of  the  Sierra  de  Ocana, 
reaches  the  boundary  of  Venezuela,  in   latitude  9   degrees 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER    GOLD.  337 

North.  On  the  frontier,  the  range  is  called  the  Sierra  do  Pc- 
rija,  and  under  that  name  continues  north  to  the  peninsula  of 
Goajira,  where  its  elevations  are  known  as  the  Montes  de 
Oca.  The  Sierra  de  Perija,  or  the  Montes  de  Oca,  are  no- 
where over  5,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  second 
and  principal  branch  from  the  Pamplona  mountain  node,  re- 
ceives the  name  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  de  M6rida,  and  inclinins: 
to  the  north-east,  crosses  the  country  about  a  hundred  miles 
south  of  Lake  Maracaybo,  with  a  mean  elevation  of  6,000  feet, 
to  terminate  in  the  Sierra  Costanera,  the  Venezuela  coast 
range,  with  a  mean  elevation  of  4,800  feet,  at  longitude  68  de- 
grees 30  minutes  West.  The  Sierra  Nevada  de  Merida  com- 
prises 31  summits  over  10,000  feet  high.  The  highest  land 
in  Venezuela  is  found  in  two  peaks  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  one 
being  described  variously,  as  from  15,000  to  15,310,  the  other, 
from  15,066  to  15,342  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  the  only 
points  in  the  country  above  perpetual  snow. 

The  second  system  of  the  mountains  of  Venezuela,  is  that 
of  the  immense  region,  south  and  south  east  of  the  Orinoco 
river.  This  district  is  occupied  by  the  Parima,  or  Parimc 
mountains,  and  contains  the  Sierra  de  Pacaraima,  which  forms 
part  of  the  boundary  of  the  country  on  the  south.  The  sum- 
mit of  the  Parima  is  7,608  feet  in  height,  and  beside  Mt.  Ma- 
raguaca,  which  has  an  elevation  of  8,151  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea,  the  range  contains  a  great  number  of  lofty  summits. 
There  are  also  a  number  of  isolated  peaks  in  this  most  moun- 
tainous section  of  Venezuela,  chief  of  which,  the  Duida,  stands 
8,823 'feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  state  of  Guayna, 
which  comprehends  that  part  of  Venezuela  south  of  ihe  Orin- 
oco river,  is  to  a  great  extent  an  unknown  region,  difficult  to 
explore,  and  almost,  as  far  as  inhabited,  the  home  of  various 
tribes  of  uncivilized  Indians. 

Venezuela  is  in  general  a  very  w^ell  watered  country,  with 
the  exception  of  some  arid  plains  and  table-lands,  a  number  of 
which  are  treeless  deserts.  There  are  many  lakes  and  lagoons 
in  various  portions  of  Venezuela;  over  200  such  bodies  of 


33^5  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

water  are  known,  and  more,  doubtless,  remain  undiscovered. 
The  lake  Valencia,  which  the  Indians  call  the  Tacariqua,  is 
on  the  southern  margin  of  the  pleasant  vallej  of  Aragua,  and 
situated  1,59&  feet  above  the  sea;  there  are  22  islands  in  the 
lake,  and  its  waters  are  decreasing  from  evaporati(->n.  The 
most  important  lagoon  is  the  so-called  Lake  Maracaybo,  in  the 
state  of  Zulia,  and  nearly  100  miles  long.  Lake  Unare  pro- 
duces excellent  salt.  Lake  Lagunillas  in  M^rida,  is  famous 
for  yielding  urao,  called  irona  in  commerce,  which  is  the  ses- 
qui-carbonate  of  soda. 

The  rivers  of  Venezuela  are  numerous,  and  many  of  them 
important  as  large  navigable  streams,  though  sometimes  flow- 
ing through  an  unexplored  and  mostly  uninhabited  country. 
The  Orinoco,  the  third  in  size  of  the  rivers  of  South  Ameri- 
ca, is  1,500  miles  long  from  its  origin  among  the  mountains 
of  the  state  of  Guayana ;  it  drains  an  area  of  some  250,000 
square  miles,  and  after  receiving  the  waters  of  more  than  400 
navigable  rivers,  enters  the  Atlantic  ocean  in  vast  volume 
through  17  distinct  mouths,  the  principal  of  which  forms 
a  very  turbulent  bay  sixt3'-five  miles  across.  There  are  more 
than  1,000  rivers  in  Venezuela,  and  only  12  of  the  number 
have  their  origin  beyond  the  limits  of  the  republic.  The 
Caribbean  sea,  with  the  gulfs  of  Venezuela  and  Paria,  receive 
230  rivers,  and  400  lesser,  yet  considerable  streams.  One  hun- 
dred perennial  rivers  flow  into  the  lagoon  of  Maracaybo,  and 
in  the  rainy  seasons,  400  other  streams  discharge  themselves 
into  the  same  body  of  water.  However,  the  great  body  of 
water  flowing  from  the  territories  of  Venezuela,  falls  to  the 
Oronoco  valley — and  so  to  the  ocean.  In  the  lower  lands 
along  the  Oronoco,  the  Indians  live  in  huts  elevated  on  plat- 
forms, and  sometimes  built  in  trees,  in  order  to  secure  them- 
selves from  the  great  and  not  unfrequent  inundations.  Some 
of  these  people  seem  half-amphibious  in  their  manner  or"  ex- 
istence. 

The  geology  of  Venezuela  has  not  been  well  explored,  ex- 
cept in  certain  districts  which  were  more  or  less  examined  by 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  339 

Uumboldt  and  Scliomburgk.  The  Sierra  del  Bergantin,  and 
the  mountains  in  the  north-west  of  the  countr}'^,  which  are 
connected  with  the  Andes,  as  far  east  as  about  longitude  70 
degrees  West,  are  granitic;  the  rocks  of  the  Sierra  Costanera 
or  Venezaela  coast  range  are  metamorphic;  but  the  surface 
rocks  of  the  states  of  Falcon,  and  Zulia,  in  the  north-west, 
lying  east  and  west  of  the  lake  and  the  gulf  of  Maracaybo, 
are  for  the  greater  part  of  the  carboniferous  strata.  The  great 
llanos  or  plains  of  the  interior  and  south-east  of  Venezuela, 
supposed  to  have  once  been  the  bed  of  a  vast  inland  sea,  have 
an  argillaceous  surface,  while  beneath  the  clays  and  earths  is 
found  a  sub-stratum  of  Calcareous  rocks.  The  islands  off  the 
Venezuela  coast  present,  in  the  structure  of  their  rocks,  traces 
of  their  volcanic  origin.  The  details  of  the  geology  of  this 
whole  region  await  discovery  and  investigation. 

Venezuela  is  one  of  the  most  notorious  earthquake  areas  on 
the  globe ;  considerable  shocks  are  frequent,  and  actual  earth- 
quakes, or  movements  of  the  strata  and  surface  of  the  earth, 
quite  common.  These  last,  are  often  VQvy  disastrous,  and 
sometimes,  terribly  destructive  and  desolating.  An  earth- 
quake which  occurred  in  the  month  of  February,  1610,  de- 
stroyed a  number  of  towns  in  Tachira  and  Merida;  another 
taking  place  in  October,  1796,  laid  the  whole  town  of  Cumna 
in  ruins ;  but  the  most  fearful  convulsion  of  all,  came  on 
March  26th,  1812,  and  with  a  horrible  loss  of  life,  utterly 
overthrew  the  city  of  Caracas,  which  at  the  time  had  about 
8,000  inhabitants. 

The  most  eastern  part  of  Venezuela,  and  the  island  Mar- 
garita, were  discovered  by  Columbus  on  his  third  voyage 
during  1498.  The  next  year,  Ojeda,  and  Vespucci,  explored 
a  large  part  of  the  coast,  to  which  they  gave  the  name  of 
Costa  Firme,  and  Christobal  Guerra  made  a  voyage  from  Spain 
to  discover  the  commercial  value  of  the  new-found  country. 
The  aboriginies  of  the  islands  and  coast  of  Costa  Firme,  were 
found  to  possess  an  abundance  of  pearls,  taken  from  the  bays,, 
and  large  quantities  of  gold,  which  last  the  Spaniards  imag- 


340  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

ined  must  have  been  obtained  from  excessively  rich  mines  in 
the  interior.  The  Spaniards  gave  the  name  of  Costa  Firme, 
to  all  the  north-eastern  part  of  South  America;  the  present 
name  of  Venezuela,  was  derived  from  the  circumstance  that 
when  the  first  explorers  entered  the  gulf  and  lake  of  Mara- 
cajbo,  they  found  an  Indian  village  built  upon  platforms 
supported  above  the  Avater  on  piles  or  poles  driven  into  the 
bottom  of  the  lake,  as  is  now  done  by  the  aboriginies  of  the 
Orinoco  valley.  The  appearance  of  the  Indian  lake  town,  as 
described,  reminded  the  Spanish  voyagers  of  the  famous  pile- 
founded,  canal-divided  littoral  Mediterranean  city  of  Venice, 
and  in  great  good  humor,  Ihey  named  the  town  over  Jake 
Maracaybo,  Venezuela,  which  signifies.  Little  Venice;  and 
from  this  small  beginning,  this  name  became  that  of  a  great 
territory,  as  at  present ;  the  old  title  of  Costa  Firme^  being 
called  to  memory  only  by  the  firm  and  rock-bound  shores  of 
a  large  part  of  the  country. 

The  first  European  settlements  in  Venezuela,  were  .it  Cum- 
ana  ia  1520,  and  at  Coro  in  1527.  The  emperor  Charles  V 
at  about  this  time,  entrusted  the  whole  northern  part  of  Costa 
Firme  to  a  family  of  Augsburg  merchants  named  Welser,  who 
held  thoiie  lauds  as  a  fief  of  the  crown  of  Castile.  The  agents 
of  these  merchants  made  great,  but  ill-directed  efforts  to  obtain 
gold,  and  about  1540,  the  precious  metal  was  discovered  at 
several  places  on  the  coast,  but  the  Welser's  were  ignorant  of 
the  management  of  colonies,  and  their  agents  neglected  every- 
thing in  their  anxiety  to  kidnap  the  Indians,  who  being  taken 
from  their  homes  were  sold  into  slavery.  In  1542,  the  Em- 
peror of  Spain  resumed  possession  and  direct  control  of  all 
Costa  Firme,  but  the  gold  mines  were  found  too  poor  to  pay 
the  expenses  of  working,  and  the  pearl  fisheries,  which  had 
for  a  time  been  productive,  became  exhausted.  It  was  not 
until  1634,  when  the  Dutch  took  possession  of  the  island  of 
Curacao,  and  began  to  cultivate  cacao  and  indigo,  and  to  smug- 
gle the  same  f-om  the  main-land,  that  the  natural  resources  of 
Venezuela  came  in  part  to  be  developed. 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  341 

Diamonds  have  been  found  in  Venezuela  in  the  state  of 
Nueva  Esparta,  or  Margarita;  and  in  the  state  of  Bolivar, 
amethysts  have  been  secured.  In  the  great  southern  state  of 
Guayana,  gold  mines  have  been  opened,  and  some  of  them  are 
still  productive.  The  state  of  Bolivar,  on  the  north  of  Vene- 
zuela, contains  gold  in  a  number  of  places,  and  gold  dust  is 
found  in  the  sands  of  many  of  the  rivers  which  in  different 
states  flow  into  the  Caribbean  sea.  Beside  the  gold,  silver  oo- 
curs  in  several  states,  to  be  noted  hereafter ;  copper  is  abundant 
in  the  Sierra  Costanera  along  the  sea  shore,  yet  the  mines 
once  productive,  were  of  late  unworked;  tin,  zinc,  lead,  quick- 
silver, antimony,  and  fine  beds  of  iron  arc  known,  in  various 
parts  of  Venezuela;  but  owing  to  an  ignorance  of  mineralogy 
and  mechanics,  among  the  people,  and  to  the  frequency  of  po- 
litical broils  and  disruptions  in  the  country,  the  mines  of  Vene- 
zuela are  still  in  an  undeveloped  condition.  With  the  pro- 
gress of  the  republic  in  civilization,  industry  and  commerce, 
now  well  begun,  a  larger  yield  of  the  various  metals,  gold  in- 
cluded, may  be  expected. 

The  territories  of  British,  Dutch,  and  French  Guiana,  Guy- 
ana, or  Guayana,  east  of  Venezuela,  lying  with  a  low  muddy 
shore  on  the  Atlantic  ocean,  are  more  distinguished  for  their 
remarkable  topography  and  fertility,  than  for  any  known 
mineral  wealth.  These  Guianas  extend  from  latitude  0  de- 
grees and  55  minutes,  to  latitude  8  degrees  40  minutes  North, 
and  from  the  coast  in  longitude  51  degrees  30  minutes,  to  61 
degrees  West,  comprising  an  area  of  195,000  square  miles. 
The  coast  line  is  740  miles  long ;  the  surface  of  the  land  along 
shore,  when  drained  and  cultivated,  sinksTl  foot  or  more  below 
the  level  of  the  sea,  from  which  it  has  to  be  permanently  pro- 
tected by  dikes.  Inland,  the  lowlands  rise  into  grassy  plains 
or  level  forests,  which  rise  into  hills,  succeeded  by  mountains, 
some  of  which  are  very  remarkable  and  picturesque,  the  high- 
est point,  Mt  Koraima,  being  7,500  feet  above  the  sea,  crowned 
with  an  immense  plateaux  of  rock,  and  presenting  an  exten- 
sive precipice  1,500  feet  liigh.     Thus  far,  the  principal  ira- 


342  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

portance  of  Guiana  in  connection  witTi  the  histc-y  of  gold,  ia 
in  the  fact  that  it  was  visited  by  Sir  Walter  Raleigh  in  search 
of  that  metal  in  1595,  and  unsuccessfully  explored  by  him  for 
mines  of  the  same  in  1617. 

As  a  natural  geographical  division,  Central  America  would 
include  all  the  narrow,  devious  portion  of  the  continent  which 
lies  between  the  isthmus  of  Tehuantepec,  and  the  isthmus  of 
Darien,  connecting  North  and  South  America.  Politically, 
Central  America  includes  the  five  independent  Republics  of 
Costa  Rica,  Nicaragua,  Honduras,  San  Salvador,  and  Gautema- 
la,  the  isthmus  of  Panama  being  regarded  part  of  South  Amer- 
ica, since  assigned  to  ihe  United  States  of  Colombia;  while 
the  isthmus  of  Tehuantepec  and  the  peninsula  of  Yucatan,  are 
made  parts  of  North  America,  being  incorporated  with  the 
states  of  Mexico.  By  this  arrangement,  the  limits  of  Central 
America  are  fixed  at  latitude  7  degrees  and  at  latitude  18  de- 
grees North,  and  between  longitude  82  degrees  and  93  degrees 
12  minutes  West,  a  territory  from  800  to  900  miles  long,  and 
varying  in  the  actual  breadth  of  the  lands  included  from  28  or 
30  to  some  300  miles,  the  area  of  the  same  being  some  175,- 
000  square  miles. 

The  mountain  ranges  of  Central  America,  are  geologically 
distinct  from  the  Andes  of  South  America,  being  of  a  different 
age  and  general  direction.  The  Andes  may  be  considered  as 
ending  at  the  neck  of  the  Panama  isthmus,  where  the  Naipi 
and  Cupica  valleys,  reach  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  and 
are  nowhere  more  than  a  few  hundred  feet  aoove  the  level  of 
the  sea.  Most  of  the  surface  of  the  isthmus,  between  latitude 
8  degrees  and  9  decrees  North,  is  less  than  130  feet  above  the 
sea,  and  the  region,  for  a  hundred  or  more  miles  in  width, 
must  be  regarded  as  a  space  between  separate  systems  of  high- 
lands. The  mountains  of  Central  America,  though  described 
as  a  chain,  form  numerous  detached  ranges,  which  are  divided 
into  groups,  each  taking  its  iiame  from  the  locality  wherein 
it  is  situated.  The  mountain  groups,  present  peaks  from  3,000 
to  11,000  feet  in  height  above  the  level  of  the  sea.     There  are 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  843 

many  volcanoes,  among  which  those  of  Fuego  and  Agua  are 
respectively,  13,000  and  14,000  feet  above  the  sea.  During 
the  Tertiary  period  of  geology,  the  Central  American  isthmus 
was  the  bed  of  a  broad  strait,  and  so  remained  to  the  end  of 
the  Pliocene,  or  to  the  commencement  of  the  Post  Pliocene 
period  and  the  occurrence  of  the  upheaval.  The  geologic  base 
of  Central  America  is  a  substratum  of  granite,  gneiss,  and 
mica  slate,  while  an  abundance  of  basalt  and  other  igneous 
rocks,  are  scattered  over  the  surface,  and  prove  the  intensity 
of  former  volcanic  action.  The  extended  development  of 
trachytes  indicates  a  still  precedent  age  of  volcanic  eruptions, 
during  which  fiery  period,  the  greater  part  of  the  Tertiary 
strata  were  changed  to  porphyritic  rocks.  Such  at  least  is 
the  supposition,  from  the  fact  that  the  porphyries  rest  in  Cen- 
tral America  upon  the  cretaceous  limestones.  The  clays  and 
sandstones  of  the  Cretaceous  age  have  been  metamorphosed 
in  many  places,  where  they  are  now  presented  as  granitic 
rocks.  The  mineral  wealth  of  Central  America  consists  of 
gold,  silver,  iron,  lead,  and  mercury  ;  the  mines  of  gold,  silver, 
and  iron  ai^  worked,  bnt  not  extensively,  and  the  principal 
interest  of  the  country  is  in  the  fact  that  it  presents  two  or 
three  and  possibly  more  practicable  routes  for  an  inter-oceanic 
canal  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific,  one  or  more  of  which 
in  the  hands  of  Corporations  now  organized  and  active,  may 
soon  become  the  channel  of  a  vast  commerce,  which  will 
change  the  whole  condition  of  that  entire  section  of  the  Ameri- 
can continent. 

The  territory  of  the  independent  state  of  Costa  Eica,  con- 
tains many  and  great  mountains,  several  of  which  are  volcan- 
ic. Earthquakes  are  common ;  the  town  of  Cartago  Avas  de- 
stroyed by  a  yQvy  severe  earthquake  in  1841.  Of  the  21,495 
square  miles  of  land  in  Costa  Rica,  but  1,150  square  miles  are 
under  cultivation.  The  Atlantic  slope  of  the  country,  is  near- 
ly covered  with  almost  impenetrable  forests,  the  abode  of 
many  utterly  uncivilized  and  often  hostile  Indians.  The 
Costa  Rica  country  toward  the  Pacific,  is  more  open,  present- 


344  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

ing  wide  savannahs  or  llanuras  bordered  bv  accessible  wood- 
lands. The  rivers  of  Costa  Rica  are  numerous,  but  small,  and 
flow  both  into  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific  oceans.  Costa  Rica 
has  no  manufactures  worthy  of  note,  but  the  country  is  rich 
in  minerals  and  metals;  the  mines  have  been  less  developed 
than  in  some  adjoining  states.  The  gold  mines  of  Costa  Rica 
■have  received  more  attention  than  any  other  metallic  deposits^ 
and  have  been  found  very  rich.  The  most  important  of  these 
are  said  to  be  the  mines  of  Trinidad,  four  miles  inland  from 
the  seaport  of  Punta  Arenas,  and  1,200  feet  above  the  sea,  and 
worked  on  a  small  scale  by  a  company  of  Costa  Ricaians.  The 
product  of  the  mines  of  Trinidad  is  taken  from  quarts  veins, 
and  is  naturally  about  17|  carais,  or  about  729^  fine.  Next  to 
the  mines  of  Trinidad — perhaps  equal — sometimes  declared 
superior,  are  the  mines  of  the  Cerro  del  Aguacate,  in  the 
forest  of  Aguacate,  between  San  Jose  and  the  coast  of  the  Pa- 
cific. The  Aguacate  gold  mines  have  been  worked  ever  since 
1821 ;  they  were  recently  owned  by  the  Costa  Rician  corpora- 
tion called  "Compania  de  la  Montana  del  Aguacate,"  which 
although  employing  a  poor  method,  in  an  imperfect  manner, 
secured  good  results.  Another  of  the  gold  mines  of  these 
mountain  forests,  is  called  the  Sacra  Familia,  situated  a  slight 
distance  from  the  old  workings  previously  noted,  and  8,000 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  mine  of  the  Sacred  Fam- 
ily has  two  chief  veins,  one  of  galena,  zinc  and  silver,  with 
grey  copper  ore-bearing  silver ;  the  second  is  a  lode  of  gold- 
bearing  quartz,  resembling  the  veins  wrought  at  the  mines  of 
Trinidad.  The  Sacra  Familia  veins,  worked  on  a  small  scale 
by  private  persons,  yield  gold  of  about  15|  carats,  or  645  5-6 
fine.  The  mines  of  the  forest  of  Aguacate,  were  expected 
to  produce  gold  to  the  value  of  $10,000,000  during  the  year 
1872.  There  certainly  is  gold  in  the  great  unexplored  forests 
of  Costa  Rica,  and  in  time  important  discoveries  of  the  pre- 
cious metal  in  that  section,  would  not  surprise  the  geologist 
or  })ractical  miner,  but  for  the  present,  the  climate,  the  popu- 
lation; and  the  natural  inaccessibility  of  the  district,  turn  aside 


AMERICAN'  AND   OTHER   GOLD  845 

the  course  of  the  prospecting  traveler  to  fields  where  greater 
safety  is  sure,  and  equal  success  probable. 

North  of  Costa  Rica,  the  isthmus  widens  into  the  territo- 
ries of  the  state  of  Nicaragua,  which  has  an  area  of  about  58,- 
000  square  miles,  containing  numerous  highlands,  many  con- 
siderable mountains,  and  a  number  of  volcanoes  of  considera- 
ble elevation.  Of  these,  Chonco  Viejo  rises  to  6,266  above 
the  level  of  the  sea,  and  Coseguina  is  celebrated  from  the  fact 
that  though  but  3,835  feet  above  the  sea,  during  an  eruption 
in  1835,  it  scattered  its  ashes,  over  a  circle  1,500  miles  in  di- 
ameter. There  are  beside  the  great  volcanoes,  extinct  and  ac- 
tive in  Nicaragua,  many  small  craters,  mostly  extinct,  and  nu- 
merous vent  holes,  called  in/ermllos,  emitting  smoke  and  sul- 
phurous gases.  The  whole  center  of  the  territory  has  been  a 
field  of  intense  former  volcanic  action  and  earthquake  violence, 
the  force  of  v/hich  still  remains  in  part,  and  is  constantly  more 
or  less  exerted,  among  the  rocky  evidences  of  its  former  great 
activity.  The  rivers  of  Nicaragua  are  numerous,  and  some  of 
them  are  as  extensive  as  the  country,  and  in  part  fit  for  navi- 
gation of  tBe  lighter  kind.  The  Rio  San  Juan  del  Norte, 
which  flows  from  the  lake  of  Nicaragua  to  the  Atlantic  ocean, 
is  passable  for  bongos  and  boats  for  its  whole  length  of  120 
miles,  and  has  been  made  famous  by  the  proposal  to  make  it, 
as  the  only  possible  channel,  part  of  the  inter-ocejjinic  canal. 

The  region  of  Nicaragua  of  interest  to  the  miner,  lies  among 
the  mountains  in  the  northern  part  of  the  country ;  there  the 
strata  are  in  connection  with  the  metalliferous  ranges  farther 
north  in  the  territories  of  Honduras.  In  the  district  of  Sego- 
via, the  rocks  are  for  the  most  part  quartz  and  gneiss,  over- 
lain in  many  places  by  sharply-inclined  contorted  schists,  con- 
taining fine  quartz  veins.  Unstratified  beds  of  gravel,  some 
200  or  300  feet  thick,  are  found  near  Ocotal ;  they  are  princi- 
pally composed  of  quartz  sand,  and  contain  many  blocks  of 
quartz  and  talcose  schist,  which  are  riven  into  angular  bould- 
ers sometimes  as  much  as  fifteen  feet  in  diameter.  The  great 
mining  center  of  Nicaragua  is  the  gold  field  Chontales  at  Lib- 


346  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 

ertad,  where  over  300  different  mines  of  gold  have  been  dis. 
covered,  several  of  which  were  of  late  profitably  managed  by 
English,  German  and  French  corporations.  The  gold  of  Chon- 
tales  is  taken  from  rich  auriferous  quartz  lodes,  lying  in  fis- 
sure veins,  mostly  running  from  east  to  west,  and  cutting 
almost  vertically  through  beds  of  dolerite.  The  quartz  lodes 
vary  in  thickness  from  1  to  17  feet,  in  a  length  of  no  more 
than  100  yards.  The  gold  procured  here,  is  an  electrum, 
formed  of  about  3  parts  of  gold  to  1  of  silver.  The  gold  lodes 
are  also  found  to  contain,  in  places,  sulphide  of  silver,  per- 
oxide of  magnesia,  peroxide  of  iron,  sulphides  of  iron  and  of 
copper,  and  occasionally  ores  of  lead.  There  are  several  mines 
of  silver  in  Nicaragua,  but  slightly  worked,  to  be  noted  in  a 
future  page.  Copper,  iron,  lead,  tin  and  zinc,  antimony  and 
quicksilver  are  among  the  metals  of  the  country.  Coal  has 
been  found,  but  doubtless  the  full  development  of  the  mineral 
wealth  of  the  state  depends  upon  the  hoped-for  progress  of  the 
future. 

To  the  north-west  of  Nicaragua,  and  between  latitude  13 
degrees  10  minutes  and  16  degrees  5  minutes*  North,  and 
lono-itude  83  degrees  12  minutes  and  89  degrees  47  minutes 
West,  lie  the  territories  of  the  republican  state  of  Honduras. 
The  country  is  supposed  to  have  derived  its  name  from  the 
Spanish  word  hondura,  meaning  depth,  on  account  of  tlie  deep 
waters  of  the  bay  of  Honduras.  From  the  island  of  Guanaja, 
or  Bonacca,  off  the  coast  of  Honduras  in  the  Caribbean  sea, 
Columbus  first  saw  the  main-land  of  Central  America  during 
his  voyage  in  1502.  Honduras  is  440  miles  in  length  from 
east  to  west,  and  its  greatest  breadth  is  200  miles  from  north 
to  south;  the  area  of  the  country  is  about  50,000  square 
miles.  The  Atlantic  coast-line  is  continuous  for  400  miles, 
but  the  Pacific  coast  extends  bi;t  60  miles  to  where  the  ter- 
ritory of  San  Salvador  occupies  the  north-western  shore  of 
the  very  commodious  bay  of  Fonseca.  Honduras  compre- 
hends the  greater  part  of  the  mountain  region  of  Central 
America,  the  Sierra  Madre,  and  the  branches  of  that  moun- 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  347 

tain  range  occupy  the  western  part  of  Ilonduras.  The  Sierra 
Madre  enters  the  country  from  Gautemala,  and  at  the  moun- 
tain node  or  knot  of  Merendon,  divides  into  the  range  called 
the  Espiritii  Santo,  or  the  Grita,  which  having  an  average 
elevation  of  8,000  feet,  ends  in  Mt.  Omoa,  9,000  feet  above  the 
sea  on  the  shore  of  the  bay  of  Honduras,  near  the  88th  meri- 
dian of  longitude,  and  into  a  second  range  called  the  Pacaya 
mountains,  which  taking  a  course  more  in  general  to  the 
south,  ends  in  llio  g^oup  of  mountains  called  the  Selaque,  the 
highest  of  whicli  being  also  the  highest  land  known  in  Hon- 
duras, stands  i 0,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  There 
are  numerous  minor  ranges  of  mountains  in  the  country,  run- 
ning in  various  directions,  a  number  of  them  joined  together 
between  the  valleys  of  the  principal  rivers  which  flow  to  the 
Caribbean  sea.  There  are  numerous  mountain  groups  and 
many  wide  table-lands  and  terraced  plains.  The  Sulaco  moun- 
tains, are  quite  lofty,  and  from  them  streams  descend  to  either 
ocean.  It  is  to  be  noted,  although  traces  of  former  eruptions 
are  abundant  in  Honduras,  the  mountains  of  the  country  do 
not  display  the  present  volcanic  activity  to  be  observed  in 
Central  Nicaragua,  in  Gautemala,  in  San  Salvador,  and  along 
the  Pacific  coast  elsewhere.  The  bay  of  Fonseca  is,  however, 
supposed  to  be  of  volcanic  origin. 

The  principal  rivers  of  Honduras  arc  the  Segovia,  Coco, 
Oro,  or  Wanks ;  the  Ulna,  formed  by  the  Santiago  and  Hu- 
muya  and  their  tributaries,  the  Santa  Barbara  and  Sulaco; 
the  Rio  Tinto ;  the  Patuca  and  its  tributaries,  among  which 
is  the  Guayape ;  the  Chamelican  and  other  streams  flowing  to 
the  Atlantic.  The  Goascoran  and  Choluteca  are  two  consid- 
erable streams  which  empty  into  Fonseca  Bay.  Large  tracts 
of  eastern  Honduras  are  but  partly  explored,  and  considerable 
districts  of  great  beauty  and  fertility  are  inhabited  only  by 
independent  semi-civilized  or  savage  Indians. 

The  geology  of  Ilonduras,  though  corresponding  in  gereral 
to  that  of  the  territories  of  Central  America  already  described, 
presents  a  great  wealth  of  valuable  marbles,  minerals  and 


348  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

metals.  Although  the  forests  of  the  country  have  been  a 
source  of  great  profit  since  the  16th  century,  the  mines  of 
Honduras  have  been  the  most  important  of  its  industries. 
Silver  and  gold  are  the  most  abundant  metals  found,  the  veins 
and  deposits  of  these  metals  discovered  and  worked  here  being 
the  richest  of  any  known  in  all  Central  America.  The  silver 
mines  of  Honduras  are  mostly  in  the  south-western  moun- 
tains, while  the  gold  is  more  abundant  along  the  shores  of 
the  Caribbean  sea  and  the  bay  of  Honduras,  which  form  the 
eastern  coast.  Many  of  the  mines  of  Honduras  were  formerly 
successfully  worked  by  foreigners,  Englishmen  and  others, 
but  of  late,  owing  to  thp  want  of  roads  and  the  political  dis- 
orders, mining  has  much  decreased.  Few  gold  mines  are  now 
operated,  the  most  important  and  almost  only  ones  open  being 
those  of  San  Andres  in  the  department  of  Gracias,  and  those 
near  San  Juan  Cantaranas  in  Tegucigalpa.  There  are  abun- 
dant and  rich  deposits  of  gold  in  the  sands  of  various  streams 
in  Honduras;  extensive  and  very  profitable  washings  for  gold 
dust  are  carried  on  along  the  banks  of  the  rivers  Guayape,  Ja- 
lan,  and  Guayambre.  The  portion  of  Honduras  occupied  by 
Indians  exclusively,  is  known  to  be  rich  in  jirecious  metals, 
and  it  may  be  expected  that  in  time  the  supply  of  bullion 
from  this  country,  reported  at  $600,000  value  for  the  year 
1872,  may  be  much  increased. 

The  extreme  north-eastern  corner  of  Central  America  for 
an  area  of  some  13,500  square  miles,  is  a  British  colony  under 
the  name  of  British  Honduras,  or  the  Balize.  The  surface  of 
this  country  is  rough,  but  none  of  the  many  mountains  present 
an  elevation  of  more  than  4,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the 
sea.  The  principal  rocks  are  of  the  primary  or  calcareous 
ptrata.  The  forests  yield  an  abundance  of  valuable  wood  and 
lumber,  which  constitutes  the  greater  part  of  t  lie  export  trade. 
The  rivers  are  the  Hondo,  Balize,  New  Eiver,  Manatee,  Si  bun 
and  others.  In  the  sands  of  some  of  the  streams  of  British 
Honduras,  gold  has  been  discovered,  but  the  actual  amount 
hitherto  secured  is  unknown. 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  849 

The  republic  of  Guatemala,  or  Guatimala,  occupies  the  lands 
which  lie  between  from  latitude  lo  degrees  42  minutes  or  50 
minutes,  to  latitude  18  degrees  or  18  degrees  15  minutes  North, 
and  from  longitude  ^'6  degrees  or  88  degrees  14  minutes,  to  93 
degrees  5  minutes  or  12  minutes  South,  the  boundaries  of  the 
country  and  of  part  of  the  adjoining  states  not  being  accurately 
determined.  The  greatest  length  of  Guatemalans  from  north- 
east to  southwest  325  miles,  and  the  greatest  breadth  about 
300  miles,  the  area  being  about  40,777  square  miles.  The 
eastern  coast  of  Guatemala  at  the  head  of  the  bay  or  gulf  of 
Honduras,  there  some  50  miles  wide,  extends  in  a  general  but 
irregular  line  toward  the  northwest,  and  is,  with  its  indenta- 
tions at  Amatique  Bay  and  elsewhere,  some  75  miles  long. 
The  western  or  Pacific  coast,  which  forms  a  regular  but  slight- 
ly convex  line,  also  toward  the  north-west,  is  175  or  more 
miles  in  extent.  The  country  has  neither  been  carefully  ex- 
plored or  completely  surveyed. 

Guatemala  is  mountainous  in  the  greater  part  of  its  ex- 
tent, yet  no  continued  range  of  mountains  crosses  its  territo- 
ries. The  principal  mountains  of  this  region  are  in  an  irregu- 
lar chain  along  the  Pacific  coast,  generally  from  40  to  45  miles 
inland,  having  an  average  elevation  of  some  7,000  feet,  but  no- 
where rising  above  the  line  of  perpetual  snow,  or  about  14,500 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  In  the  south-west  tlicse  moun- 
tains  are  called  the  Sierra  de  las  Nubes,  in  the  nonh  west  the 
Sierra  Madre,  and  at  the  boundary  of  the  Mexican  state  of 
Chiapas  the  mountains  of  Istatan.  The  table  lands  of  the 
Mexican  state  of  Yucatan  extend  southwest  into  the  territo- 
ries of  Guatemala,  covering  the  greater  part  of  the  surface  of 
the  country.  Toward  the  coast  along  the  Pacific,  the  elevated 
surface  descends  rapidly,  and  its  abrupt  declivities  present  to 
the  sea  the  appearance  of  a  continuous  range  of  mountains, 
the  crest  of  the  slope  being  moreover  marked  by  a  series  of 
volcanic  elevations,  a  number  of  which  are  still  active.  Ihe 
elevated  levels  of  Gautemala  are  not  true  i)latcaus  such  as  are 
found  in  Mexico,  but  broad  valleys  among  the  extremely  va- 


350  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

ried  mountain  slopes  and  terraces.  From  the  Pacific  coast,  va- 
rious ranges  of  greater  or  less  extent  extend  toward  the  east, 
among  which  the  Sierra  de  Chama,  of  various  local  names,  the 
Sierra  de  Santa  Cruz  and  the  Sierra  de  las  Minas,  are  noted. 
The  Sierra  do  Copan  forms  the  boundary  between  Guatemala 
and  Honduras.  The  volcanoes  of  Gautemula  are  numerous 
and  in  the  same  line  with  those  of  San  Salvador  and  Kicara- 
gua ;  at  the  center  of  their  greatest  elevation  and  action,  the 
Volcano  de  Fuego,  is  the  principal  volcanic  hearth  of  Central 
America.  Countinar  the  extinct  and  active  volcanoes  of  this 
country,  over  30  considerable  craters  are  known.  Among  the 
active  volcanoes  are  Mts.  Pacaya,  on  the  southern  shore  of 
lake  Amitlan;  Volcan  de  Fuego,  12,821  feet  above  the  sea,  in 
latitude  14  degrees  27  minutes  25  seconds  North,  which  is  in 
a  state  of  permanent  eruption,  discharging  masses  of  lava  and 
smoke  everyday;  Atitlan,  11,849  feet  above  the  sea;  Que- 
saltenango,  9,358  feet  above  the  sea;  Tajumulco,  which  was 
in  eruption  during  the  earthquake  of  1863,  and  most  famous 
of  all,  near  the  Volcan  de  Fuego,  the  Volcan  de  Agua,  or 
Water  volcano,  13,108  feet  above  the  sea.  This  last-named 
volcano  is  so  called  because  in  1541  it  discharged  down  its  side 
a  deluge  of  water  which  destroyed  the  old  city  of  Guatemala, 
the  ruins  of  which  are  now  called  Ciudad  Vieja.  This  cata- 
clysm is  supposed  to  have  been  caused  by  the  bursting  of  a 
lake  in  the  crater  of  the  mountain.  The  mountain  groups 
which,  forming  parallel  ridges,  intersect,  as  has  been  described, 
the  eastern  slope  of  the  surface  of  Guatemala  to  the  bay  of 
Honduras,  are  nowhere  more  than  500  or  600  feet  above  the 
valleys  which  lie  betw^een  them.  In  the  volcanic  district,  the 
table-land  is  some  5,000  feet  above  the  sea. 

Guatemala  is  a  well-watered  country.  On  the  Pacific  slope, 
the  rivers  are  numerous,  but  short,  small  and  rapid.  Of  the 
streams  flowing  eastward,  there  are  some  of  considerable  size 
and  importance.  The  Rio  Grande,  which  flows  into  the  Mo- 
tagua,  forms  with  that  river  a  stream  nearly  300  miles  long, 
navigable  to  within  90  miles  of  the  capital.     The  Usumasiuta, 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  351 

or  Usumacinta,  is  8  jO  miles  long,  but  not  at  all  navigable  for 
craft  of  any  importance.  Th«  Polochic,  or  Polochique,  is  a 
beautiful  stream  150  or  more  miles  long,  but  too  rapid  for 
navigation  by  anything  but  rafts  and  bongos.  An  immense 
number  of  minor  streams  unite  to  form  these  principal  rivers, 
and  in  their  rapid  course  convey  from  the  mountains  and  up- 
lands such  an  amount  of  alluvium  as  to  form  in  several  in- 
stances bars  and  shoals  at  the  mouth  of  the  main  rivers. 

Neither  the  mountains  or  the  rivers  of  Guatemala  have 
been  fully  explored,  and  the  maps  of  the  country  in  common 
use  are  quite  unreliable. 

The  geology  of  Guatemala  has  never  been  thoroughly  ex- 
amined ;  the  only  authorities  upon  the  subject  are  two  French- 
men, Dollfus  and  Montserrat,  members  of  the  great  French 
expedition  sent  out  a  dozen  or  more  years  ago  to  explore 
Mexico  and  the  adjacent  regions.  The  report  of  these  gentle- 
men was  published  in  Paris  in  1868,  and  in  it  the  savants 
merely  claim  to  have  made  a  general  and  preliminary  survey 
of  the  Guatemalian  strata.  The  basis  rock  of  the  district  is 
said  to  be  granite,  which  with  trachytes  and  various  forms  of 
porpyry  mixed  with  and  overlain  by  the  products  of  volcanic 
action,  forms  the  great  body  of  the  Sierra  Madre  mountains. 
A  curious  natural  feature  of  the  volcanic  region  of  Guatemala, 
is  to  be  observed  in  one  of  the  many  lakes  of  the  country. 
Lake  Amatitlan,  twelve  miles  long  and  three  miles  wide,  sit- 
uated near  the  town  of  the  same  name,  is  famous  on  account 
of  the  large  masses  of  pumice  stone  which  lie  upon  its  shores, 
and  of  which,  large  pieces  are  constantly  floating  about  on 
the  surface  of  the  water. 

The  slope  of  country  eastward  from  the  Pacific  coast  range 
to  the  Atlantic,  exhibits  an  abundance  of  mica  schists  and  cal- 
careous formations,  supposed  to  be  sedimentary  deposits  of  the 
Jurassic  period.  From  the  crest  of  the  Sierra  Madre  to  the 
Pacific,  the  abrupt  declivity  is  covered  with  alluvium  washed 
from  the  summits  and  uplands.  The  bones  of  the  mastadon 
and  elephant  are  to   be  found   in   placed.     The  porphyritic 


352  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

rocks  determine  the  structure  of  the  country.  Some  of  the 
strata  are  essentially  metalliferous,  and  gold,  silver,  copper 
and  iron  could  be  mined  to  a  profit,  yet  Guatemala  has  no 
mines  of  any  considerable  importance.  Under  the  rule  of  the 
Spaniards,  some  40,000,000  pesos,  $6,400,000,  of  silver  were 
secured  at  Alotepeque,  where  the  mines  are  still  worked, 
but  with  less  satisfactory  results.  There  are  extensive  mines 
of  lead  known  in  the  departments  of  Huehuetenango,  Vera 
Paz  and  Totonicapan.  The  only  working  for  lead  of  which 
report  is  made,  and  the  sole  mining  industry  of  Guatemala,  is 
carried  on  in  the  neighborhood  of  Chiautla  in  Totonicapan, 
and  chiefly  by  the  Indians  of  that  region. 

The  republic  of  San  Salvador,  one  of  the  smallest  indepen- 
dent countries  of  the  world,  is  the  most  populous  state  of 
Central  America,  and  has  a  better  educated  body  of  citizens 
than  any  other  member  of  the  confederacy  to  which  it  belongs. 
The  territories  of  San  Salvador  lie  between  latitude  13  de- 
grees and  14  degrees  30  miuutes  North,  and  longitude  87  de- 
grees 30  minutes  and  90  degrees  20  minutes  "West,  along  the 
Pacific  coast  about  160  miles,  with  an  average  oreadth  of  from 
40  to  50  miles,  comprising  an  area  which  has  been  variously 
estimated  from  7,500  to  9,600  square  miles.  A  narrow  tract 
of  low  fertile  land,  about  20  miles  wide,  formed  of  alluvial  de- 
posits from  the  interior,  extends  along  the  coast  of  San  Salva- 
dor for  some  125  miles  north-west  of  Fonseca  Bay  to  the  town 
of  Libertad,  bevond  which  the  surface  becomes  elevated  and 
irregular.  The  interior  of  the  country  is  traversed  through- 
out its  length  by  a  chain  of  mountains  formed  of  several  short 
ranges  of  moderate  elevation.  Some  12  or  15  miles  from  the 
coast,  there  is  a  series  of  volcanoes,  as  follows  :  Apaneca,  5,826 
feet ;  Isalco,  an  unceasing  volcano,  4,060  feet ;  San  Salvador, 
7,376  feet;  San  Vicente,  7,500  feet;  San  Miguel,  6,680  feet; 
Santa  Ana,  6,615  feet;  Cojutepeque,  5,700  feet;  Tecapa,  5,200 
feet;  Usulutan,  4,250  feet;  Chinameca,  4,750  feet;  and  Con- 
chngua,  4,750  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  San  Salvador 
has  frequently  suffered  from  earthquakes. 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER    GOLD.  353 

The  chief  river  of  San  Salvador  is  the  Lempa,  a  deep  but 
rapid  stream  which  rises  in  the  lake  of  Giuja  on  the  north- 
eastern boundary  of  the  state,  and  flows  first  east,  then  south, 
for  150  miles  in  all,  more  or  less,  and  empties  into  the  Pacific 
ocean  some  60  miles  north-west  of  the  southern  boundary  of 
the  country.  The  only  good  seaport  of  San  Salvador,  is  the 
very  safe  and  commodious  harbor  of  La  Union,  on  the  western 
shore  of  Fonseca  Bay.  Although  San  Salvador  has  a  well- 
endowed  University,  and  compared  to  her  sister  states,  a  fairly- 
educated  population,  a  profitable  agriculture  and  some  manu- 
factures, yet  owing  to  political  and  social  causes,  the  general 
progress  of  the  state  has  been  hindered.  The  hills,  highlands 
and  mountains  of  the  country  contain  countless  veins  of  vari- 
ous metals,  among  which  those  of  the  precious  kind  are  not 
wanting;  excellent  iron  ore  is  mined  near  Metapa,  but  the 
rich  lodes  of  silver  are  almost  entirely  neglected ;  the  product 
of  gold  is  too  small  to  be  known,  and  the  mineral  wealth  of 
the  state  quite  undeveloped. 

NORTH  AMERICA. 
The  territory  of  North  America  presents  the  general  form 
of  a  triangle,  extending  from  its  apex  in  the  south,  at  the 
boundary  line  of  Mexico;  in  latitude  15  degrees  North,  and. 
about  longitude  92  degrees  12  minutes  West,  from  Greenwich, 
to  Boothia  Felix  in  Bellot  strait,  latitude  71  degrees  55  min- 
utes North,  and  longitude  92  degrees  25  minutes  West,  and 
from  Cape  St.  Charles  on  the  coast  of  Labrador,  in  latitude 
52  degrees  17  minutes  North,  and  longitude  55  degrees  35 
minutes  West,  to  the  Prince  of  Wales  cape  in  Behring  strait, 
in  latitude  65  degrees  SO  minutes  North,  and  longitude  167 
degrees  West.  To  the  north  of  the  mainland,  the  islands  of 
North  America  form  an  Arctic  archipelago,  which  extends  to- 
ward the  North  Pole  beyond  the  limits  of  present  discovery. . 
The  area  is  estimated  at  from  7,400,000  to  8,657,500  square 
miles.  The  eastern  coast  is  indented  by  many  great  bays,  and 
extends  along  the  main  sea  and  around  the  shores  of  Hudson's 
V 


354  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Bay,  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  and  other  smaller  "bodies  of  water, 
from  Barrow  strait,  above  the  75th  parallel  of  latitude  North, 
between  lonsdtude  90  decrees  and  100  desrrees  West,  to  the 
southern  boundary  of  Mexico,  on  the  Caribbean  sea,  in  lati- 
tude 18  degrees  80  minutes  North,  and  longitude  88  degrees 
West,  a  distance  of  13,000  miles.  The  western  or  Pacific 
coast  of  North  America,  extends  from  Barrow  strait  to  the 
southwestern  corner  of  Mexico,  in  latitude  16  degrees  North, 
but  on  account  of  the  regularity  of  the  shore,  and  the  absence 
of  any  considerable  gulfs  or  bays,  it  is  but  about  11,000  miles 
long,  making  the  entire  coast  line  of  North  America  24,000 
miles.  If  to  this  is  added  the  shore  lines  of  the  adjacent 
islands,  the  extent  of  coast  is  increased  to  about  29,969  miles. 
The  mountains  of  North  America  form  three  great  systems, 
which  with  their  extended  water  sheds,  divide  the  whole  im- 
mense region,  into  four  vast  hydrographical  basins.  These 
discharge  their  rivers  respectively  into  the  Pacific,  the  Arctic, 
the  Atlantic,  and  the  gulf  of  Mexico.  Minor  ranges  of  moun- 
tains subdivide  these  basins  into  two  or  more  parts  each.  As 
a  whole,  the  mountainous  and  the  level  regions  of  North 
America,  nearly  equal  each  other  in  extent  of  surface.  The 
principal  mountains  are  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  in  general 
terms  may  be  said  to  extend  the  whole  length  of  the  territory. 
To  the  main  range,  the  old  Spaniards  gave  the  name  of  Sierra 
Madre,  and  the  whole  system  has  been  regarded  as  a  continua- 
tion of  the  Andes,  but  for  reasons  already  given  hi  the  ac- 
count of  Central  America,  it  may  be  considered  a  separate,  yet 
somewhat  similar  geologic  structure.  By  English-speaking 
people,  the  North  American  Sierra  Madre  or  Mother  Range, 
has  been  called  the  Rocky  Mountains,  which  title  is  made  to 
cover  in  a  somewhat  indefinite  manner,  all  the  highlands  of 
the  broken  chain  from  the  low  valleys  and  plains  extended 
across  the  isthmus  of  Panama,  to  the  extreme  north  in  Alaska. 
Specifically,  the  Rocky  Mountains  are  included  in  the  central 
range  in  the  United  States  and  the  British  possessions.  The 
Bocky  Mountains  include  several  almost  parallel  ranges  like 


.    AMERICAN  ANV   OTHER   GOLD.  3q6 

the  Andean  Cordilleras.  The  average  elevation  is  from  6,000 
to  9,000  feet  above  the  sea,  but  there  are  many  lofty  summits. 
North  of  the  gulf  of  Tehuantepec,  in  Mexico,  in  latitude  16 
degrees  North,  and  longitude  16  degrees  West,  a  mountain 
range  arises,  which  under  the  name  of  the  Sierra  Madre,  ex- 
tends northward,  growing  wide  as  it  continues,  to  latitude  %% 
degrees  North,  covering,  in  a  broken  and  irregular  way,  the 
country  from  the  gulf  of  Mexico  to  the  Pacific  ocean.  The 
highest  peaks  in  Mexico  are  Mis.  Orizaba,  17,809  feet;  Cofre 
de  Perote,  11,310  feet;  and  Popocatapetl,  or  Popocatepetl,  17,- 
711  feet  above  the  sea.  North  of  the  21st  parallel  of  latitude, 
the  isolated  peaks  and  table-lands  of  the  Mexican  mountains 
are  resolved  into  three  connected  chains  forming  the  Cordillera 
de  Sonora,  the  Sierra  Madre,  and  the  Cordillera  Oriental,  which 
continue  into  and  cross  the  United  States  in  three  main  ranges 
known  as  the  Sierra  Nevadas,  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  the 
Sierra  Madre.  In  the  United  States,  from  latitude  35  degrees 
to  10  degrees  North,  the  Rocky  Mountaiif  system  is  most  ele- 
vated ;  there  are  many  peaks  more  than  11,000  feet  above  the 
sea,  and  the  passes  between  the  summits  are  not  more  than 
from  8,000  to  6,000  feet  less  in  heighth.  The  Mount  of  the 
Holy  Cross  in  the  Rocky  Mountains,  is  17,000  feet;  the  Big 
Horn,  15,000  feet;  and  Mount  Lincoln,  11,300  feet  above  the 
sea.  The  Sierra  Nevadas  and  Coast  Range  are  united  in  the 
Cascade  mountains,  which  continue  north  near  the  Pacific 
coast  of  British  Columbia  and  end  in  Alaska ;  the  highest 
peaks  are  Mt.  Fair  Weather,  11,735  feet,  and  Mt.  St.  Elias,  in 
latitude  60  degrees  17  minutes  35  seconds  North,  17,900  feet 
above  the  sea.  In  the  United  States  territories  of  Utah,  Wy- 
oming, Idaho,  and  Montana,  are  several  ranges,  the  Wasatch, 
the  Bitter  Root,  the  Wind  River,  and  Big  Horn,  known  in  gen- 
eral as  the  Rocky  Mountains,  the  grand  chain  continuing 
north,  and  under  the  name  of  the  Chippewayan  mountains, 
crossing  British  America  some  500  miles  eastward  from  the 
Pacific  coast,  forming  the  watershed  west  of  the  Mackenzie 
river,  and  ending  upon  the  coast  of  the  Arctic  ocean  in  lati- 


366  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

tude  70  degrees  North,  and  longitude  70  degrees  West.  The 
Pinal  and  the  MogoUon  mountain  ranges,  are  found  in  Ari- 
zona ;  the  Sierra  Madre  crossing  New  Mexico,  is  in  Colorado 
broken  into  many  short  ranges  and  numerous  famous  peaks, 
north-east  of  which,  in  Wyoming  and  Dakota,  are  found  the 
isolated  groups  of  the  Black  Hills,  beyond  which  lies  the 
great  valley  of  the  Missouri  river. 

The  mountains  of  North  America  which  lie  along  the  At- 
lantic coast,  from  50  to  200  miles  from  the  sea,  and  thence  in- 
land, are  included  in  the  Appalachian  system,  consisting  of 
several  parallel  ridges  which  form  the  two  main  ranges  of 
mountains.  The  Appalachian  mountains  rise  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  state  of  Alabama,  in  the  United  States,  about  lati- 
tude 3-4  degrees  North,  and  longitude  86  degrees  West,  from 
the  level  of  the  local  slope  toward  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  and  ex- 
tend to  the  north-east  for  1,300  miles,  ending  at  the  promon- 
tory of  Gaspe  on  the  gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  about  latitude  48 
degrees  45  minutes  North,  and  near  longitude  65  degrees 
West.  The  eastern  range  of  the  Appalachian  system  is 
formed  of  the  Blue  Eidge  of  Georgia,  North  Carolina  and 
Virginia,  the  South  mountains  of  Pennsylvania,  the  High- 
lands of  New  York,  and  the  Green  mountains  of  Vermont. 
The  western  range  is  formed  of  the  Cumberland  mountains  of 
Alabama,  Tennessee,  Kentucky,  Virginia,  West  Virginia  and 
Pennsylvania,  the  Alleghany  mountains,  which  run  parallel 
to  the  Cumberland  mountains  for  almost  their  whole  length, 
and  the  Catskill  and  Adirondack  mountains  in  the  state  of  New 
York.  Between  the  two  great  Appalachian  ranges,  lies  a 
nearly  continuous  valley,  called  according  to  locality,  the  val. 
ley  of  Tennessee,  the  great  valley  of  Virginia,  the  Cumberland 
valley,  the  valley  of  the  Hudson  river,  and  the  valley  of  Lake 
Champlain.  The  greatest  elevation  of  the  Appalachian  moun- 
tains is  in  their  southern  portion,  whence  northward  they 
gradually  decline.  The  highest  summit  is  Mitchell's  peak  in 
North  Carolina,  6,732  feet  above  the  sea ;  in  the  same  section 
are  many  points  over  6,000  feet  above  the  sea.     Mount  Wash- 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  357 

ington  in  New  Hampshire,  one  of  an  isolated  group  detached 
from  the  Green  mountains,  is  6,285  feet  above  the  sea.  Mt. 
Marsfield,  the  highest  summit  of  the  Greeii  mountains,  is  4,- 
359  feet,  and  Mt.  Marcy,  the  loftiest  of  the  Adirondacks,  5,337 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  entire  Appalachian 
ranges  are  broken  across  in  places  by  gaps,  low  passes  or  val- 
leys, through  which  rivers  flow,  canals  have  been  dug,  and 
railways  constructed,  by  means  of  which  an  active  commerce 
is  readily  maintained  between  the  states  of  the  Atlantic  coast 
and  the  gre^t  region  of  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi  river. 

North  of  the  gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  the  Appalachian  system 
of  mountains  is  traced  in  a  range  called  the  Watchish,  the 
greatest  height  of  which  is  but  from  1,500  to  2,000  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea.  Nevertheless,  such  is  the  severity  of  the 
climate  of  Labrador,  that  the  summits  of  the  Watchish  range 
are  covered  with  perpetual  snow.  West  of  Hudson's  Bay,  a 
range  of  mountains  extends  in  a  broken  line  from  about  lati- 
tude 50  degrees  North,  to  the  shores  of  the  Arctic  ocean. 
Still  to  the  west  is  the  great  region  of  Lakes  Winnipeg  and 
Manitoba  and  the  valley  of  the  Saskatchawan  river ;  north  of 
which,  extended  to  the  Rocky  Mountains,  is  another  lake 
country  containing  Lakes  Deer,  Wollaston,  and  Athabasca,  the 
Great  Slave  Lake,  Great  Bear  Lake,  and  the  great  Mackenzie 
and  other  important  semi- Arctic  rivers.  At  a  varying  dis- 
tance north  of  the  52nd  parallel  of  latitude,  the  country  be- 
comes quite  unfit  for  cultivation,  and  the  geography  of  the 
north  part  of  the  continent  is  better  known  to  the  hunter,  the 
fur-trader,  and  the  Indian,  than  to  tne  rest  of  mankind. 

From  a  district  on  the  northern  border  of  the  United 
States,  east  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  and  about  latitude  50  de- 
grees North,  and  longitude  30  degrees  West,  there  gradually 
arises  a  broad  low  swell  of  land  which  having  no  definite  sum- 
mit and  seldom  rising  over  1,500  feet  above  the  sea,  extends 
thence  eastward.  This  upland  is  so  broad  and  rises  by  such 
moderate  declivities,  that  the  direction  of  its  slope  can  be  de- 
termined in  casual  observation  only  by  noting  the  direction  of 


8^  DYKS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

the  streams  flowing  across  the  surface.  Before  reaching  the 
head  of  Lake  Superior  Komewhere  about  longitude  17  degrees 
West,  the  elevated  land  divides  into  two  broad  ridges  which 
diverge  to  the  north-east  and  south  west,  and  form  the  basin 
of  the  great  lakes  Superior,  Michigan,  Huron,  Erie  and  Onta- 
rio, and  connect  with  the  highlands  of  the  valley  of  the  river 
St.  Lawrence,  through  which,  after  passing  the  falls  of  Niag- 
ara, the  waters  of  these  lakes,  the  vast  drainage  of  the  center 
of  North  America,  are  discharged  into  the  Atlantic  ocean. 

North  of  the  great  lakes  and  of  the  river  St.  I^wrcnce,  are 
a  numbe'r  of  short  rivers  which  flow  south  into  them,  but 
about  75  miles  from  the  north  shore  of  Lake  Superior,  there 
are  springs,  the  head- waters  of  rivers  flowing  north  into  Hud- 
son Bay  and  toward  the  Arctic  ocean.  The  watershed  to- 
ward the  great  lakes  from  the  south,  is  very  low,  narrow  and 
inconsiderable.  At  the  City  of  Chicago,  in  the  state  of  Illi- 
nois, 18  miles  north  of  the  southern  end  of  Lake  Michigan 
and  in  latitude  41  degrees  50  minutes  North,  and  longitude 
87  degrees  33  minutes  4(>  seconds  West  from  Greenwich,  a 
bayou  or  lagoon  called  the  Chicago  river  extends  about  five- 
eighths  of  a  mile  westward  from  the  lake ;  this  body  of  water 
then  forms  two  branches,  each  about  two  miles  long,  extend- 
ing the  one  toward  the  north-west,  nearly  parallel  with  the 
lake  shore,  and  the  other  south-west  in  the  same  manner,  and 
then  west.  This  is  the  harbor  of  Chicago,  the  most  impor- 
tant grain  port  of  the  world.  Into  the  harbor  flow  several 
"sluggish  streams  by  which  the  surface  water  of  the  adjoining 
prairie  was  formerly  gradually  drained  into  the  lake.  From 
the  head  of  the  south  branch  of  Chicasco  river  there  was  for- 
merly  a  portage  of  only  about  three  miles  to  the  Illinois  river, 
and  in  seasons  of  high-water  the  Indians  used  to  pass  entirely 
over  this  interval,  paddling  in  their  canoes.  The  Illinois  and 
Michigan  canal  was  dug  along  this  route  96  miles  to  La 
Salle  on  the  Illinois  river.  During  the  years  from  1866  to 
1870  inclusive,  this  canal,  being  160  feet  wide,  was  deepened 
at  a  cost  of  $3,251,621,  the  highest  level,  26  miles  long,  being 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  359 

excavated  with  the  bottom  on  a  line  8|  feet  below  the  comi- 
mon  level  of  Lake  Michigan.  In  consequence,  the  navigation 
of  the  canal  was  improved,  and  more  important  and  remarka- 
ble, a  current  was  created  which  keeps  clean  its  own  channel, 
drains  the  harbor  of  Chicago,  and  carries  its  sewage,  with  the' 
waters  of  Lake  Michigan,  at  the  rate  of  a  mile  an  hour,  into 
the  Illinois  river,  to  be  borne  bj  that  stream  and  the  rapid 
Mississippi,  into  which  it  flows,  onward  even  to  the  distant 
gulf  of  Mexico.  The  south  shore  of  Lake  Erie  is  bolder  and 
in  places  well  elevated,  as  at  Cleveland,  Ohio,  yet  it  is  nowhere 
more  than  a  hill  ridge,  but  still  is  part  of  the  slight  barrier 
which  diverts  the  waters  of  half  the  territories  of  North 
America,  dividing  them,  as  its  gentle  slopes  may  tend,  to  the 
Arctic  or  Atlantic  ocean,  or  to  the  gulf  of  Mexico. 

The  great  rivers  of  North  America,  are  the  Missouri,  the 
Ohio  river,  and  Mississippi,  the  St.  Lawrence,  the  Mackenzie, 
the  Kwichpak,  or  Yukon,  the  Columbia  river,  the  Colorado 
river,  and  the  Rio  Grande  del  Norte.  The  Missouri  and  Mis- 
sissippi form  one  great  stream  which  flows  from  near  the  cen- 
ter of  North  America,  through  one  of  the  most  remarkable 
and  extensive  valleys  in  the  world,  southward  into  the  gulf  of 
Mexico.  The  Missouri  river  (Mud  river),  rises  in  several 
small  streams  among  the  Rocky  Mountains  near  the  bounda- 
ries of  Idaho  and  Montana,  near  latitude  116  degrees  West: 
The  Wisdom  river,  one  of  the  principal  streams  which  unite 
to  form  the  head-waters  of  the  Missouri,  rises  within  a  mile  of 
the  springs  of  Clark's  Fork,  a  tributary  of  the  Columbia  river'. 
The  waters  of  Wisdom  river  entering  the  Missouri,  flow 
southward  2,988  miles  into  the  Mississippi,  and  thence  1,288 
miles  into  the  gulf  of  Mexico.  The  distance  from  the  confla- 
ence  of  the  Wisdom,  Jeflerson,  Madison  and  Gallatin  rivers, 
which  form  the  Missouri,  to  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  is  4,194  miles. 
The  waters  of  the  springs  of  Clark's  Fork  flow  into  the  Co- 
lumbia river  of  Oregon,  and  westward  for  some  1,400  miles 
into  the  Pacific  ocean,  in  latitude  46  degrees  20  minutes  North. 
Thus  a  single  square  mile  of  land  divides  its  drainage  between 


360  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

outlets  which  by  the  course  of  the  streams  are  more  ihan  4,000 
miles  apart. 

The  Ohio  river,  known  as  la  belle  riviere,  to  the  early 
French  emigrants,  is  the  largest  branch  of  the  Mississippi 
flowing  from  the  east.  The  Ohio  is  formed  by  the  confluence 
of  the  Monongahela  and  Alleghany  rivers,  at  Pittsburgh,  in 
the  state  of  Pennsylvania,  in  latitude  40  degrees  26  minutes 
34  seconds  North,  and  longitude  80  degrees  2  minutes  S8  sec- 
onds West.  The  Alleghany  river  rises  in  Potter  county, 
Pennsylvania,  near  the  southern  boundary  of  the  state  of  New 
York,  and  at  first  flows  north  a  few  miles  into  the  last-named 
state,  in  about  latitude  42  degrees  20  minutes  North,  and  lon- 
jjitude  79  degrees  West.  At  a  point  but  35  miles  south  of  Lake 
Erie,  the  Alleghany  turns  toward  the  south-west.  In  Penn- 
sylvania, the  Alleghany  receives  the  waters  of  French  Creek, 
a  stream  which  is  ascended  by  small  steam-boats,  to  the  town 
of  Waterford,  but  14  miles  from  Lake  Erie,  the  head-waters 
of  the  Creek  being  still  to  the  north,  and  very  near  the  lake 
fihore.  Small  steam-boats  also  ascend  the  Alleghany  river  240 
miles  to  Olean,  New  York,  about  45  miles  from  the  head  of 
the  stream.  At  the  springs  of  the  Alleghany  river,  there  are 
^  few  acres  of  land,  the  drainage  of  which  flows,  as  chance,  or 
very  slight  irregularities  of  surface  may  determine,  either 
southward,  by  way  of  the  Susquehanna  river  to  Chesapeake 
Bay ;  northward,  by  way  of  the  Genesee  river  into  Lake  On- 
tario and  the  gulf  of  St.  Lawrence ;  or  nearly  west-south-west, 
by  way  of  the  Alleghany,  Ohio,  and  Mississippi  rivers  to  the 
gulf  of  Mexico.  From  the  springs  of  the  Alleghany  to  the 
outlet  of  the  Ohio  into  the  Mississippi,  at  Cairo,  in  latitude 
36  degrees  59  minutes,  and  longitude  89  degrees  West  from 
Greenwich,  by  the  course  of  the  stream,  is  1,260  miles;  the 
length  of  the  Ohio  below  Pittsburgh,  is  975  miles ;  its  width 
from  1,000  to  3,000  feet.  In  a  direct  line,  the  distance  between 
the  points  named,  is  about  three-fifths  of  that  traversed  by  the 
tortuous  rivers. 

The  area  drained  by  the  Ohio  is  the  center  of  the  eastern 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  361 

part  of  the  United  States,  a  region  some  214,000  or  more 
square  miles  in  extent.  The  valley  of  the  Ohio  is  in  general 
uniform,  the  rivers  rolling  smoothly  through  a  mostly  level 
country,  but  having  in  some  places  eroded  channels  of  some 
depth  in  the  limestone  and  other  strata,  the  abrupt,  sloping  or 
terraced  walls  of  which,  though  seldom  picturesque  and  never 
grand,  are  yet  of  great  geologic  interest.  From  the  extent  of 
surface  drained,  the  Ohio  is  liable  to  great  fluctuations  in  its 
volume;  the  entire  river  rises  45  feet  above  low-water  during 
its  floods,  and  its  upper  portion  at  such  times  increases  in  depth 
50  and  sometimes  60  feet.  At  the  lowest  stage  of  water,  boats 
come  up  no  farther  than  Wheeling,  West  Virginia,  86  miles 
below  Pittsburgh.  The  Ohio  is  often  frozen  over  in  winter, 
and  for  a  number  of  weeks,  according  to  the  severity  of  the 
season,  navigation  is  obstructed  by  floating  ice.  At  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky,  nearly  600  miles  from  Pittsburgh,  the  Ohio 
river  descends  a  rapid,  or  "falls,"  over  limestone  rocks,  falling 
for  2|  miles  some  27  feet,  with  a  current  of  from  one  to  three 
miles  an  hour.  These  rapids  are  ascended  by  some  of  the 
steam-boats,  but  there  has  long  been  a  canal  around  them 
which  admits  and  passes  steam-boats  of  3,000  tons  burthen. 
The  valley  of  the  Ohio  is  extremely  fertile,  and  is  the  scene 
of  an  immense  agriculture ;  manufactures  thrive  there ;  coal, 
iron,  and  other  mines  are  enormously  productive;  considera- 
ble cities  are  frequent,  and  these,  with  other  circumstances, 
make  the  Ohio  one  of  the  most  useful  and  important  rivers  of 
North  America. 

The  Mississippi  river  (Indian  Miche-Sepe,  Great  River,  or 
Great  Father  of  Waters),  is  in  connection  with  the  Missouri, 
the  longest  river  in  the  world,  unless  the  Nile  of  Africa  may 
measure  more.  The  Mississippi  itself  rises  in  a  beautiful  lake, 
clear  and  deep,  7  miles  long,  and  from  one  to  three  miles  wide, 
in  latitude  47  degrees  14  minutes  North,  and  longitude  95  de- 
grees 2  minutes  West.  This  lake  was  called  Omoshkos  Sag- 
aigon  by  the  Chippewa  Indians,  Lao  la  Biche  by  the  French 
traders,  and  Itasca  by  Schoolcraft,  who  saw  it  in  1832.    Lake 


362  DYE'S   COIN   ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Itasca  is  1,675  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  and  its  waters 
flow  rapidly  south  all  the  length  of  the  Mississippi  river  for  2,- 
616  miles  into  the  gulf  of  Mexico.  The  Mississippi  river  re- 
ceives through  its  many  tributaries  the  drainage  of  about 
1,350,000  square  miles  of  territory,  the  various  streams  con- 
tained therein  having  a  navigable  length  of  about  35,000 
miles,  varying  with  the  stage  of  water. 

The  St.  Lawrence  river  flows  directly  from  the  eastern  out- 
let of  Lake  Ontario  eastward  750  miles  to  the  gulf  of  St. 
Lawrence.  The  St.  Lawrence  is  2|  miles  wide  where  it  leaves 
the  lake,  and  more  than  30  miles  wide  as  it  enters  the  gulf. 
The  early  French  geographers  regarded  the  great  lakes  of 
North  America  as  part  of  the  St.  Lawrence  river,  and  stated 
its  source  to  be  the  river  Nipigon,  on  the-  north  side  of  Lake 
Superior,  or  the  St.  Louis  river,  flowing  into  the  south-west- 
ern extremity  of  the  same  lake.  From  the  head  of  either  the 
Nipigon  or  St.  Louis  rivers  to  the  gulf  of  St.  Lawrence,  is 
more  than  2,000  miles.  The  St.  Lawrence  river  drains  a  ter- 
ritory of  over  600,000  square  miles,  and  its  basin  has  been 
calculated  to  contain  "more  than  half  of  all  the  fresh  water  on 
this  planet"  ;  the  recent  discovery  of  the  great  African  lakes 
makes  the  conclusion  doubtful,  however.  The  St.  Lawrence 
river  is  navigable  by  sea-going  vessels  for  600  miles  to  the 
city  of  Montreal.  Above  this  point  there  are  rapids,  which 
though  descended  safely  by  steam-boats  drawing  seven  feet  of 
water,  are  very  difficult  of  ascent  even  by  the  same  boats ;  in 
consequence,  canals  have  been  constructed  along  the  river,  and 
by  these,  as  supposed  to  be  completed  and  ready  for  use,  the 
summer  of  1880,  vessels  of  270  feet  of  total  length,  with  a 
beam  or  width  of  45  feet,  and  drawing  from  12  feet  to  14  feet 
of  water,  can  pass  from  Duluth,  Minnesota,  in  latitude  46  de- 
grees 48  minutes  North,  and  longitude  92  degrees  6  minutes 
West,  or  from  Chicago,  and  without  breaking  bulk,  convey 
the  grain  and  other  produce  of  "the  great  North- West"  to 
any  port  in  the  world. 

The  Mackenzie  river,  named  after  Alexander  Mackenzie, 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  363 

who  discovered  it  in  1789,  flows  from  the  Great  Slave  Lake 
west,  in  latitude  60  degrees  30  minutes  North,  and  longi- 
tude 40  degrees  West,  and  runs  to  the  north-west  1,200  miles 
to  the  Arctic  ocean,  which  it  enters  through  several  mouths 
in  about  latitude  69  degrees  North,  and  longitude  60  degrees 
West  from  Greenwich.  The  head-waters  of  the  Mackenzie 
river  are  really  found  in  the  springs  of  the  Athabasca,  Atha- 
pesco,  or  Athapescow  river,  which  rises  in  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains in  latitude  52  degrees  10  minutes  North,  and  longitude 
about  40  degrees  West,  a  short  distance  from  the  source  of 
the  Columbia  river  of  Oregon.  From  about  the  first  of  June, 
the  Mackenzie  river  is  free  from  ice  and  navigable  all  summer 
for  small  steam-boats  from  the  Great  Slave  Lake  to  the  Arctic 
ocean.  The  row  boats  of  the  voyagers  of  the  Hudson  Bay 
Company,  ascend  with  but  two  portages  the  Mackenzie  river 
and  its  tributary,  more  than  2,000  miles  from  the  Arctic  ocean. 
The  Columbia  or  Oregon  river,  was  discovered  and  navi- 
gated in  1792,  by  Capt.  Robert  Gray,  who  crossed  its-  bar 
in  the  ship  Columbia  Rediviva,  of  Boston,  Mass,  and  gave  the 
name  of  his  vessel  to  the  rapid  stream.  This  river  was  first 
explored  in  1804  and  1805,  by  Captains  Lewis  and  Clarke,  un- 
der orders  of  the  United  States  War  Department.  The  Co- 
lumbia river  rises  in  Otter  lake,  on  the  westorn  slope  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  in  latitude  50  degrees  30  minutes  North, 
and  longitude  39  degrees  West ;  the  river  flows  north-west, 
west,  and  south  into  the  United  States,  and  so  across  Wash- 
ington territory  to  latitude  46  degrees  North,  where  on  the 
northern  boundary  of  Oregon,  it  turns  quite  abruptly  West, 
and  continuing  that  general  course,  forms  the  same  boundary 
to  the  Pacific  ocean,  which  it  enters  after  a  course  of  over  1,- 
200  miles  in  latitude  about  46  degrees  15  minutes  North,  and 
longitude  47  degrees  West.  Though  of  great  volume,  the 
Columbia  river  has  a  very  rapid  current;  the  violence  of  its 
flow  expels  the  sea-water,  and  its  waters  are  very  little  brack- 
ish, even  on  the  bar  at  its  mouth.  Ocean  steamers,  draining 
less  than  20  feet  of  water,  can  enter  the  Columbia  river  at  low 


364  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

tide  and  ascend  the  stream  115  miles  to  Vancouver.  Small 
steam-boats  of  200  or  300  tons,  ascend  the  river  165  miles  to 
the  Cascades.  Here,  there  is  a  portage  by  railroad  for  six 
miles,  when  navigation  is  continued  for  40  miles  to  the  Dalles. 
Above  this,  by  means  of  portages  around  various  falls  and 
rapids,  the  lighter  kind  of  navigation  is  pushed  northward 
beyond  the  boundary  of  the  United  States  and  to  Upper  Ar- 
row lake,  in  latitude  50  degrees  30  minutes  North.  The  Co- 
lumbia river  flows  through  a  nearly  wild  and  remarkable 
country  but  partly  known,  and  presents  along  its  course  among 
the  mountains,  the  most  sublime  and  beautiful  scenery. 

The  Colorado  river,  otherwise  the  Rio  Colorado  (Red  River), 
or  Colorado  river  of  the  West,  formed  by  the  confluence  of 
Green  and  Grand  rivers  in  the  south-eastern  part  of  the  terri- 
tory of  Utah,  about  latitude  38  degrees  North,  and  longitude  33 
degrees  West,  is  in  many  respects  a  very  remarkable  stream. 
The  Colorado  river  is  about  1,200  miles  long,  but  its  principal 
tributary,  the  Green  river,  rises  at  Fremont's  Peak  on  the  bor- 
ders of  Wyoming  territory,  whence  southwest  to  the  gulf  of 
California  is  more  than  2,000  miles.  Between  longitude  35 
degrees  and  38  degrees  West,  the  Colorado  river,  as  a  mighty 
torrent,  forces  its  way  across  the  line  of  the  mountain  ranges, 
creating  for  some  200  miles  a  Grand  Canon,  gulch  or  ravine, 
the  nearly  perpendicular  walls  of  which  are  from  4,000  to 
7,000  feet  in  heighth  above  the  water.  There  are  other 
Canons  along  the  Colorado  and  its  tributaries,  of  a  tremendous 
nature,  but  less  important  than  the  one  described.  The  Grand 
Canon  of  the  Colorado  has  been  passed  on  a  raft,  and  by  a 
United  States  Government  exploring  party,  but  the  under- 
taking was  found  extremely  diflicult  and  most  terribly  dan- 
gerous. The  head  of  navigation  for  boats  and  barges  on  this 
river  is  at  Callville,  612  miles  from  its  mouth. 

The  Rio  Grande,  Rio  Grande  del  Norte,  or  Rio  Bravo  del 
Norte,  is  a  very  singular  river ;  it  rises  in  the  south-western 
part  of  the  state  of  Colorado,  between  the  mountain  ranges  of 
La  Plata  and  San  Juan,  about  latitude  38  degrees  North,  and 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  365 

longitude  30  degrees  West,  whence  it  flows  with  a  general 
south-eastern  course  to  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  forming,  east  of  the 
30th  meridian  of  longitude,  the  boundary  between  Texas  and 
Mexico.  The  entire  length  of  the  Eio  Grande  is  estimated  at 
1,800  miles.  The  upper  portion  of  the  stream  descends  over 
many  ledges  and  cataracts ;  the  river  lower  down  is  obstructed 
by  numerous  wooded  islands  and  sand-banks  ;  small  steamers 
have,  however,  ascended  the  Rio  Grande  to  Kingsbury's  rap- 
ids, about  450  miles  from  the  gulf  of  Mexico.  In  April  of 
each  year,  the  melted  snows  of  the  Sierra  Madre  begin  to  swell 
the  volume  of  this  river,  which  is  soon  flooded.  The  waters 
are  at  the  highest  early  in  May,  and  fall  again  in  the  later  part 
of  June.  Soon  after,  the  bed  of  the  Rio  Grande  is  fordable, 
almost  anywhere  above  tide- water.  The  Rio  Pecos,  the  most 
important  tributary  of  the  Rio  Grande,  which  in  the  spring  is 
a  powerful  river  700  miles  long,  presents  at  the  dry  season  a 
bed  of  dry  rock  or  dust.  These  rivers  flow  through  a  rocky, 
arid  region  for  the  most  part,  and  even  their  valleys,  from  1 
to  4,  or  in  places  10  or  15  miles  wide,  are  fertile  only  when  irri- 
gated. 

There  are  many  other  large  rivers  in  North  America,  be- 
side the  principal  ones  already  described.  Among  these  may 
be  named  the  St.  John,  in  New  Brunswick ;  the  Kennebec, 
Penobscot,  and  Androscoggin,  in  Maine;  the  Merrimac,  in 
New  Hampshire;  the  Connecticut,  flowing  south  across  New 
England ;  the  Hudson,  in  New  York  ;  the  Delaware,  flowing 
into  Delaware  Bay,  between  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey ; 
the  Susquehanna,  rising  in  New  York,  flowing  across  Penn- 
sylvania and  part  of  Maryland,  to  the  Chesapeake  Bay ;  the 
Potomac,  between  Maryland  and  Virginia ;  the  James  river, 
in  Virginia;  the  Tennessee,  the  Cumberland,  and  Wabash 
rivers,  tributaries  to  the  Ohio ;  the  Red  river,  Arkansas  river, 
Des  Moines  river,  and  Minnesota  river,  flowing  into  the  Mis- 
sissippi; the  Tombigbee,  and  Alabama  rivers,  in  Alabama; 
the  St.  John's  river,  in  Florida ;  the  Chattahoochee  river,  be- 
tween Georgia  and  Alabama;   the  Santee,  and  Great  Pedee 


366  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 

rivers,  in  North  and  South  Carolina ;  and,  west  of  the  Missis-  ^ 
sippi,  in  Mexico;  and  north  in  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  an 
uncounted  number  of  streams,  large  as  these,  but  less  famous 
in  history,  and  for  the  most  part  requiring  no  notice  in  this 
very  general  statement. 

tTo  the  geology  of  America,  both  North  and  South,  refer- 
ence has  already  been  made  in  this  essay,  upon  pages  305-6-7, 
and  brief  as  the  account  already  given  is,  but  little  more  can 
be  done  regarding  so  vast  and  complex  a  subject,  in  the  space 
to  which  the  matter  must  in  this  connection  be  confined,  and 
so  with  a  mere  glance  across  the  continent,  the  student  must 
be  referred  to  the  numerous  and  well-known  works  of  the 
American  geologists  themselves,  and  the  voluminous  reports 
of  the  various  explorers.  Only  a  protracted  and  thorough 
study,  can  do  even  partial  justice  to  the  most  interesting  and 
important  subject,  or  to  the  elaborate  works  of  those  who 
have  applied  themselves  for  many  years  to  its  investigation 
and  illustration.  To  the  possibly  careless,  or  preoccupied 
reader,  it  may  seem  that  so  much  as  has  already  been  given, 
regarding  the  configuration,  extent,  and  natural  features  of 
North  America,  is  not  altogether  necessary  to  an  account  of 
American  And  Other  Gold,  under  which  head  the  whole  de- 
scription of  the  mountains,  valleys,  and  rivers,  of  its  vast  ter- 
ritories have  been  introduced.  It  must,  however,  be  remem- 
bered, that  something  more  than  mere  statistical  statement  is 
intended,  and  in  the  broad  general  geographical,  topographical 
?ind  geological  description,  those  who  choose  to  read,  may 
gather  the  special  information  needed  for  an  intelligent  com- 
prehension of  the  subject  of  the  mineralogy  of  the  country  de- 
scribed, and  the  natural  causes  which  have  operated  to  form 
the  varied  mineral  and  metallic  deposits — the  coal,  iron,  cop- 
per, and  other  mines,  the  great  veins  of  silver,  and  richest  of 
all,  the  superlatively  productive  gold  fields  of  North  America. 
Crossing  North  America  from  the  east,  along  the  line  of 
latitude  39  degrees  67  minutes  North,  which  runs  along  Chest- 
nut street  in  the  center  of  the  city  of  Philadelphia  (and  through 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  367 

the  office  of  the  publisher  of  this  work),  the  geologic  forma- 
tions are  discovered  in  the  followinsr  order : 

First.  As  in  the  state  of  New  Jersey,  and  along  the  shore 
of  the  Atlantic  to  the  South  :  The  Tertiary  and  Cretaceous 
strata,  the  drift  of  adjacent  mountains,  or  sedimentary  matter 
from  receding  seas. 

Second.  Gneiss  rock,  in  geologic  order  underlying  the  Ter- 
tiary and  Cretaceous  formations,  and  presented  in  the  surface 
of  the  Alleghany  or  Appalachiaa  mountains,  though  covered 
in  parts  by  the  New  Red  Sandstone, 

Third.  The  Palezoio  rocks,  of  the  Silurian,  Devonian,  and 
Carboniferous  strata,  "curiously  bent  into  parallel  folds  with 
synclinal  and  anticlinal  axes,  the  crests  of  the  latter  forming 
the  ridges  of  the  Alleghany  mountains"  which  at  their  sum- 
mits in  central  Pennsylvania,  are  2,500  feet  above  the  sea. 
Upon  these  Palezoic  rocks,  rest  the  great  Appalachian,  Ilh- 
nois,  and  Michigan  coal  fields,  covering  an  area  of  about  100,- 
000  square  miles,  a  large  part  of  the  territories  from  the  Alle- 
ghanies  to  the  Mississippi  river. 

At  Louisville,  Kentucky,  to  the  south  of  the  line  of  obser- 
vation we  have  chosen,  and  in  latitude  38  degrees  3  minutes 
North,  and  longitude  85  degrees  30  minutes  West,  the  erosion 
of  the  Ohio  river  has  denuded  the  Palezoic  rocks,  which  are 
there  presented  in  a  manner  equalled  in  very  few  places  else- 
where. Along:  the  banks  of  the  Ohio,  and  at  Louisville  in 
particular,  the  rotten  limestones  which  form  "the  Blue  Grass 
region  of  Kentucky,"  in  the  process  of  disintegration  supply 
the  geologist  with  many  remarkable  fossils.  Fine  specimens 
of  Palezoic  remains  tiave  often  been  taken  at  low  water,  from 
the  rocky  shoals  of  the  Ohio  river  at  this  city. 

From  the  Mississippi  westward  along  the  original  line  of 
observation,  in  or  near  the  latitude  of  Philadelphia,  through 
Missouri,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  town  of  St.  Joseph,  and 
still  west,  near  the  northern  boundary  of  Kansas,  and  across 
Colorado,  just  north  of  the  town  of  Denver,  through  Utah 
west,  passing  north  of  the  town  of  Nephi  in  that  territory, 


368  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA 

the  Palezoic  rocks  continue,  and  are  found  in  great  mountain 
folds,  between  which  are  broad  areas  of  Triassic,  Oolitic,  Cre- 
taceous and  Tertiary  beds. 

The  rocks  of  western  Nevada  and  California,  are  mostly  the 
metamorphosed  secondary  strata,  covered  in  part  by  Tertiary 
sediments. 

British  America,  north  of  the  great  lakes,  shows  an  enor- 
mous development  of  Laurentian  and  Iluronian  rocks,  which 
are  the  oldest  known  geologic  formations.  The  island  of  New- 
foundland, and  the  Maritime  provinces  of  the  Dominion  of 
Canada,  are  formed  of  the  Pre-Silurian,  Silurian,  Devonian, 
Carboniferous,  and  Triassic  rocks.  The  Carboniferous  strata 
there  include  bituminous  coal-beds  of  considerable  extent  and 
commercial  importance. 

Immediately  west  of  the  valley  of  the  Mississippi,  the  Ozark 
mountains  present  elevations  of  from  1,500  to  2,000  feet,  the 
geologic  structure  of  which  contains  the  same  granitic,  car- 
boniferous and  other  higher  forms  of  rocks  as  are  found  on 
the  opposite  side  of  the  great  central  North  American  basin, 
a  thousand  miles  to  the  east  in  the  Alleghanies. 

From  that  which  has  already  been  stated,  regarding  the 
general  character  of  North  America,  its  configuration,  moun- 
tain structure,  watersheds,  lakes,  rivers  and  geologic  history 
and  development,  the  careful  student  will  have  inferred  the 
existence  of  two  principal  gold  fields  in  this  division  of  the 
Western  Hemisphere  of  the  globe,  the  indications  pointing 
to  the  situation  of  these  fields  in  the  west,  along  the  ranges  of 
mountains,  or  the  beds  of  the  rivers  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and 
in  the  east,  in  the  region  of  the  various  highlands  which,  un- 
der the  general  name  of  the  Appalachian  mountains,  stretch 
along  the  borders  of  the  Atlantic.  And  such  is  in  fact  the 
position  of  the  deposits  of  gold,  the  veins,  the  mines,  the 
"pockets"  and  other  sources  of  that  precious  metal  in  North 
America. 

The  western  North  American  gold  field,  extends  compre- 
hensively over  the  whole  mountain  region  west  of  the  Mis- 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER    GOLD.  369 

sissippi  river,  and  north  of  the  isthmus  of  Tehuantepec,  and 
Yucatan,  to  the  extreme  northern  line  of  Alaska,  all  aloui'- 
the  shore  of  the  Pacific  ocean  and  far  eastward  toward  the  in- 
terior. The  chief  production  of  gold  has,  however,  been  from 
limited  districts  of  this  great  area,  and  in  those  districts  are 
found  the  oldest  and  most  recent  North  American  discoveries 
of  gold,  as  well  as  decidedly  the  most  important  sources  of  the 
precious  metals  heretofore  known,  at  least  in  modern  times. 

As  to  the  abundance  of  gold  found  in  the  possession  of  the 
Indians  of  the  Pacific  coast  of  all  America,  at  the  time  of  the 
original  Spanish  explorations  and  conquest  of  the  countrv, 
after  1492,  the  reader  will  recall  or  refer  to  pages  272  to  280 
of  this  article.  In  addition  to  the  account  there  given,  it  may 
be  noted  that  the  great  architectural  ruins  of  aboriginal  edi- 
fices abound  in  the  region  of  southern  Mexico,  as  well  as  in 
the  countries  lying  either  side  of  the  equator.  Beginning  by 
wholesale  extortion,  and  robbery  of  the  Indian  temples,  pal- 
aces, tombs,  and  other  grand  public  buildings,  the  Spaniards 
continued  the  strenuous  search  for  gold  by  excavations  amid 
the  ruins  they  considered  it  their  Christian  duty  to  aid  slowly- 
working  time  in  creating.  The  amount  of  gold  thus  exhumed, 
after  the  visible  stores  of  the  same  had  been  exhausted,  is,  not- 
withstanding the  statistics  of  the  Spanish  officials,  utterly  un- 
known, except  in  certain  cases. 

A  single  instance,  may  give  some  idea  of  the  wealth,  which 
must  have  been  obtained,  by  those  who  in  earnest  efi:brts  to 
annihilate  the  evidences  of  a  high  and  benificent  yet  "heathen  " 
civilization,  Christianize  their  slaves,  and  enrich  themselves, 
continued  their  work  of  Vandalism  and  rapine  for  generation 
after  generation,  until  even  in  the  present,  the  search  fur 
treasure  among  the  ruins  of  the  central  part  of  the  American 
continent  is  continued,  and  is  sometimes  successful.  In  1577,  a 
Spanish  explorer  named  Toledo,  dug  into  one  of  the  kuacas,  or 
vast  pyramidal  structures,  tombs,  or  temple  sites,  of  Northern 
Peru,  and  from  the  excavation  he  made,  obtained  a  quantity 
of  gold  and  silver  valued  at  $4,450,281:.  Tlic  enthusiasm  of 
W 


370  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

avarice  aroused  by  this  and  similar  discoveries,  was  such  that 
the  mines  and  natural  sources  of  gold  in  America  were  for  a 
time  measurably  neglected.  Waiving  the  question  of  morals, 
it  is  easier  to  overreach  the  weak  and  plunder  the  helpless, 
than  to  create  wealth. 

Mexico,  or  in  the  language  of  the  country,  Estados  Unidos 
de  Mejico^  derives  its  name  from  the  Aztec  word  Mexitli.  The 
territories  of  the  federal  republic  of  Mexico  are  included  be- 
tween latitude  15  degrees  and  32  degrees  42  minutes  North, 
and  lonsritude  86  degrees  and  117  degrees  and  7  minutes  West. 
The  shores  of  Mexico  are  bordered  by  a  strip  of  low  land  of 
sandy  character  some  80  miles  wide,  and  seldom  if  ever  over 
1,000  feet  above  the  sea.  This  tract  appears  to  have  been  cov- 
ered by  the  sea  at  a  recent  geologic  age.  Inland,  immense 
terraces  arise  to  a  vast  table-land  having  an  average  elevation 
of  8,000  feet.  To  the  north,  away  from  the  seas,  the  table- 
land extends  far  into  the  territories  of  the  United  States.  The 
journey  from  the  city  of  Mexico  to  Santa  Fe,  some  1,200 
miles,  can  be  made  over  this  flattened  mountain  crest,  with 
comfort  and  safety  in  a  four-wheeled  wagon.  Mexico  con- 
tains, however,  nearly  a  score  of  mountains  from  9,041  to  17,- 
540  feet  above  the  sea.  Ten  of  these  principal  peaks  are  vol- 
canoes, four  of  which,  namely  :  Popocatepetl,  Orizaba,  Toluca 
and  Iztaccihuatl,  have  summits  from  1,7()5  to  3,540  feet  above 
the  line  of  perpetual  snow.  The  evidences  of  volcanic  action 
are  most  abundant  in  the  south  of  Mexico ;  the  most  active 
crater  is  that  of  Mt.  San  Martin,  or  Tuxtla,  near  the  town  of 
the  same  name  in  the  state  of  Vera  Cruz.  This  volcanoe  is 
crowned  day  and  night  with  a  column  of  flame,  which  con- 
stantly ascends  to  such  a  height  as  to  be  visible  far  off  shore 
over  the  waters  of  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  forming  thus  a  most 
remarkable  natural  pharos,  or  light-house  for  the  mariner  ap- 
proaching the  dangerous  coast. 

Mexico,  though  discovered  as  early  as  1517,  by  Francisco 
Fernandez  de  Cordova,  who  visited  the  coast  of  Yucatan  that 
year,  and  known  to  the  world  as  a  country  rich  in  metals  and 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  371 

minerals  ever  since  Juan  de  Grijalva,  in  1518,  made  a  voyage 
thither,  explored  in  part  the  coast,  opened  friendly  communi- 
cation with  the  Aztecs  and  freighted  a  ship  with  gold,  jewels, 
and  other  treasure ;  and  controlled  by  Europeans  since  its  con- 
quest under  Hernan  or  Hernando  Cortes,  or  Cortez,  1519^ 
1521 ;  has  never  been  scientifically  explored.  The  geology  of 
Mexico  is  but  partly  known.  The  extreme  south  of  the  coun- 
try presents  mountains  composed  for  the  greater  part  of  por- 
phyry, with  limestone  and  clay  slate,  the  last  two  formations 
being  least  in  extent,  but  most  important,  on  account  of  con- 
taining frequent  veins  of  silver,  copper  and  lead.  The  moun- 
tains of  the  state  of  Oajaca,  or  Oaxaca,  included  between  lati- 
tude about  16  degrees  to  21  degrees  North,  are  mostly  granite, 
this  form  of  rock  being  most  conspicuous  in  the  loftiest  sum- 
mits of  these  ranges.  The  great  central  table-land  of  Mexico, 
already  described,  rests  upon  a  substratum  of  granite,  above 
which  are  masses  of  porphyries  containing  rich  veins  of  gold 
and  silver,  the  other  superincumbent  rocks  consisting  of  bas- 
altic lavas  in  immense  fields,  trachyte,  clay  slate,  amygdaloid, 
gyenite,  serpentine,  dolorite,  limestone  and  sandstone.  Among 
the  rocks  are  many  and  large  caverns,  that  of  Cacahuamilpa 
being  considered  the  most  extensive  cave  in  the  world. 

"While  an  exploration  and  study  of  the  geology  of  Mexico 
has  been  neglected,  it  has  been  found  a  country  of  pre-eminent 
mineral  wealth ;  so  far  as  already  known,  the  varied  mineral 
and  metallic  resources  and  products  of  Mexico,  exceed  those 
of  any  country,  not  excepting  even  the  famous  riches  of  Peru. 
Passing  without  further  notice  the  valuable  quarries  of  mar- 
ble, alabaster,  gypsum  and  rock  salt,  the  deposits  of  sulphur, 
the  numerous  small,  almost  entirely  un worked  beds  of  coal, 
and  the  great  number  of  wide-spread  mineral  springs,  it  may 
be  said  that  the  base  but  useful  metals  abound  in  Mexico.  Im- 
mense masses  of  iron  are  found  at  Coalcoman,  in  the  state  of 
Michoacan,  and  at  Lagos,  in  the  state  of  Jalisco.  The  Cerro 
del  Mercado,  in  the  state  of  Durango,  is  one  vast  and  solid 
mass  of  magnetic  iron  ore.     In  the  Mexican  states  of  Chihua- 


a72  DYE'S  CfOIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

hua,  Sonora,  Guanajuato,  Mexico,  Guerrero,  Jalisco  and  Mich- 
oacan,  copper  has  been  found  in  considerable  quantities,  gen- 
erally in  association  with  a  greater  or  less  amount  of  gold. 
In  the  states  of  Jalisco  and  Michoacan,  are  ores  of  tin.  Silver 
abounds  in  practically  illimitable  quantities  in  many  parts  of 
Mexico,  and  lead  frequently  is  found  in  the  same  connection. 
A  further  reference  to  Mexican  silver  will  appear  upon  a  suc- 
ceeding page.  The  richest  ores  of  lead  are  in  the  state  of 
Oajaca,  or  Oaxaca.  The  Cinnabar,  or  red  sulphuret  of  mercu- 
ry, has  been  discovered  in  many  of  the  Mexican  states.  The 
usefulness  of  mercury  and  its  ores  in  the  reduction  of  silver, 
was  first  discovered  in  the  sixteenth  century  by  a  Mexican 
miner  of  Pachuca,  by  the  name  of  Barlolom6  Medina.  Since 
then,  tlie  various  uses  of  mercury  have  increased,  and  of  late 
immense  quantities  have  been  consumed  in  processes  for  se- 
curing gold.  In  consequence,  though  new  sources  of  supply 
have  been  discovered  in  California,  the  price  of  mercury  has 
been  high;  and  under  the  stimulation  of  a  good  demand,  valu- 
able mines  of  Mexican  quicksilver  have  during  recent  years 
been  dcvelo])cd  in  the  states  of  Morclos  and  Guerrero.  The 
states  of  Tlaxcala  and  Ilidalgo  have  of  late  been  found  to  con- 
tain platinum,  a  metal  almost  as  valuable  as  gold,  and  on  ac- 
count of  its  power  of  resisting  heat  and  chemical  action,  ex- 
tremely useful  in  the  arts. 

The  Aztecs,  a  highly-civilized  race  of  Indians,  described  in 
part  on  page  88,  who  governed  most  of  Mexico  before  the 
advent  of  the  Spaniards,  found  the  placers  of  the  country  they 
had  conquered  from  still  other  Indians,  abounding  in  gold,  in 
grains,  coarse  gold  and  nuggets ;  these  forms  of  the  precious 
metal  were  collected  by  primitive  processes,  but  to  vast 
amounts.  The  silver  .being  found  for  the  most  part  in  ores 
too  obdurate  for  very  successful  treatment  by  such  simple 
methods  as  were  known  to  the  Indians,  was  but  little  used  by 
them.  In  consequence,  Mexico  was  first  known  in  Europe  as 
ft  rich  source  of  gold,  but  when  improved  machinery  and  more 
scientific  processes  were  brought  to  bear  upon  the  ores  of  sil- 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  373 

ver,  the  country  was  regarded  bj  the  capitalists  of  Europe  as 
almost  one  vast  silver  mine,  and  the  yield  of  gold,  though  still 
considerable,  Avas  found  to  be  of  minor  importance.  Ever 
since,  the  coinage  of  gold  in  Mexico  proper,  has  been  small  in 
comparison  with  the  vast  number  and  value  of  silver  pieces 
issued  by  the  numerous  mints.  The  total  product  of  the  pre- 
cious metals  in  Mexico,  since  its  discovery  by  the  Spanish  ad- 
venturers, and  up  to  1880,  is  estimated  at  a  value  of  $4,404,- 
627,696,  of  which  the  Mexican  mints  had  coined  $2,151,58^1,- 
961.81.  In  1881,  there  were  eleven  mints  in  Mexico,  coining 
an  average  $21,644,261  each  year,  of  which  amount,  an  aver- 
age  of  but  $743,595  a  year  was  in  gold.  The  product  of  gold 
from  Mexican  mines  during  1879,  was  officially  estimated  at  a 
value  of  $989,161. 

In  1870,  there  were,  beside  workings  for  silver,  40  gold 
mines  in  the  state  of  Oajaca,  or  Oaxaca;  in  the  state  of  Sono- 
ra,  there  were  at  the  same  time  144  mines,  yielding  gold  for 
the  most  part,  and  beside  583  very  rich  mines  in  which  work 
was,  nevertheless,  suspended.  Of  late  years,  the  gold  mines  of 
the  states  of  Guerrero,  Mexico  and  Michoacan,  have  been  made 
profitable,  the  placers  have  become  too  much  exhausted  to 
make  rich  returns  to  such  manipulations  as  the  Aztecs  or 
their  immediate  successors,  the  old  Spaniards,  employed,  jc^ 
with  modern  machinery  and  methods,  a  large  yield  and  heavj 
profit  can  be  obtained  from  these  and  many  other  half- wrought 
deposits.  Vast  as  the  yield  of  precious  metals  from  Mexico 
has  been,  however  numerous  the  failures  of  rash  foreign  speCr 
ulators  in  -the  known  mines  of  that  country,  there  is  every 
reason  to  expect  that  with  the  maintainance  of  a  stable  gov- 
ernment, and  the  general  progress  of  the  republic,  still  richer 
mines  of  silver  and  gold  may  be  discovered  through  geologic 
exploration. 

The  state  of  California,  lying  between  latitude  32  degrees 
23  minutes  and  42  degrees  North,  and  longitude  114  degrees 
30  minutes  and  124  degrees  45  minutes  West,  bears  the  name 
once  applied  by  the  Spaniards  to  the  territories  claimed  by 


874  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

t^em  from  about  latitude  23  degrees  North  along  the  Pacific 
coast  outside  of  Mexico,  and  iudefinitelj  east  over  the  Great 

jfeasin,  and  northward  to  the  A  rctic  Circle.  This  name  of  Cal- 
ifornia is  supposed  to  have  been  derived  from  a  Spanish  ro- 
mance published  at  Seville,  Spain,  in  1510,  entitled  Las  Sergtis 
de  Esplandian,  or  the  Sugas  of  Esplandian,  the  son  of  Amadis 
of  Gaul.  California  is  twice  mentioned  in  this  book,  a  portion 
of  which  reads :  "Know  that  on  the  right  hand  of  the  Indies, 
there  is  an  island  called  <5alifornia,  very  near  to  the  Terres- 
trial Paradise,  which  was  peopled  by  black  women  without 
any  men  among  them,  because  they  were  accustomed  to  live 
after  the  manner  of  the  Amazons.  They  were  of  strong  and 
tardened  bodies,  of  ardent  courage,  and  of  great  forces.  The 
island  was  the  strongest  in  the  world,  from  its  steep  rocks  and 
great  cliffe.  Their  arms  were  all  of  gold,  and  so  were  the  ca- 
parisons of  the  wild  beasts  they  rode" ;  and  elsewhere :  "  In 
the  island  called  California,  are  many  griffins,  on  account  of 
the  great  savageness  of  the  country,  and  the  immense  quantity 
of  wild  game  to  be  found  there." 

The  name  of  California  appears  in  the  writings  of  Bernal 
Diaz  del  Castillo,  an  officer  in  the  army  led  by  Cortes  to  the 
conquest  of  Mexico,  but  in  this  case,  the  name  was  given 
merely  as  that  of  a  bay  on  the  coast  of  the  Pacifia  Lower 
California  was  first  discovered  in  1534,  by  Ximenes,  a  Spanish 
explorer.  The  territories  included  in  the  present  state  of  Cal- 
ifornia, were  discovered  by  a  Portuguese  named  Juan  Rodri- 
guez Cabrillo,  in  1542,  at  which  time  he  was  a  navigator  in 

':.the  Spanish  service.  Cabrillo  explored  the  Pacific  coast  as 
far  north  as  Cape  Mendoza,  now  called  Cape  Mendocino,  in 
latitude  40  degrees  30  minutes  North.  It  is  presumed  that 
the  officers  of  Cortes,,  or  the  discoverers  named,  being  im- 
pressed by  what  they  believed  to  be  the  resemblance  of  the 
country  to  the  imaginary  land  described  in  the  then  popular 
romance  Las  Sergus  de  Esplandian^  gave  the  name  of  Califor- 
nia to  the  regions  so  long  known  by  the  same.  The  Spanish 
Americans  continue  to  oaU  the  peninsula  lying  west  of  the 


AMERICAN  AND  OTHER   GOLD.  375 

gulf  of  California,  Baja  (Lower)  California^  the  state  of  Cali- 
fornia in  the  United  States,  Alta  (Upper)  California^  and  the 
two,  Las  Californias  (The  Californias). 

In  1578,  Sir  Francis  Drake  of  England,  being  on  a  notori- 
ous buccaneering  expedition,  and  at  the  same  time  bent  on 
discovery,  colonization,  and  the  circumnavigation  of  the  globe, 
arrived  off  the  western  coast  of  North  America,  in  latitude  37 
degrees  59  minutes  6  seconds,  and  finding  an  anchorage  for 
his  vessels  in  a  body  of  water  still  palled  Drake's  Bay ;  or 
perhaps  in  the  harbor  of  San  Franciscd  itself,  made  a  landing. 
Ignorant  or  regardless  of  the  claims  of  the  crown  of  Spain, 
Drake  assumed  to  take  possession  of  the  country  in  the  name 
of  Queen  Elizabeth  of  England,  and  to  what  he  regarded  as 
the  newly-discovered  or  rightfully-acquired  territories  around 
his  landing  place,  he  gave  the  name  of  New  Albion.  There, 
for  a  time,  the  expedition  remained.  The  historian  Hakluyt, 
Secretary  of  Drake,  makes  particular  mention  of  abundance 
of  gold  to  be  found  in  New  Albion,  but  the  fleet  under 
Drake's  command  was  loaded  already  with  the  spoils  of  Span- 
ish towns  and  ships,  and  he  was  more  eager  to  refit  and  re- 
furnish his  ships  to  find  a  safe  way  back  to  England,  than 
take  time  to  make  extensive  explorations. 

The  Spaniards,  whose  success  in  America  fired  their  im- 
aginations with  boundless  expectations  of  sudden  wealth, 
came  to  consider  every  new  country  they  discovered  the  true 
El  Dorado,  found  at  last ;  conceived  the  Californias  to  be  ira- 
inensely  rich  in  gold ;  neither  could  they  be  peft-suaded  other- 
wise, though  of  all  the  numerous  expeditions  thither  in  pur- 
suit of  the  precious  metals  and  gems,  every  one  resulted  in  a 
miserable  failure.  In  1602,  General  Sebastian  Viscayno,  un- 
der orders  from  Philip  III  of  Spain,  explored  the  coast  of  Cal- 
ifornia as  far  north  as  the  bay  of  Monterey.  However,  for 
the  greater  part  of  a  century  after  this,  California  was  sup- 
posed to  be  an  island,  and  for  some  time  bore  the  name  of 
Islas  Carolinas  (Carolina  Islands),  in  honor  of  Carlos,  or 
Charles  II  of  Spain. 


376  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

The  first  settlement  in  Lower  California,  was  by  the 
Jesuit  missionaries  in  1683.  The  first  settlement  in  Upper 
California,  was  by  the  Franciscan  Fathers  at  San  Diego  in 
the  year  1767.  On  Ociober  2oth,  1769,  a  party  from  San 
Diego,  discovered  and  named  the  bay  of  San  Francisco,  be- 
ing probably  the  first  white  men  ever  there.  In  1776, 
the  Franciscans  founded  a  mission  at  San  Francisco,  now 
known  as  the  Mission  Dolores.  Within  a  half  century,  the 
Fathers  of  the  Order  of  St.  Francis,  established  more  than  a 
score  of  missions  in  California.  The  conversion  and  civiliza- 
tion of  the  Indians,  was  made  to  mean  their  reduction  to  ab- 
ject bondage  for  the  benefit  of  the  Fathers  and  their  depend- 
ents. The  Mission  lands  were  extended  to  cover  nearly  all 
the  coast  to  latitude  89  degrees  North.  Some  20,000  Indians 
were  kept  as  slaves,  worked,  whipped,  tortured,  but  few  were 
at  all  educated.  The  Missions  were  walled  villages,  defended 
by  the  Indian  farm  slaves ;  free-traders  were  expelled,  though 
there  was  a  considerable  commerce  with  Russia. 

The  Franciscans  made  a  monopoly  of  California,  and  pre- 
serving their  knowledge  of  the  country,  became  enormously 
wealthy,  in  stock  of  all  kinds,  in  specie,  in  bullion,  and  in 
gold  and  silver  ornaments,  statues,  crucifixes,  and  the  like, 
displayed  in  their  churches. 

For  a  definite  knowledge  of  the  mountains,  rivers,  and  other 
geographical  features  of  California,  having  relation  to  the  pro- 
duct of  gold,  reference  must  be  made  to  that  which  has  already 
been  stated  herein,  in  the  general  description  of  North  Ameri- 
ca, and  farther,  to  the  various  well-known  works  upon  the 
subject. 

The  geology  of  California  is  partly  described  in  the  "Geo- 
logical Survey  of  California"  and  the  "Progress  of  the  Geo- 
logical Survey,  1870-71,"  works  made  up  of  the  reports  by 
Professor  Josiah  Dwight  Whitney,  of  Northampton,  Massa- 
chusetts, of  a  survey  made  under  him,  as  State  Geologist,  by 
authority  of  the  state  of  California,  from  1860  to  1874  ;  beside 
which  scientific  authority,  there  are  many  modern  books  on 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  377 

California,  by  S.  Ilittel,  Franklin  Tuthill,  K.  Ruhl,  Titus  Fey 
Cronise,  Charles  Nordhoff  and  others,  which  though  of  varied 
purpose  and  private  origin,  still  contain  much  of  reliable  in- 
formation concerning  the  rocks,  minerals,  and  metals  of  the 
state.  The  special  and  elaborate  works  of  Blake,  Phillips, 
Dana,  Delmar,  Davies,  King,  and  other  writers  upon  the  subject 
of  gold,  must  also  be  studied. 

The  strata  of  California  are  of  comparatively  simple  struc- 
ture, belonging  chiefly  to  the  palaeozoic  and  tertiary  periods, 
the  rocks  being  mostly  granitic  and  of  the  secondary  and  ter- 
tiary ages;  the  secondary  formations  are  found  in  the  high 
mountains,  and  the  tertiary  beds  in  the  valleys. 

The  Sierra  Nevada,  or  Snowy  Eange,  consists  of  a  number 
of  minor  ranges,  which  form  the  grandest  and  most  interest- 
ing mountain  system  in  the  United  States,  This  aggregation 
of  mountains,  considered  most  comprehensively,  covers  the 
eastern  portion  of  California,  for  a  breadth  of  about  75  or  100 
miles,  extending  from  Mt.  San  Jacinto,  600  miles  northward, 
to  Mt.  Shasta,  an  extinct  volcano,  14,442  feet  above  the  sea, 
in  Siskiyou  county,  and  about  latitude  41  degrees  15  minutes 
North.  More  critically  regarded,  according  to  exact  geologic 
indications,  the  Sierra  Nevada  extends  south  from  Mt.  Shasta 
but  450  miles.  The  central  axis  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  and 
almost  the  entire  body  of  its  mountains,  in  the  south,  are  of 
granite.  The  highest  points  of  the  Sierra,  in  the  most  ele- 
vated section  of  the  system,  are  all  of  granite.  In  the  central 
and  northern  region,  there  are  a  few  high  peaks  of  metamor- 
phic  rock,  while  numerous  extinct  volcanoes  are  found  crowned 
with  volcanic  matter,  such  as  basalt  and  other  lavas,  brecca, 
and  heavy  beds  of  ashes.  The  proof  of  very  recent  igneous 
action  is  everywhere  visible.  Geysers  and  hot  springs  are  nu- 
merous, and  earthquake  shocks  occasionally  occur.  The  snow 
falls  on  the  Sierra  Nevadas  to  the  depth  of  40  or  50  feet,  and 
though  the  torrents  and  rivers  flowing  from  the  heights  where 
it  melts,  have  denuded  the  rocks  and  scored  the  mass  of  the 
mountains  with  many  deep  ravines  and  great  canons,  yet  much, 


a78  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

of  it  remains  through  the  whole  summer.  Enormous  glaciers 
are  thus  formed,  and  the  worn  and  rounded  granite  masses  of 
these  ancient  mountains,  bear  on  their  scarred  faces,  a  record 
of  the  tremendous  force  and  long  continued  action  of  the  vast 
and  ponderous  weight  of  immense  moving  ice  fields. 

The  flanks  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  are  covered  by  very  heavy 
bodies  of  mctamorphic  slates  of  secondary  age.  These  rocks 
are  chiefly  argillaceous,  chloritic,  and  talcose  formations,  but 
include  a  great  variety  of  other  mctamorphic  rocks  in  smaller 
quantities  and  some  large  seemingly  disconnected  patches  of 
limestone.  This  limestone  belt  follows  the  line  of  direction 
of  the  axis  of  the  range,  and  except  a  few  carboniferous  fos- 
gils  found  in  two  or  more  localities  in  the  extreme  north  oi 
the  state,  is  destitute  of  organic  remains.  In  the  southern 
part  of  California,  the  limestones  are  metamorphosed  and 
often  appear  as  marble.  The  slates  which  flank  the  Sierra 
Nevada  are  auriferous,  and  in  them  occasional  fossih  have 
been  found  near  well-marked  and  productive  veins  of  gold- 
bearing  quartz.  Tliese  fossils  of  the  slates  are  of  the  Jurassic 
age,  no  silurian  or  devonian  forms  having  been  discovered  in 
the  Sierra  Nevada  ranges.  Triassic  fossils  have  been  found 
in  one  locality  of  limited  extent  in  Plumas  county.  The  east- 
ern ascent  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  is  short  and  precipitous,  in 
some  places  1,000  feet  to  the  mile,  to  an  average  elevation  of 
from  4,000  to  5,000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  From  the 
crest  whose  highest  peak  is  Mt.  Whitney,  14,886  feet  above 
the  sea,  the  Sierra  Nevada  slopes  toward  the  west  by  com- 
paratively easy  descents  of  300,  240,  and  100  feet  to  the  mile. 
The  western  slope  is  marked  here  and  there  along  the  valleys 
of  the  Sacramento  and  San  Joaquin  rivers  by  undisturbed 
marine,  tertiary  and  cretaceous  strata. 

The  Californian  Coast  Ranges,  along  the  Pacific,  consist  for 
the  principal  part  of  cretaceous  and  tertiary  marine  strata, 
the  rocks  being  mostly  sandstones  and  highly  bituminous 
shales.  The  cretaceous  formation  appears,  most  prominent  in 
the  south ;  above  San  Francisco  the  mountains  become  rougher 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  379 

and  more  lofty,  the  rocks  have  been  metamorphosed  to  a  great 
extent,  and  through  these  strata  the  granite  has  been  uplifted. 
Everything  in  the  Coast  Range  indicates  recent  and  very  great 
geologic  disturbances,  the  effect  of  seismic  forces.  In  certain 
places  in  the  Coast  Range,  large  masses  of  strata,  of  the  Plio- 
cene age,  have  been  found  turned  on  edge.  Elsewhere,  in  the 
same  range,  the  strata  of  the  Miocene  Tertiary  age  have  been 
upheaved,  near  to  the  perpendicular,  by  the  protruding  gran- 
ite. However,  the  evidences  of  volcanic  action  at  a  late  date, 
are  most  noticeable  in  the  north-eastern  corner  of  the  state, 
among  the  Sierra  Nevadas. 

The  mineralogy  of  California  is  to  be  noted  for  its  simpli- 
city. Of  the  700  or  more  known  mineral  species,  but  about 
100  are  there  to  be  found.  The  volcanic  rocks  of  other  coun- 
tries abound  in  silicates,  and  their  vein  stones  contain  flour 
spar  and  barytes,  but  in  California  these  are  of  rare  occur- 
rence. The  absence  of  Zeolites  is  another  remarkable  fact. 
The  minerals  and  metals  mined  for  in  California  with  success, 
are  very  few,  mostly  gold,  mercury,  copper,  and  silver.  Tin 
is  found  in  the  Temescal  Range  of  mountains,  about  40  miles 
south-east  of  Los  Angeles,  but  the  mines  were  abandoned. 
Zinc  and  lead  occur  in  sulphurets  bearing  small  quantities  of 
the  metals  in  gold-bearing  quartz  veins,  which  are  worked 
only  for  the  gold.  The  iron  ores  of  California  are  abundant, 
but  unavailable,  for  want  of  good  and  cheap  fuel.  There  are 
extensive  deposits  of  lignite  and  imperfect  coal  in  California, 
but  the  only  important  mine  is  that  at  Monte  Diablo,  which 
yielded  some  175,000  tons  a  year.  The  coal  raised  at  Monte 
Diablo  is  used  only  for  domestic  fires,  as  it  is  highly  sulphur- 
ous and  contains  some  10  or  12  per  cent,  of  water.  Borax  is 
produced  in  California  to  the  value  of  more  than  $400,000  a 
year,  and  sulphur  has  been  successfully  mined,  for  the  manu- 
facture of  acid. 

The  gold  product  of  California  will  be  considered  at  large 
on  immediately  succeeding  pages.  Large  amounts  of  money 
have  been  expended  in  California  in  efforts  to  develop  the 


380  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

silver-bearing  lodes  of  the  state,  but  witbout  any  very  great 
success.  The  particulars  regarding  these  silver  mines  will  ap- 
pear upon  future  pages  devoted  to  that  metal.  Kext  to  gold, 
the  most  important  metallic  product  of  California  has  been 
quicksilver,  or  mercury.  Of  this  metal,  so  important  in  the 
processes  of  amalgamation  used  for  obtaining  the  precious 
metals,  there  are  mines  in  various  parts  of  the  world,  notably 
at  Almadcn,  in  Spain  (which  rich  deposit  was  leased  by  the 
Spanish  government  to  the  great  Hebrew  bankers  tlie  Roths- 
childs); at  Idra,  in  Illyria,  Austria;  in  the  Palatinate  of  Ba- 
varia ;  at  Eipa,  in  Modena,  Italy  ;  at  the  Vail'  Alta,  in  Vene- 
tia,  Italy  ;  at  MoutpcUier,  in  France ;  in  Chili ;  at  Uuancavel- 
ica,  and  elsewhere,  in  Peru ;  and  in  many  localities  in  Mexico, 
the  present  annual  production  of  them  all,  being  reported  in 
Paris,  in  1867,  at  3,123,120  pounds  of  the  pure  metal  each 
year,  beside  a  large  amount  of  cinnabar. 

Quicksilver  (argentum  vivum,  or  hydraargyrum\  or  Mercu- 
ry, was  first  discovered  in  California  by  the  Indians,  at  a  place 
now  known  as  New  Alraaden,  12  miles  west  of  the  town  of 
San  Jose,  Santa  Clara  county,  the  last-named  place  being  40 
miles  south-east  of  San  Francisco.  The  aborigines  used  the 
native  product  of  the  New  Almaden  deposit,  as  a  pigment,  and 
so  well  pleased  were  they  with  the  paint  they  were  able  to 
produce,  that  they  dug  openings  from  fifty  to  sixty  feet  deep 
into  the  mountain  in  search  of  it.  During  the  year  1824  and 
for  some  time  afterward,  the  Spaniards  attempted  the  working 
of  these  New  Almaden  ores  for  silver.  The  New  Almaden 
mines  are  in  the  Coast  Range,  in  a  belt  of  altered  cretaceous 
slates,  between  beds  of  serpentine ;  they  were  first  operated 
for  quicksilver,  by  Captain  Castillero,  in  1845,  The  New 
Almaden  cinnabar  is  found  in  a  series  of  irregular  cavities, 
without  apparent  connection.  Though  suspended  during  the 
war,  %vork  at  these  mines  was  resumed  in  1348.  A  company 
of  Mexicans  and  Englishmen,  held  the  property  from  1850  to 
1858,  when  they  were  enjoined,  pending  legal  proceedings, 
regarding  the  title.    Up  to  1858,  the  whole  value  of  the  quick- 


AMERICAK  AND  OTHER   GOLD,  381 

silver  which  had  been  taken  from  New  Almaden,  was  reported 
to  the  courts  as  having  been  worth  $8,000,000,  and  in  1858, 
when  closed,  the  mine  was  said  to  be  yielding  quicksilver  to 
the  value  of  $1,000,000  a  year.  The  United  States  Attor- 
ney then  appraised  the  value  of  the  mine  and  works  at  $15,- 
000,000. 

The  entire  amount  of  quicksilver  taken  from  the  New  Al- 
maden mine  alone,  from  September  80th,  1852,  to  December 
81st,  1873,  a  period  of  21J  years,  was  673,150  flasks,  of  76| 
pounds  each,  or  43,845,975  pounds.  During  the  time,  the 
Knriquita,  another  mine  in  the  same  neighborhood,  produced 
10,571  flasks  of  quicksilver,  or  808,681  pounds;  making  up 
the  amount  to  44,654,656  pounds  of  the  metal,  taken  from 
these  two  deposits,  during  the  given  period.  Beside  the  En- 
riquita,  there  are  the  Providencia,  and  the  Gaudalupe  mines, 
which  have  been  worked  near  New  Almaden.  The  New  Idra 
quicksilver  mines  in  Fresno  and  Monterey  counties,  ninety 
miles  south  of  New  Almaden,  include  the  San  Carlos,  Aurora, 
Idra,  Molino,  Washington,  Benada,  and  Yictorener  workings, 
and  are  of  cinnabar  in  sandstone  and  slate.  The  Panoche 
Grande  quicksilver  mine,  also  in  Fresno  county,  the  subject 
of  the  "McGarrahan  claim,"  is  famous,  in  the  records  of  the 
courts,  and  of  the  journals  of  Congress.  The  Redington 
quicksilver  mine,  near  Knoxville,  Lake  county,  presents  a 
formation  similar  to  that  of  the  New  Almaden  deposit,  and 
is  one  of  the  most  im.portant  of  the  many  deposits  of  cinnabar 
in  Napa  and  Lake  counties  north  of  San  Francisco.  In  1867, 
California  was  reported  as  producing  3,960,000  pounds  of 
quicksilver  of  a  total  of  7,083,120  pounds  produced  by  all 
countries.  In  1868,  California  produced  3,404,709  pounds  of 
quicksilver;  the  yield  for  1870  was  2,187,900  pounds;  that 
for  1873  was— from  the  New  Almaden,  11,042  flasks;  New 
Idra,  7,600  flasks ;  Eedington,  4,200  flasks ;  Great  Western, 
651  flasks ;  Mahattan,  4,200  flasks ;  Summit,  75  flasks ;  Ameri- 
^can,  128  flasks;  Napa,  199  flasks;  California,  995  flasks;  Phce- 
'nix,  880  flasks ;  Washington,  197  flasks ;  a  total  from  all  these 


388  DYE'S   COIN   ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

mines,  of  26,588  flasks,  containing  2,033,982  pounds.  It  may 
be  noted,  that  the  New  Almaden  mine  had  fallen  off,  from  an 
annual  yield  of  some  2,500,000  to  3,500,000  pounds,  once 
taken  from  them  in  a  year,  to  but  844,713  pounds  for  1873 ; 
that  notwithstanding,  the  total  product  had  not  decreased  in 
proportion ;  that  some  mines  formerly  reported,  are  no  longer 
mentioned;  and  that  a  number  of  new  mines  appear  in  the 
list.  The  partial  or  total  exhaustion  of  the  old  deposits  of 
quicksilver  in  California,  up  to  1870  and  thereabouts,  without 
a  cessation  of  demand  for  the  metal,  induced  a  rise  in  price. 
During  1873,  quicksilver  could  be  sold  in  California  at  an 
average  price  of  one  dollar  a  pound,  and  by  the  end  of  that 
year,  it  had  increased  in  value  to  one  dollar  and  twenty  cents 
a  pound ;  the  prodact  of  the  state  for  the  year  must,  there- 
fore, have  been  worth  about  $2,250,000.  The  discovery  and 
development  of  the  quicksilver  mines  of  California,  must  be 
regarded  as  of  the  greatest  possible  importance  to  the  state. 
It  not  only  furnished  an  enormously  valuable  article  of  export 
in  the  quicksilver  itself,  but  by  supplying  the  California  gold 
fields  with  the  metal  for  amalgamation,  freed  the  gold-mining 
industry  of  the  whole  Pacific  slope,  and  of  the  world,  from  an 
oppressive  monopoly-: — thus  enlarging  the  product  of  the  pre- 
cious metals. 

The  early  Spanish  adventurers  and  explorers  for  gold  in 
America,  were  not  guided  in  their  researches  by  the  geologic 
science  which  directs  the  prospector  and  miner  in  the  same 
fields  in  the  present.  When  on  his  voyage  of  discovery, 
Columbus  arrived  off  the  shores  of  Cuba,  believing  that  he 
had  reached  the  Indies  and  saw  the  continental  coast  of  Eastern 
Asia,  he  made  entry  upon  his  journal — "From  the  great  heat 
which  I  suffer,  the  country  must  be  rich  in  gold."  When  Her- 
nando de  Grijalva,  or  "Grixalva,"  discovered  the  arid,  rocky 
peninsula  of  Old  or  Lower  California;  he  sailed  up  the  Gulf 
of  California,  the  El  Mar  de  Cortez,  Sea  of  Cortes,  El  Mar 
Yermejo^  the  Red  or  Vermilion  Sea,  "the  Adriatic  of  the  New 
World,"  along  a  coast  belonging  to  a  country  counted  the  hot- 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  383 

test  part  of  North  America,  where  the  thermometer  frequent- 
ly indicates  the  high  temperature  of  100,  110,  and  even,  as  re- 
ported, 140  degrees  in  the  open  air.  If  intense  heat  and  ex- 
cessiye  dryness  were  reliable  indications  of  the  presence  of 
gold,  the  peninsula  of  Old  California  should  be  superlatively 
rich  in  that  metal.  But  as  has  already  been  stated,  every  ex- 
pedition into  California  for  gold  resulted  in  miserable  failure 
to  the  old  Spaniards.  From  the  time  the  Jesuits  entered 
Lower  California  as  missionaries,  and  established  the  Mission 
of  Lo-eto  in  1697,  to  their  expulsion  in  1767  to  make  way  for 
the  rule  of  the  Franciscans,  followed  by  the  Dominicans,  and 
down  to  1822,  during  which  time  the  rule  of  the  Francis- 
cans was  gradually  extended  all  along  the  Pacific  coast  of 
Lower  and  Upper  California,  the  whole  region  was  governed 
in  a  manner  even  more  fatal  to  progress  than  Spanish  colonial 
management  in  general. 

The  downfall  of  Spanish  power  in  Mexico  came  in  1822, 
and  the  power  of  the  Friars  became  rapidly  less.  About  1825, 
emigration  to  California  began,  being  mostly  to  the  upper 
part  of  the  country,  and  year  by  year  increased  in  volume. 
The  emigrants  were  firstly  Mexicans,  who  were  attracted  by 
the  fine  climate  and  fertile  soil ;  next  American  trappers,  citi- 
zens of  the  United  States  who  entered  the  region  from  the 
desert  lands  east  of  the  Nevadas,  and  finding  abundant  game, 
fine  climate,  fertile  soil,  and  comparatively  jxiaceful  Indians, 
remained  and  roamed  the  whole  domain  as  if  its  independent 
proprietors;  to  these  were  added  Russians  from  Russian 
America,  now  Alaska,  who  established  a  trading  post  called 
Russ  (Russia),  and  seemed  ready  to  attempt  the  occupation  of 
the  whole  territory ;  beside  these,  were  constantly  added  to 
the  population  numbers  of  sailors  who  escaped  from  merchant 
vessels  trading  to  California,  or  were  left  behind  at  their 
own  request,  and  adventurers  of  various  kinds  from  almost 
^1  countries,  and  finally,  as  the  fame  of  the  climate  extended, 
some  invalids  from  the  eastern  United  States,  seeking  relief 
from  pulmonary  and  other  diseases. 


384  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

The  Mexican  republic  left  the  Californias  in  an  almost  inde- 
pendent position  politically ;  from  1822,  for  a  series  of  years, 
the  usages,  laws,  institutions,  and  administration  of  that  part 
of  the  new  federal  Union  were  irregular  and  unsettled.  There 
was  no  great  disturbance  or  violent  anarchy,  but  individuals 
took  great  liberties  with  the  country,  assumed  on  various  pre- 
tenses possession  of  lands,  and  without  much  regard  for  Mexi- 
can jurisdiction  kept  their  position,  and  conducted  business 
according  to  their  personal  sense  of  right,  and  with  a  special 
view  to  their  own  interests  and  satisfaction.  The  Muscovites 
descending  from  their  possessions  in  America  at  this  time,  es- 
tablished their  town  of  Buss  upon  Mexican  territory,  regard- 
less of  boundary  lines,  the  citizens  of  the  United  States 
"walked  through  the  land  as  if  it  had  been  their  own." 
Speculators  from  Europe,  and  from  New  England,  engrossed 
most  of  the  trade. 

Black  or  Spanish  cattle  w^ere  introduced  into  Upper  Califor- 
nia in  1766  and  increased  rapidly,  so  that  their  hides  and  tallow 
became  in  a  few  years  the  principal  and  almost  only  article  of 
export.  By  the  year  1830,  the  Franciscans,  beside  other  prop- 
erty, owned  over  300,000  of  these  animals,  of  which  some  60,- 
000  were  killed  each  year.  The  Missions,  where  the  Francis- 
can Friars  still  kept  up  their  establishments,  were  all  within  a 
day's  journey  of  the  Pacific  coast.  The  larger  part  of  Upper 
California  was,  even  as  late  as  1836,  not  only  an  unexplored 
country,  but  a  region  almost  unvisited  by  white  men.  By 
this  time,  the  pearl  fisheries,  which  had  been  carried  on  in  the 
El  Mar  cle  Cortez,  Gulf  of  California,  since  the  time  of  its  first 
navigation  by  Cortes,  from  whom  it  took  its  original  name, 
had  become  so  far  exhausted  as  to  yield  a  value  of  less  than 
$500  a  year.  In  1836,  there  was  a  gold  mine  called  the  San 
Antonio,  in  Lower  California,  the  workings  being  some  ten  or 
twelve  miles  north-west  of  the  town  of  La  Paz,  the  present 
capital  of  the  territory;  but  the  amount  of  gold  secured  was 
inconsiderable,  owing  to  the  poverty  of  the  vein.  In  Upper 
California,  a  small  silver  mine  was  found  east  of  San  Ines,  but 


AMERICA X  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  385 

operations  there  -were  presently  discontinued.  Gold  was  also 
found  in  one  of  the  rivers  flowing  into  the  southern  Tulare 
Lake,  but  the  amount  was  small,  and  as  late  as  1837,  the  wash- 
ings for  the  gold  dust  of  this  deposit  had  not  been  found  very 
profitable.  At  this  time  the  population  of  Lower  California, 
was  supposed  to  be  no  more  than  8,000  persons  of  all  condi- 
tions, "whites  and  Indians.  In  Upper  California,  there  were 
6,000  or  more  whites,  some  20,000  "converted,"  that  is  to  say, 
subjugated,  domesticated,  and  enslaved  Indians,  and  100,000, 
more  or  less,  of  aborigines,  in  numerous  wild  tribes  speaking 
many  languages  or  dialects.  The  interior  of  the  Californias 
was  known  to  be  a  dangerous  and  difficult  country  to  traverse, 
and  the  region  of  the  Rio  Colorado,  and  the  great  canons,  was 
justly  famous  as  about  the  nearest  approach  to  an  uninhabita- 
ble and  impassable  country,  to  be  found  in  equal  extent,  any- 
where on  earth. 

On  the  second  day  of  the  montn  of  Juiy,  1839,  a  vessel  was 
stranded  in  the  bay  of  Yerha  Buena,  by  which  accident,  Col. 
John  Augustus  Suter,  or  "Sutter,"  was  landed  upon  the  coast 
of  the  present  harbor  of  San  Francisco.  This  distinguished 
California  pioneer,  was  born  at  Kandcrn,  Baden,  Germany,  on 
February  15,  1803.  He  was  educated  at  the  military  school 
of  Bern,  Switzerland,  from  which  he  graduated  as  an  officer 
of  the  Swiss  army,  and  hence  has  been  generally  considered  a 
native  of  Switzerland.  In  1834,  Cob  Suter  emigrated  to 
America,  and  establishing  himself  as  a  trader  at  Santa  Fe, 
New  Mexico,  carried  on  for  some  time,  a  profitable  business 
with  the  trappers  and  Indians  of  the  Far  "^Vcst.  Hearing 
from  his  customers  favorable  accounts  of  California,  Col.  Suter 
crossed  the  Eocky  Mountains  in  1S38  ;  went  to  Fort  Vancou- 
ver, Oregon,  and  took  a  further  voyage  to  the  Sandwich 
islands,  thence  to  Alaska,  and  southward  along  the  coast  of 
the  Pacific  to  the  bay  of  San  Francisco,  where  his  vessel  was 
stranded,  as  has  been  already  described.  From  Yerha  Buena, 
Col.  Suter  penetrated  the  interior  of  California  to  the  conflu- 
ence of  the  American  and  Sacramento  rivers,  about  140  miles 


3^6  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

east-nortli-east  of  San  Francisco  county,  and  under  great  diffi- 
culties and  discouragements,  founded  the  earliest  wliite  settle- 
ment made  on  the  site  now  occupied  by  Sacramento  citv,  Sac- 
ramento county,  the  capital  of  California.  Col.  Suter,  or 
"Sutter,"  having  become  a  naturalized  American  citizen,  ob- 
tained from  the  Mexican  authorities  in  California,  on  account 
of  his  settlement,  and  for  the  improvement  of  the  country,  a 
grant  of  eleven  square  leagues  of  land,  and  upon  it,  in  1S41, 
he  built  a  fort  which,  with  the  grant  around  it,  he  called  New 
Ilelvetia.  The  garrison  of  the  fort  was  made  up  of  a  few 
white  men  its  owner  and  commander  gathered  around  him, 
the  surrounding  domain  was  occupied  by  Indians  he  took  into 
his  service ;  he  was  a  man  of  great  force  of  character,  and  this, 
with  his  remote  position,  and  the  number  of  his  adherents, 
gave  him  great  influence  and  importance.  Col.  Sutcr  is  said 
to  have  bid  independent  defiance  to  the  Mexican  authorities 
at  times,  and  yet  he  was  appointed  by  them  Governor  of  the 
northern  frontier  country  of  California,  in  which  office  he 
served  to  the  benefit  of  all  concerned. 

In  18-il,  gold  was  discovered  in  the  southern  part  of  Cali- 
fornia, at  a  point  near  the  San  Fernando  Mission,  in  an  alluvial 
deposit,  where  washings  were  carried  on  with  moderate  suc- 
cess. Without  any  especial  reasons,  other  than  those  of  climate, 
soil  and  the  general  features  of  the  country,  and  its  probable 
future,  as  an  agricultural  state,  emigration  to  California  had 
become  very  popular  with  the  bold  pioneers  who,  year  after 
year,  carried  the  western  frontier  of  the  civilization  of  the 
United  States,  farther  and  farther  toAvard  the  settins:  sun. 
Impelled  by  a  wonderful  .<^pirit  of  enterprise,  more  than  5,000 
persons  crossed  the  terrible  Sierras  during  the  period  from 
1840  to  1845  inclusive,  to  make  their  homes  in  California. 
The  hardships  of  this  tremendous  journey,  afoot,  on  horse- 
back, or  in  wagons,  over  vast  arid  plains  and  across  mighty 
mountains,  were  often  fatal.  In  1846,  the  party  led  by  Cap- 
tain Donner  perished  on  the  route,  other  companies  were  deci- 
mated, some  utterly  destroyed,  by  thirst  and  starvation,  or 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  887 

ovcrwlielmcd  amid  tlio  suddcp  snow  storms  of  tlie  Nevadas. 
To  such  as  made  the  journey,  "Sutter's  Fort,"  which  had 
meantime  grown  somewhat  famous,  became  the  first  stopping- 
place  in  California,  and  from  that  point,  the  emigrants  dis- 
persed, and  settled  according  to  circumstances  and  their  own 
inclinations.  As  might  have  been  anticipated,  the  wealth  and 
prosperity  of  Governor  John  Augustus  Suter  rapidly  in- 
creased, until  it  fully  equalled  his  very  considerable  social  and 
political  prominence. 

From  about  1840,  the  relations  between  the  governments  of 
the  United  States  and  of  Mexico  became  more  and  more  un- 
settled. In  October,  1842,  Commodore  Jones  of  the  United 
States  navy,  took  the  town  of  Monterey,  a  sea-port  of  Central 
California,  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and  declared  the  state  part  of 
the  territory  of  the  United  States.  Learning  that  war  had 
not  begun,  Commodore  Jones  apologized,  and  the  next  day 
withdrew  bis  forces.  On  February  28th,  1845,  Texas  was 
admitted  to  bo  one  of  the  United  Stales.  In  defense  of  the 
assumed  boundary  of  Texas,  the  troops  of  the  United  States, 
on  May  Sth,  1846,  under  Gen.  Zachary  Taylor,  fought  and 
won,  the  battle  of  Palo  Alto  against  the  Mexican  forces,  and 
immediately  crossing  the  Eio  Grande,  began  their  famous 
march  "for  the  Ilalls  of  the  Montezumas."  On  July  7,  the 
same  year,  Commodore  John  D.  Sloat  of  the  United  States 
navy,  repeated  the  capture  of  the  port  of  Monterey,  California, 
held  so  briefly  by  Commodore  Jones  in  1842.  Again,  Cali- 
fornia was  declared  a  territory  of  the  United  States,  and  now, 
the  proclamation  was  maintained,  Commodore  Sloat  assuming 
the  oftice  of  Governor.  On  the  9th  of  July,  San  Francisco 
was  occupied  by  the  United  States  troops.  Meantime,  a  party 
had  been  organized  under  Col.  John  C.  Fremont,  and  the  inde- 
pendence of  California  from  Mexico,  proposed  at  Sonoma,  July 
5,  1846.  On  July  12,  1846,  the  troops  of  the  United  States 
occupied  Sutter's  Fort.  Various  military  operations  against 
Mexico  followed  in  California  and  New  Mexico,  under  Col. 
John  C.  Fremont,  Com.  Robert  F  Stockton  Gen.  Stephen  W. 


388  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Kearney,  Col.  Richard  B.  Maso^i,  Capt,  (after  Maj. -Gen.)  Henry 
W.  Halleck,  and  other  officers  of  the  United  States.  Out  of  a 
possible  white  population  of  10,000  in  Upper  California,  some 
7,500  were  already  in  practical  revolt  against  Mexican  rule. 
The  occupation  of  California  by  the  United  States,  Avas  made 
complete,  and  the  whole  region  pacified  by  June,  1847.  By 
the  treaty  of  Gaudalupe  Ilidalgo,  signed  during  February, 
1848,  Mexico  ceded  California  and  New  Mexico  to  the  United 
States,  the  latter  power  subsequently  paying  a  very  consid- 
erable sum  of  money  as  compensation  for  part  of  the  lands  ac- 
quired. 

The  army  of  the  United  States,  during  the  war  with  Mex- 
ico, contained  a  remarkable  number  of  Mormons.  These 
Mormon  soldiers  became  aware  of  the  existence  of  gold  in 
California,  and  were  known  to  have  gathered  more  or  less  of 
the  precious  metal  from  placers  on  the  banks  of  streams  where 
they  happened  to  be  posted.  Certain  Mexicans  and  various 
Indians  also  collected  gold  during  the  war,  having,  perhaps, 
learned  the  business  of  the  soldiers.  Thus,  the  existence  of 
great  gold  fields  in  the  mountain  ranges  of  the  western  part  of 
North  America,  north  of  Mexico,  believed  in  by  the  old  Span- 
iards from  1511 ;  noted  by  Hakluyt,  1577-9 ;  published  by 
the  priest  of  San  Jose,  Loyola  Cavello,  1690;  by  Capt.  Shel- 
vocke,  1721 ;  by  Antonio  de  Alcedo,  1786-9 ;  recognized  by 
Prof.  J.  D.  Dana,  1838-1842,  and  announced  by  Mr.  Sloat,  in 
Hunt's  Merchant's  Magazine,  April,  1847,  became  once  more 
a  matter  of  rumor,  with  a  number,  and  to  an  uncommunica- 
tive few,  a  partly  demonstrated  fact.  Still,  there  was  no  ex- 
citement in  relation  to  the  subject,  it  being  generally  supposed 
in  the  United  States  and  in  all  Spanish-American  countries, 
that  gold  dust  could  be  found  in  many  places,  but  almost 
always  in  such  small  quantities,  as  to  make  labor  spent  in  col- 
lecting it  the  very  poorest  kind  of  business. 

While  the  diplomats  and  statesmen  of  the  United  States 
and  Mexico,  in  the  great  capitals,  were  negotiating  the  terms 
of  an  international  treaty,  which  was  to  change  the  map  of 


y 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  339 

half  a  continent,  and  arrange  the  relations  of  scores  of  mil- 
lions of  men,  a  mere  child,  a  little  girl,  at  play  beside  a  wild 
stream  of  unexplored  California,  was  fated  to  make  an  acci- 
dental discovery,  the  consequences  of  which  have  done  more 
in  the  third  of  a  centurj-,  to  revolutionize  the  arts,  commerce 
and  finance  of  the  whole  civilized  world,  than  could  have  oth- 
erwise been  achieved  in  an  age  by  the  joint  efforts  of  all  the 
great  powers  on  earth.  Among  his  other  enterprises  in  Cali- 
fornia at  this  time,  Governor  Suter,  or  "Sutter,"  haderecteda 
mill,  at  a  point  on  the  American  fork  of  the  Sacramento  river, 
near  the  present  town  of  Coloma,  in  El  Dorado  county.  Dur- 
ing the  winter  of  1848,  the  race-way  of  "Sutter's  Mill"  be- 
came damaged  by  the  freshets  of  the  rainy  season.  On  Feb- 
ruary 0th,  1848,  three  Americans,  of  whom  two  were  Mor- 
mons, were  at  work  repairing  the  race-way.  The  overseer  of 
the  party  was  a  man  named  Marshall,  and  with  hira  he  had 
his  little  daughter,  who  amused  herself  with  the  pebbles  she 
found  among  the  freshly-dug  gravel.  This  little  girl  found  a 
considerable  lump  or  nugget  of  gold  in  the  race-way,  and  this 
she  presented  to  her  father,  as  "a  pretty  stone." 

Eemarkable  as  this  discovery  was,  it  did  not  at  first  attract 
very  much  attention,  and  the  Mormons  in  particular,  were 
quite  anxious  to  keep  the  facts  from  the  knowledge  of  the  pub- 
lic. The  motives  of  the  Mormons,  in  seeking  as  they  did  at 
this  time  and  afterwards,  to  conceal  the  existence  of  gold  in 
territories  where  they  might  be,  are  only  to  be  conjectured. 
As  their  people  had  been  subjected  to  intense  hostility  at  Nau- 
voo,  Illinois,  the  Mormons  in  California  may  have  been  look- 
ing for  the  site  of  a  colony  of  "Latter  Day  Saints"  ;  their  lead- 
ers in  their  emigration  that  ^^ear  to  the  Great  Salt  Lake  Desert, 
clearly  foresaw  the  evil  to  be  apprehended  from  an  invasion 
by  a  lawless  horde  of  gold  seekers,  and  imposed  silence  upon 
their  followers  reg:arding  the  sources  of  gold  then  and  there 
discovered.  As  far  as  the  personal  interests  of  Suter,  and 
those  immediately  interested  with  the  proprietor,  were  con- 
cerned, the  history  of  the  events  which  succeeded  show  it 


&90  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA, 

might  have  been  well  for  them,  if,  for  n.  time  at  least,  they 
had  been  as  uncommunicative,  concerning  the  gold  as  the 
most  secretive  Mormon  could  have  desired. 

"The  American  Journal  of  Science"  dated  March,  1848, 
contained  a  letter  from  the  Ecv.  C.  S.  Lyman,  which  stated 
that:  "Gold  has  been  found  recently  on  the  Sacramento  near 
Sutter's  Fort.  It  occurs  in  small  masses  in  tha  sands  of  a 
new  mill  race,  and  is  said  to  promise  well."  The  news  thus 
communicated  to  the  reading  public  spread  rapidly,  but  it  was 
several  months  before  any  great  number  of  active  diggers 
had  reached  the  new  gold  field.  By  December,  1848,  how- 
ever, washing  for  gold  was  succssfully  carried  on  all  along  the 
foot  hills  of  the  Sierra,  from  the  banks  of  the  Tuolumne  river, 
latitude  37  degrees  40  minutes  North,  to  the  valley  of  the 
Feather  river,  near  latitude  40  degrees  North,  a  distance  of 
more  than  150  miles.  The  first  of  the  gold-seekers  from 
abroad  came  from  Mexico,  from  the  South  American  Pacific 
coast,  and  from  the  Sandwich  islands,  from  the  eastern  United 
States,  and  even  from  Europe  and  China. 

As  the  results  of  the  primitive  operations  of  the  pioneers 
became  known,  an  intense  excitement  was  created  which 
swiftly  extended  across  the  mountains  to  the  states  upon  the 
Atlantic  coast,  and  so  over  the  entire  continent,  and  presently 
throuirhout  the  civilized  world. 

The  position  of  Governor  of  California  from  May  31.  1847, 
«o  April  13,  1849,  was  held  by  Col.  Eichard  B.  Mason.  Gov- 
ernor Mason  reported  to  the  authorities  of  the  United  States, 
that  at  the  close  of  the  year  1848,  there  were  4,000  men  em- 
ployed in  working  gold,  with  a  daily  product  to  the  value  of 
from  $30,000  to  $50,000.  The  value  of  the  gold  secured 
during  1848,  was  estimated  at  $10,000,000.  During  the  spring 
1849,  an  unparalleled  rush  of  emigration  to  California  began, 
the  emigrants  making  their  way  across  the  plains  of  the  Great 
American  Desert,  by  way  of  the  isthmus  of  Panama,  and 
around  Cape  Horn ;  indeed,  from  each  quarter  of  the  globe 
and  by  all  lines  of  travel.     It  was  estimated  that  during  the 


AMERICAN'  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  391 

year  1849,  over  100,000  men  reached  California,  and  that 
among  them  were  included  representatives  of  every  one  ot 
the  United  States.  The  yield  of  gold  in  California  for  1849, 
was  valued  at  $40,000,000.  The  great  tide  of  emigration 
thus  commenced,  continued  in  great  force  for  about  five  years. 

In  spite  of  the  efforts  of  the  defenders  of  American  slavery, 
California  was  admitted  as  a  free  state  of  the  United  States  of 
America,  on  September  9th,  1850.  At  the  close  of  the  year, 
there  were  supposed  to  be  60,000  men  in  California  digging 
for  gold.  The  yield  of  California  gold  for  1850,  was  valued 
at  $50,000,000.  The  pick,  shovel,  and  pan,  were  the  only 
tools  of  the  pioneers  in  California  gold  mining.  The  first 
diggings  were  generally  in  the  deposits  made  upon  upturned 
argillaceous  slates.  The  gold  was  found  in  dust,  grains,  and 
nuggets,  throughout  the  body  of  the  sand  and  gravel  forming 
the  deposits,  and  in  greater  quantities  entangled  between  the 
edges  of  the  underlying  slates.  So  abundant  was  the  gold, 
that  a  large  part  of  the  product  was  picked  out  of  the  "pock- 
ets, "crevices"  and  cavities  of  the  bed-rock  by  hand,  in  the  form 
of  coarse  grains  and  nuggets,  some  of  the  last  being  quite 
large.  The  early  workings  for  gold  in  California,  were  mostly 
along  the  rivers,  particular  attention  being  paid  to  the  beds 
of  the  streams.  The  process  presently  adopted  for  working  a 
river  bed,  was  to  erect  a  dam  and  divert  the  water  of  the 
natural  channel  into  wooden  "flumes"  extending  along  the 
bank  to  a  point  of  discharge  some  distance  down  the  stream. 
The  bed  of  the  river  being  thns  left  bare  for  a  considerable 
area,  the  sand  and  gravel  which  had  accumulated  there  was 
washed  in  the  usual  manner,  with  the  pan,  or  by  the  help  of 
"cradles,"  "rockers,"  "long-toms,"  "sluices,"  and  various  in- 
ventions and  contrivances,  such  as  might  have  been  expected, 
considering  the  business,  the  locality,  and  the  intelligent  ener- 
gy directed  to  the  search  for  gold. 

The  gulches  and  ravines  down  the  sides  of  the  canons,  were 
all  worked  over,  whether  containing  streams  or  lying  dry. 
They  were  the  earliest  and  richest  of  all  the  placer?,  the  gold 


392  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

in  them  being,  however,  most  unequally  distributed.  The 
original  operators  upon  the  bars  of  the  American,  Yuba, 
Feather  and  Stanislaus  rivers,  and  the  rest  of  the  minor 
streams  in  the  center  of  the  California  gold  field,  sometimes 
procured  gold  to  the  value  of  from  one  to  five  thousand  dol- 
lars a  day  for  each  man.  These  fertile  spots  were,  however, 
of  small  extent,  and  when  one  was  exhausted,  another  might 
not  be  found  for  days,  weeks,  or,  perhaps,  months  of  time. 
The  gold  veins  of  California  were  too  obviously  rich  to  re- 
main unnoticed.  Regular  quartz  mining  was  begun  during 
1851,  at  Spring  Hill,  in  Amador  county.  Daring  this  year, 
the  gulches,  ravines,  and  river  bars,  having  been  in  part  ex- 
hausted, or  being  occupied,  where  still  worth  working;  unem- 
ployed or  dissatisfied  miners  exterded  their  "prospecting"  to 
higher  grounds,  and  soon  discovered  that  the  "high  gravels," 
as  they  called  the  detrital  tertiary  deposits  of  the  uplands,  con- 
tained gold,  but  not  in  an  amount  to  pay  for  working  by  any 
process  then  anywhere  in  use.  Such  was  the  condition  of 
affairs  in  California  at  the  close  of  the  year  1851.  The  gold 
produced  in  the  state  that  year,  is  estimated  to  have  been 
worth  $55,000,000. 

The  year  1852,  is  remarkable  in  the  annals  of  gold  mining, 
throughout  the  world,  for  during  the  same,  the  '"high  gravels" 
and  hills  of  California  were  attacked  by  the  hydraulic  process, 
a  system  which  puts  into  the  hands  of  the  miner  an  agent  by 
which  the  most  incredible  results  have  been  accomplished. 
The  hydraulic  process  was  invented  in  1852,  by  E.  E.  Matte- 
son,  a  native  of  the  state  of  Connecticut,  but  at  the  time  a 
resident  of  Placer  county,  California.  The  original  apparatutj 
of  Matteson's  hydraulic  process,  consisted  of  a  barrel  which 
received  water  at  an  elevation  of  40  feet  above  the  gravel  of 
the  deposit  to  be  worked.  From  this  barrel  the  water  was 
drawn  through  a  hose  of  common  cowhide  having  a  diameter 
of  six  inches,  ending  in  a  tin  tube  four  feet  long,  the  nozzle 
of  which  had  a  bore  of  one  inch.  From  this  orifice  the  water 
was  discharged  with  a  good  deal  of  force,  and  being  directed 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  393 

against  a  bank  of  loose  gravel,  would  disintegrate  the  strata 
with  some  facility,  and  in  the  course  of  a  day  remove  and  wash 
quite  a  respectable  amount  of  material,  always  provided  a  con- 
stant supply  of  water  could  be  procured  for  the  refilling  of  the 
barrel.  The  material  was  carried  away  by  the  water  through 
a  "sluice"  over  "riffles"  and  across  transverse  grooves  filled 
with  mercury,  and  farther  along  over  horizontal  plates  of 
amalgamated  copper.  The  management  of  the  large  amount 
of  gravel  in  the  sluice  required  especial  care;  the  gold  being 
brought  in  contact  with  the  mercury,  became  amalgamated 
therewith,  and  the  mass  being  removed  as  occasion  required, 
was  "cleaned  up,"  the  gold  secured,  and  a  part  of  the  mercury 
recovered.  The  hydraulic  process  was  soon  adopted  for  uni- 
versal use  where  such  a  method  alone  was  practical. 

Great  improvements  were  rapidly  made,  not  in  1852  alone, 
but  during  all  the  succeeding  years,  to  the  present  date ;  the 
hydraulic  system  has  been  brought  to  its  full  development  and 
efficiency,  quartz  mining  immensely  extended,  and  the  methods 
for  the  extraction  of  gold  from  rocky  ores  are  multiplied,  and 
finally,  the  process  of  chlorination  introduced  and  improved. 

In  view  of  the  interesting  and  important  evolution  in  these 
respects,  and  of  the  necessity  of  a  connected  statement  of  the 
same  herewith,  a  pause  is  here  made  in  relating  the  remarka- 
ble history  of  California,  at  the  period  of  the  discovery  of  its 
gold  deposits  and  mines,  and  the  next  few  pages  devoted  to  a 
popular,  succinct,  and  yet  it  is  to  be  hoped  sufficiently  com- 
prehensive account  of  the  various  methods  and.  apparatus 
adopted,  invented,  and  employed  for  the  reduction  of  the  ores 
of  gold,  and  the  securing  of  the  precious  metals  in  that  state, 
and  more  or  less  throughout  the  world  at  large,  during  the 
last  third  of  a  century. 

The  wooden  flumes,  canals  and  iron  pipes  brought  into  use  as 
aqueducts,  in  many  places  measure  hundreds  of  miles  in  length 
in  one  work.  Water  was  often  brought  many  miles  from  the 
high  streams  of  the  Sierras  in  iron  pipes  from  22  to  30  inches 
in  diameter,  which  discharge  their  contents  under  a  pressure  of 


394  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA 

100  to  300  or  even  500  feet  of  "head"  or  height  of  column, 
through  a  six-inch  nozzle.  With  a  head  of  275  feet,  such  a 
nozzle  delivers  1,579  cubic  feet  of  water  every  minute,  more 
than  1,600  pounds  a  second,  with  a  velocity  of  140  feet  a  sec- 
ond. The  nozzles  are  regulated  and  controlled  by  powerful 
and  ingenious  special  mechanism.  The  water,  as  it  passes 
from  the  nozzle,  seems  to  the  touch  as  rigid  as  a  bar  of  pol- 
ished steel.  The  discharge  pipe  is  generally  placed  some  200 
feet  from  the  bank  or  hill  to  be  operated  upon,  and  yet  the 
stream  of  water  strikes  tlic  base  of  the  bank  in  the  same  solid 
form,  and  bores  its  way  into  the  mass  with,  prodigious  speed. 

The  hydraulic  work  goes  on  day  and  night  without  rest. 
Ordinary  gravels  and  earths  are  thus  displaced  as  if  by  magic, 
and  the  superincumbent  masses  come  down  in  crashing  land- 
slides. Boulders  hundred  of  pounds  in  weight  are  tossed  to 
the  right  and  left  like  so  many  pebbles,  small  stones  fly  like 
bullets,  the  fallen  material,  under  the  unintcrmitting  force  of 
the  mighty  jet,  breaks  up,  is  swiftly  disintegrated,  and  the 
clays,  earths,  and  gravels,  in  great  volume,  are  borne  on  the 
receding  torrent  into  the  sluiceways,  and  from  these  into  the 
tunnel  or  channel  made  to  convey  the  waste  out  of  the  basin 
of  the  deposit  and  away  from  the  workings.  Nothing  but 
obdurate  "cements"  and  solid  rock  can  resist  the  force  of  the 
hydraulic  jet,  and  when  these  are  found  unmanageable,  resort 
is  had  to  blasting  on  a  grand  scale.  To  prepare  the  hard 
ground  for  the  action  of  the  water,  blasts  of  from  5  to  50  tons 
of  powder,  or  their  equivalent  in  ot'ner  explosives,  are  used. 
In  these  upheavals  of  the  strata,  from  one  hundred  to  six  hun- 
dred kegs  of  powder  are  often  fired  at  once,  and  in  one  instance 
an  artificial  earthquake  was  produced  by  the  simultaneous  ex- 
plosion of  the  powder  filling  two  thousand  kegs. 

The  sluiceways  used  with  the  hydraulic  process  are,  as  to 
the  principal  of  construction,  similar  in  most  respects  to  those 
in  smaller  operations,  but  of  course  far  more  extensive,  form- 
ing a  complete  system  extended  for  miles.  Each  mile  of  sluice, 
is  charged  with  from  five  to  six  hundred  weight  of  mercury, 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  COO 

to  which  about  one  hundred  pounds  of  that  metal  must  be 
added  daily,  in  at  least  two  charges,  to  make  good  the  constant 
waste.  In  this  way,  a  single  working,  may  consume  from 
15,000  to  20,000  pounds  of  mercury  in  a  single  year.  From 
the  upper  part  of  the  sluices,  the  mercury  and  gold  in  amal- 
gamation arc  removed  once  in  seven  days ;  farther  down,  the 
amalgam  is  removed  every  fourteen  days ;  and  far  away,  near 
where  the  waste  water  enters  the  discharge  tunnel,  the  mer- 
cury lies  unremoved,  and  gathers  the  constantly-escaping  par- 
ticles of  gold  for  six  months.  The  mercury  is  recovered  from 
the  gold  by  distillation,  a  process  attended  with  some  loss  ol 
the  quicksilver,  however.  Of  the  entire  amount  of  gold  con- 
tained in  the  deposit,  w^ell-conducted  hydraulic  washings,  un- 
der favorable  conditions,  secure  some  80  to  85  parts  in  tee 
hundred.  Thus,  for  every  80  or  85  ounces  of  gold,  so  pro- 
duced, some  15  or  20  ounces  are  lost.  Considering  that  in 
hydraulic  washings  the  whole  mass  of  the  deposit  must  bo  re- 
moved, the  result  is  very  favorable.  Taking  the  wages  of  the 
miner  to  be  $1,00  each  day,  the  cost  of  handling  a  cubic  3'ard 
of  gravel  may  be  estimated  on  an  average,  as  follows :  By  the 
pan,  $20,00;  by  the  locker,  $5,00;  by  the  long-tom,  $1,00; 
with  the  hydraulic  process — five  cents. 

The  capital  required  in  extensive  hydraulic  washings  is  very 
great.  The  bed-rock  tunnels  for  carrying  away  the  waste  and 
water,  are  sometimes  thousands  of  feet  long,  and  a  number  of 
feet  in  diameter,  the  work  of  several  years.  The  North  Bloom- 
field  Company,  in  Nevada  county,  California,  expended  a  few 
years  ago  in  ditches,  reservoirs,  and  various  water- works,  over 
a  hundred  miles  in  total  length,  the  sum  of  $1,250,000.  Their 
water  supply  was  abundant,  and  delivered  through  eight-inch 
nozzles,  under  the  pressure  of  a  head  of  500  feet.  The  waste- 
water tunnel  through  the  rim-rock  enclosing  the  deposit,  was 
8,000  feet  long,  and  part  of  the  distance,  8  feet  square.  There 
was  supposed  to  be  enough  material  in  possession  of  this  Com- 
pany, to  employ  their  facilities  for  many  years.  The  hydrau- 
lic process  has  renewed  the  value  of  many  California  placers, 


396  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

whicli  before  its  application  were  regarded  as  worthless  or  ex. 
hausted,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  similar  deposits  which 
have  been  treated  by  the  same  method  in  different  parts  of  the 
world.  So  tremendous  have  been  the  eflfects  of  this  system 
of  working  upon  the  uplands  of  certain  districts  of  California, 
that  much  litigation  has  been  caused,  the  farmers,  millers,  and 
others,  occupying  for  many  miles  the  banks  of  the  rivers,  in 
the  valleys,  complaining  of  ruinous  damages  from  the  gravel 
washed  down,  without  intermission,  from  the  hills. 

In  1873-4,  there  were  775  mining  ditches  in  California,  with 
an  aggregate  length  of  4,863  miles,  which  carried  a  burthen 
of  300,000,000  cubic  feet  of  water  each  day.  Some  of  this 
water  is  used  for  mills,  or  irrigation,  but  the  greater  part  is 
employed  for  the  hydraulic  mining.  These  operations  have 
called  into  use  the  highest  engineering  skill.  Miles  of  tunnels 
have  been  created,  under  hills  and  mountains,  to  obtain  the 
requisite  fall  to  a  point  where  the  debris  could  ba  left.  As 
the  water-works  are  immensely  expensive,  the  erection  and 
maintenance  of  the  aqueducts  has  in  many  cases  been  assumed 
by  independent  corporations,  by  which  the  miners  are  supplied 
with  water  upon  terms  regulated  by  the  "inch,"  that  is  to  say, 
so  much  for  the  amount  taken  through  an  opening  a  certain 
number  of  inches  in  diameter  under  a  given  pressure  or  "head." 

In  hydraulic  mining,  three  things  are  essential :  auriferous 
deposits  of  great  extent ;  abundance  of  water,  at  high  press- 
ure ;  and  great  space  of  lower  ground,  on  which  to  leave  the 
waste  material.  Where  these  conditions  can  be  secured,  a  few 
cents'  worth  of  gold  from  each  ton  of  earth,  can  be  made  to 
afford  a  handsome  profit.  The  yield  of  the  material  worked 
by  the  hydraulic  process,  varies  in  different  places,  and  the 
cost  of  the  operation  dejjends  much  upon  the  nature  of  the 
deposit.  The  La  Grange  Ilydra  :;lic  Mining  Company,  washed 
683,244  cubic  yards  of  earth,  at  a  cost  of  $0,038  each,  with  an 
average  yield  of  $0,066  for  each  yard.  In  Placer  county,  43,- 
000,000  cubic  yards  of  earth  were  profitably  washed,  with  an 
average  yield  of  less  than  five  cents  to  the  yard.     In  Yubaj 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  397 

county,  25,000,000  cubic  yards  of  earth  were  washed,  with  an 
average  yield  of  $0.26  the  yard.  In  Nevada  county,  16,000,- 
000  cubic  yards  of  earth  were  washed,  with  an  average  yield 
of  $0.30  the  yard. 

Hydraulic  mining  in  California,  was  supposed  to  have  ap- 
proximated its  maximum  during  the  year  1878.  Evidence 
given  before  the  courts  at  Marysville,  Sacramento  county, 
during  July  and  August  of  that  year,  in  the  suits  brought  for 
damages  from  the  wash  and  debris  of  certain  mines,  made  it  safe 
to  assume  that  the  hj^draulic,  drift,  placer,  and  river  mininty 
operations  in  California,  yielded  an  amount  of  gold  worth 
$12,000,000  or  more.  It  was  estimated  that  this  yield  would 
slowly  mcrease,  until  about  1883,  when  it  was  expected  to 
reach  the  value  of  $15,000,000  each  year.  The  gravel  chan- 
nels were  well  known,  and  mostly  owned  and  held  by  corpo- 
rations having  large  capital.  Kearly  or  quite  all  the  availa- 
ble water  supply  for  working  these  gravels,  was  owned  by 
these  same  corporations,  as  were  also  the  points  from  which 
tunnels  could  have  been  made  by  which  to  reach  the  bottom 
gravels,  and  through  which  to  get  rid  of  waste  water  and  dirt. 

One  of  these  Hydraulic  Companies  had  been  engaged  for 
more  than  ten  years  from  the  time  of  its  organization,  buying 
mining  claims  and  constructing  their  works.  Another  Com- 
pany of  the  same  kind,  had  been  engaged  for  seven  years  in 
like  preparations.  Each  of  these  Corporations  constructed 
immense  reservoirs,  which  were  finished  in  October,  1878; 
one  of  them  had  a  dam  100  feet  high  and  held  1,000,000,000 
cubic  feet  of  water ;  the  other  was  formed  by  a  dam  145  feet 
high,  but  was  of  less  area,  having  a  capacity  of  but  800,000,- 
000  cubic  feet.  These  Companies  constructed  altogether  120 
miles  of  canals,  over  the  very  rough  country  on  the  western 
slope  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  Mountains,  from  these  reservoirs 
to  their  mines.  The  canals  cost  from  $8,500  to  $10,000  each 
mile,  more  than  $1,000,000  in  all.  These  systems  of  water- 
works were  expected  to  supply  an  average  of  90,000,000  gal- 
lons of  water  a  day  through  all  seasons.     The  same  Compa- 


398  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

nies  constructed  four  deep  tunnels,  varying  from  3,000  to 
8,000  feet  in  length,  at  a  cost  of  from  $40  to  $60  per  foot. 

Commencing  in  1866,  the  preparatory  work  of  these  Corpo- 
rations was  carried  steadily  forward  until  the  autumn  of  1878, 
when  the  whole  was  completed,  the  cost  of  all  having  been 
about  $4,000,000  in  gold  coin  exclusive  of  interest.  From  the 
mines  to  be  developed  by  them,  an  income  of  $1,000,000  a 
year  was  expected,  for  from  fifty  to  seventy-five  years.  The 
California  deposits ^to  be  worked  by  "hydraulicing"  are  very 
extensive,  still  there  is  a  limit  to  the  gravels  found  in  favora- 
ble situations.  The  gravel  channel  of  "The  Big  Blue  Lead" 
has  been  traced  for  sixty  miles,  the  depth  of  the  bed  being 
some  three. hundred  feet.  The  most  practical  operators  con- 
clude that  the  product  of  all  the  gravel  gold  mines  of  Califor- 
nia will  never  exceed  $15,000,000  a  year,  but  that  they  can 
be  depended  upon  fo;-  such  results  for  a  hundred  years  or 
more. 

The  territory  of  .Montana  also  contains  hundreds  of  square 
miles  of  deep  gold-bearing  drift  sands,  some  of  which  are  now 
being  washed  with  good  results.  The  hydraulic  process  has 
been  used  in  Australia  for  a  number  of  3-ears,  and  of  late  in- 
troduced into  Russia.  The  lofty  Sierras  of  California,  with 
their  numerous  swift  torrents,  present  great  advantages  for 
hydraulic  workings.  The  highest  underground  mines  and 
hydraulic  works  in  the  world,  are  in  Rio  Grande  county,  Col- 
orado, where  the  Little  Annie  and  Summit  diggings,  are 
worked  at  an  elevation  of  eleven  thousand  feet,  and  twelve 
thousand  feet,  respectively,  above  the  sea.  What  eficct  the 
present  method  of  working  "deep  diggings"  by  hydraulic  ap- 
pliances, may  have  upon  the  future  supply  of  gold  throughout 
the  world,  cannot  be  estimated.  It  is  certain  that  gold  in 
quantities  beyond  all  calculation,  may  be  found  in  endless 
masses  of  un worked  drift,  and  that  the  "tailings"  and  refuse 
of  countless  old  roughly-wrought  placers,  may  be  made  to 
yield  a  profit  once  more.  Considering  the  vast  capital  already 
invested,  the  skill  and  energy  exhibited,  and  the  average  profit 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  399 

obtained)  he  would  be  rasb  indeed,  who  assumed  to  even  ap- 
proximately forecast  the  grand  inevitable  result. 

Nearly  all  of  the  seven  or  eight  billions  of  dollars'  worth  of 
gold,  supposed  to  have  been  taken  from  the  earth  by  man, 
though  originally  developed  fiom  fissures  and  veins,  was, 
down  to  the  development  of  quartz  mining  in  California,  taken 
from  drift,  and  the  deposits  of  river  bottoms.  In  primitive 
times,  only  the  simplest  machinery  was  used  for  washing  the 
clays  and  sands  ;  the  hard  lumps  were  broken  with  stones  or 
clubs,  and  the  dirt,  when  dry,  was  winnowed,  the  residuum 
being  washed  in  bowls  or  pans.  From  the  presence  of  large 
stone  troughs  and  vessels  among  the  ruins  of  ancient  mines, 
it  is  inferred  that  the  men  of  early  ages,  who  had  a  knowledge 
of  mercury,  used  the  process  of  amalgamation.  In  the  time 
of  Pliny,  A.  D.  50,  there  was  evidently  more  or  less  working 
of  veins  of  gold;  the  arrastre^  still  used  in  some  Spanish- 
American  operations,  a  revolving  stone  dragged  by  animals 
around  a  hard-rock  basin,  or  driven  like  the  wheel  in  a  brick- 
yard, was  then  in  use.  After  the  discovery  of  Brazil  in  1500, 
and  the  finding  of  the  gold  in  1577,  washings  were  carried  on 
for  a  hundred  years;  in  1680,  the  amount  of  gold  thus  far  ob- 
tained, was  but  $1,000,000.  The  rocks  of  Brazil  wer.e  first 
practically  worked  for  gold  about  1725,  on  the  property  now 
owned  by  the  St.  John  del  Key  Company,  but  the  results  of 
repeated  undertakings  were  ruinous,  until  1830,  when  rude 
stamping  machines  made  of  wood  were  erected,  and  a  profit 
was  secured. 

During  the  year  1823,  and  afterwards,  earnest  efforts  at 
mining  the  solid  rocks,  were  made  in  Kussia;  more  than  sixty 
different  mines  of  that  kind  were  opened,  but  after  a  time  work 
was  stopped  on  all  of  them,  principally  for  want  of  any  proper 
means  of  reduction  for  such  obdurate  ores. 

The  vein  formations  of  California,  traverse  strata  of  the 
Jurassic  and  triassic  ages,  the  quartz  lodes  or  ledges  being 
found  among  crystalline  slates,  interbedded  with  porphyritic 
(■and  serpentine  rocks  in   sections,  the  Avhole  being  imposed 


400  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

upon,  or  resting  against  the  center  of  granitic  and  gneissic 
rocks  of  tbe  mountains,  and  presenting  upon  the  surface  a  se- 
ries of  ridges  arranged  on  a  line  parallel  with  the  main  course 
of  the  Sierra  Nevadas.  Ihere  are  various  theories  regarding 
the  origin  of  veins,  fissures,  and  lodes  of  gold,  among  which 
those  of  Le  Conte,  Dana,  Davies,  and  Sir  R.  Murchison  are 
most  notable. 

Le  Conte  considers  the  evidence  conclusive,  that  the  aurif- 
erous quartz  veins  of  California,  have  been  deposited  from 
hot  alkaline  solutions,  and  that  the  metallic  sulphides  in  con- 
nection, had  the  same  origin,  the  solvent  of  the  gold  having 
been  the  sulphate  of  iron.  Where  gold  is  found  in  pure 
quartz,  without  the  sulphide,  it  is  supposed  it  may  have  been 
in  alkaline  solution  as  silicate  of  gold.  The  theory  of  Dana 
corresponds  somewhat  with  that  already  presented.  This  dis- 
tinguished geologist  considers  the  origin  of  gold  veins  as  little 
understood.  The  veins  occur  in  the  hydromica,  chloritic,  and 
argillaceous  slates,  of  im])erfect  crystallization,  and  not  in  the 
fully  crystallized  mica,  schist,  and  gneiss.  The  quartz  veins 
occur  among  the  fissures  of  the  selmi  crystallized  slates,  having 
been  formed  during  the  metamorpliic  changes  of  a  moderately- 
heated  earthquake  era. 

The  mineral  ingredients  of  the  rocks,  dissolved  by  intensely- 
heated  ascending  subterranean  vapors,  or  by  the  heated  waters 
resting  upon  them,  formed  alkaline  or  silicious  solutions,  which 
dissolving  the  gold  with  which  it  came  in  contact,  carried  the 
same  laterally  or  downward  and  deposited  the  metal  in  the 
fissures  it  infiltrated,  in  the  form  of  strings,  crystals  and 
grains.  The  gold-bearing  pyrite  of  the  vein,  is  crystallized 
under  the  same  circumstances.  The  formation  of  veins  of 
gold,  in  the  manner  supposed  by  Le  Conte  and  Dana,  would 
have  been  the  work  of  an  indefinite  time,  and  how  the  fissures 
of  the  rocks  were  kept  open  during  that  age  of  changes,  is  not 
explained. 

The  theory  of  Davies  is,  that  the  quartz  beds  and  veins  of 
gold,  are  formed  by  the  segregation  of  the  finely-disseminated 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER    GOLD.  401 

gold  sparsely  found  in  the  schists  or  slates  of  a  steatitic,  tal- 
cose,  and  cliloritic  nature,  and  the  granite  and  green-stone 
rocks  of  the  geologic  horizon  of  the  Lingula  flags,  and  the  beds 
below,  the  most  productive  rocks  being  found  at  what  in 
North  Wales  is  the  junction  of  the  lower  and  upper  canibrian 
strata,  the  whole  of  the  gold-bearing  rocks  lying  below  the 
carboniferous  group,  and  being  of  the  same  age  and  like  con- 
dition the  world  over. 

Sir  R.  Murchison  propounds  the  Silurian  Theory,  in  which 
he  declares  the  structure  of  the  different  countries  notable  on 
account  of  their  product  of  gold,  is  similar,  and  that  the  Silu- 
rian age  of  geologic  formation,  is  the  true  era  for  the  develop, 
ment  of  those  "constants  in  nature"  whichever  since  mark 
the  condition,  relation  and  presentation  of  gold. 

This  theory  has  been  contradicted,  or  perhaps  made  more 
comprehensive,  by  subsequently-discovered  facts,  and  reason- 
ing upon  the  same  ;  but  every  theory  has  its  opponents  ;  we 
are  only  certain  that  there  are  gold  veins,  that  they  may  be 
discovered  and  estimated  by  scientific  observation  of  geologic 
indications,  and  that  when  properly  worked,  by  approved 
methods,  a  business  profit  can  generally  be  realized. 

As  a  common  rule,  the  most  productive  veins  arc  those  con- 
taining gold-bearing  sulphides.  The  veins  occurring  in  hard 
white  quartz  free  from  sulphides,  present  the  gold  for  the 
most  part  in  flakes,  or  small  grains,  visible  to  the  naked  eye. 
The  gold  is  sometimes  found  in  such  veins,  in  considerable 
masses  of  high  purity,  but  the  average  yield  of  the  rock  sel- 
dom pays  for  working. 

As  has  been  stated  already,  the  regular  working  of  quartz 
veins  in  California,  began  at  Spring  Hill,  Amador  county, 
during  1851 ;  since  then,  the  growth  of  that  business  has  been 
very  great ;  several  thousand  lodes  have  been  worked  to  a 
profit  in  the  United  States,  and  one  hundred  thousand  veins 
are  said  to  have  been  described  upon  the  records  of  Colorado. 

In  Australia,  more  than  two  thousand  five  hundred  and 
fifty  one  auriferous  reefs,  or. veins,  have  been  worked,  extend- 
Y 


402  DYE'S   COIN   ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

ing  over  an  area  of  eight  hundred  and  eighty  square  miles, 
part  of  a  vast  gold  belt  one  thousand  miles  long.  The  Ural 
regions  of  Bussia  offer  an  area  for  similar  operations,  extend- 
ing for  about  two  millions  of  square  miles. 

The  Appalachian  gold  field,  on  the  Korth  American  coast 
of  the  Atlantic,  covers  an  area  of  one  thousand  square  miles, 
and  the  gold-bearing  tenitojy  of  California  is  as  large  as  the 
entire  state  of  New  York. 

Most  of  the  auriferous  veins  of  California,  are  principally 
composed  of  white  or  bluish  quartz,  containing  some  two  per 
cent,  of  sulphurets,  chiefly  ordinary  iron  pyrites,  and  occa- 
sionally a  small  amount  of  galena  and  blende.  There  are 
about  1,000,000  tons  of  quartz  rock  worked  annually  in  Cali- 
fornia, yielding  from  six  to  fifteen,  to  twenty,  twenty-five,  or 
more  dollars  per  ton,  with  an  average  of  about  twenty  dollars 
worth  of  gold  in  each  ton,  though  taking  account  of  losses  in 
working,  it  is  doubtful  whether  more  than  fifteen  dollars 
worth  of  gold  are  secured  on  the  average  from  each  ton  of 
rock.  The  cost  of  working  these  rocks  includes :  Mining,  per 
ton,  $5.75 ;  Milling,  $2,00.  Total,  $7,75  per  ton.  In  narrow 
veins  with  great  masses  of  waste  rock,  this  expense  would  be 
increased.  The  proportion  of  gold  saved  to  the  amount  actu- 
ally in  the  rock,  is  a  point  under  discussion.  Some  estimates 
allow  a  waste  of  twenty-five,  some  thirty,  and  some  thirty-five 
per  cent.,  and  Paul,  in  Raymond's  Report  of  1872,  declares  the 
mi]ls  of  California  were  not  working  to  save  gold  and  silver, 
but  to  crush  rock,  not  more  than  forty  per  cent,  of  the  gold 
contained  being  secured.  The  greatest  waste  is  known  to  pass 
in  finely-comminuted  particles  of  gold,  so  infinitesimal  as  not 
to  precipitate  in  stauding  distilled  water  in  less  than  five  or 
ten  minutes. 

The  gold-bearing  quartz  veins  of  California  are  of  all 
widths,  up  to  thirty  feet,  and  have  been  explored  to  a  depth 
of  over  two  thousand  feet,  and  extend  below  indefinitely. 
The  Mother  Lode,  the  great  vein  of  California,  has  an  esti- 
mated length  of  from  eighty  to  one  hundred  miles.     The  au- 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  403 

riferoLis  quartz  of  the  California  veins  is  treated  by  pulver- 
ization in  the  stamp  mill;  by  concentraiion  of  the  product 
thus  obtained;  by  oxidation,  and  extraction. 

The  first  stamping  mill  was  imported  into  California  from; 
England,  during  the  year  1849  or  1850.  The  machine  was 
mostly  of  wood,  a  number  of  upright  beams  shod  with  iron, 
arranged  to  be  alternately  elevated  and  let  fall  with  force  into 
pot-shaped  mortars.  This  apparatus  has  since  been  so  much 
modified,  and  so  entirely  improved,  that  the  five  thousand 
and  upwards  of  stamps  in  use  in  California  in  1870,  repre- 
senting a  capital  of  $4,800,000  invested  in  the  machinery  of 
mines,  might  have  been  considered  California  inventions.  It 
may  be  stated  that  at  the  same  time  California  contained  four 
hundred  and  twenty  arrastres  the  cost  of  which  increased  the 
amount  invested  for  appliances  in  this  connection  to  $5,500,- 
000.  The  entire  structure  of  the  latest  improved  stamp  mill, 
is  of  iron  or  steel  resting  upon  a  foundation  which  may  be  of 
timber.  The  side  pieces  and  stays  may  also  be  of  wood.  The 
stamps  are  heavy  upright  plungers  of  iron,  upon  which  ad- 
justable tappits  are  keyed  fast,  to  be  operated  by  cams  arrange(i 
upon  a  horizontal  shaft.  The  lower  end  of  the  upright  plung- 
ers bear  solid  stamp  heads  with  removable  shoes.  The  plunger 
and  its  several  attachments,  weighs  from  three  hundred  to  a 
thousand  pounds,  usually  from  six  hundred  to  six  hundred 
and  fifty  pounds. 

The  horizontal  shaft  when  set  in  motion  revolves  with  the 
cams,  and  these  working  under  the  tappits,  lift  the  plungers 
one  after  another  to  a  distance  of  nine  inches  or  less ;  from  thi? 
elevation  the  plunger,  armed  with  the  stamp  head,  descends 
by  its  own  weight,  and  may  be  driven  to  deliver  a  hundred 
blows  per  minute.  Five  of  these  stamps  are  arranged  together 
and  form  a  "battery,"  the  whole  working  in  a  deep  enclosed 
iron  trough  or  mortar,  upon  five  iron  dies  arranged  upon  the 
thick  bottom  of  the  same.  The  trough  has  an  opening  at  the 
back,  through  which  it  is  "fed,"  and  an  orifice  or  gateway  ia 
front,  from  which  its  contents  are  discharged.    The  opening 


404  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

through  which  the  discharge  takes  place  is  covered  with  a 
piece  of  perforated  iron,  or  with  an  iron  wire  screen. 

The  ore  or  rock  having  been  broken  into  moderately  small 
pieces,  by  the  hammer,  or  a  crushing  machine,  is  shoveled 
into  the  trough  and  duly  charged  with  water  and  with  mer- 
cury. Being  brought  upon  the  surface  of  the  dies,  the  mass 
of  material  is  subjected  to  the  operation  of  the  stamps  which 
fell  upon  the  rock  with  great  violence  until  it  is  broken, 
crushed,  and  finely  pulverized.  The  pounding  and  grinding 
goes  on,  until  the  contents  of  the  trough  are  thoroughly  re- 
duced to  a  kind  of  pulp,  more  or  less  of  the  gold  contained  in 
the  rock  in  grains  or  in  dissemination  is  liberated,  and  being 
brought  in  contact  with  the  mercury,  a  more  or  less  perfect 
amalgamation  follows.  Amalgamated  plates  of  copper  are  ar- 
ranged in  the  battery  at  the  discharge  place,  and  sometimes  at 
the  back  under  the  feed  gate.  These  plates,  and  the  key-holes 
of  the  stamp  heads,  collect  a  large  part  of  the  amalgam. 

As  the  pulp  is  discharged  from  the  trough,  it  is  made  to  fall 
upon  other  amalgamated  copper  plates  set  at  a  gentle  incline. 
As  the  watery  mercurial  mass  moves  slowly  over  these  sur- 
faces, it  imparts  a  share  of  amalgam  to  them.  From  these 
copper  plates,  the  flow  is  conducted  to  the  point  of  final  dis- 
charge, or  if  worthy  of  further  treatment,  is  carried  through 
a  second  pulverization  and  amalgamation,  or  subjected  to  the 
action  of  a  variety  of  devices  to  effect  what  is  termed  concen- 
tration. 

The  method  of  concentration  first  used,  was  by  passing  the 
flow  over  hides,  the  hair,  or  the  wool  side  up.  The  hides  or  skins 
were  superseded  by  a  blanket  made  especially  for  the  purpose, 
and  the  blanket  still  remains  one  of  the  principal  devices  for 
retaining  and  saving  the  heaviest  of  the  particles  of  amalgam 
and  gold,  which  escaping  from  the  trough  would  otherwise 
be  lost  among  the  "tailings"  of  the  mill,  as  the  debris  created 
by  its  operation  is  called.  Numerous  and  ingenious  devices 
have  been  created  to  receive  the  flow  from  the  stamp  mill  and 
collect  the  fine  gold  dust,  amalgam,  and  the  free  sphericles  of 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  405 

mercury,  which  would  otherwise  be  borne  away  and  carried 
down  the  stream. 

The  losses  incurred  in  treating  gold-bearing  rock  in  the 
stamp  mill,  and  farther,  otherwise,  as  described  already,  are 
due  to  the  state  of  atomic  subdivision  in  which  the  gold  ex- 
ists, or  to  which  it  is  reduced,  and  to  the  presence  of  sulphides 
in  the  ores.  The  action  of  the  sulphides  "sickens  or  fouls" 
the  mercury,  and  perhaps  coats  the  particles  of  gold  with  a 
kind  of  oxide,  anyway,  the  process  of  amalgamation  or  blend- 
ing of  the  mercury  and  gold  is  prevented,  more  or  less ;  the 
gold  floats  away  with  the  sulphides,  and  the  mercury  losing 
its  affinity  for  the  precious  metal,  becomes  incoherent,  forms 
in  part  into  independent  globules  covered  with  a  repellant 
film  of  mercurial  sulphide,  and,  rolling  with  the  current,  gets 
away  down  stream  also. 

The  methods  of  concentration  where  water  is  used,  are  in- 
ventions created  in  Europe  for  treating  poor  ores,  especially 
those  of  Germany  and  Prussia,  and  have  about  exhausted  hu- 
man ingenuity ;  still,  new  arrangements  have  been  made  in 
.  America,  involving  similar  principles  of  action,  while  others 
have  been  developed  upon  an  entirely  different  system,  with 
dry  air  as  a  medium  of  operation. 

The  presence  of  more  than  three  per  cent,  of  sulphides  in 
an  ore  of  gold,  becomes  a  demonstrable  cause  of  trouble  and 
loss,  which  increases  with  the  proportion  of  sulphurization 
found  in  the  material  upon  which  amalgamation  is  attempted. 
The  ores  of  CaHfornia  are  comparatively  free  from  sulphides, 
but  in  Colorado  great  difficulty  and  damage  has  been  caused 
by  them.  To  obviate  these,  American  ingenuity  has  been 
fertile  in  devices,  the  object  of  all  being  the  desulphurization 
of  the  ores,  a  dead- roast,  with  the  intent  of  a  complete  oxida- 
tion of  all  base  metals,  the  metallicization  of  whatever  silver 
may  be  found,  or  its  reduction  to  a  chloride  by  the  use  of  salt, 
leaving  the  gold  in  a  state  of  nature  as  a  metallic  crystalKne 
dust.  The  reverberatory  furnace  was  first  employed  for  this 
purpose,  and,  with  modern  improvements,  is  still  })referred  for 


406  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

special  work ;  it  is  expensive,  however,  and  costly  regarding 
fuel  and  labor.  The  various  furnaces  having  revolving  cylin- 
ders, working  the  ores  automatically,  next  came  into  use.  The 
Stetefeldt  furnace  for  chloridizing  silver  ores,  consisted  of  a 
heated  shaft,  down  which  the  pulverized  ores,  mixed  with 
salt,  Avere  sifted.  Each  contrivance  seems  to  have  some  spe- 
cial merit,  and  all  are  subject  to  similar  general  defects.  The 
great  want  is  some  cheap  effectual  method  of  getting  rid  of 
refuse,  otherwise,  of  concentrating  the  value  of  the  ore,  before 
the  most  practical  treatment. 

Supposing  the  sulphides  changed  to  oxides,  by  some  one  of 
the  many  patented  or  other  devices  offered  for  use,  the  ores 
are  next  finely  ground,  and  formerly,  were  then  considered 
fit  for  amalgamation  for  the  extraction  of  the  gold.  Owing 
to  imperfect  oxidation,  or  an  incomplete  desulphurization  of 
the  ore,  the  process  of  amalgamation  of  the  roast  thus  pre- 
pared has  not  in  general  been  entirely  successful.  The  failures 
i»the  process  so  far  as  already  described,  created  the  necessity 
ofeextraction  by  smelting.  There  are  numerous  smelting  fur- 
Tiaces»now  in  operation  among  the  western  gold  mines,  and  on 
the  Pacific  coast,  the  ores  containing  copper,  silver  and  gold 
are  treated  by  themselves,  while  argentiferous  galena  and  gold 
are  smelted  in  a  different  furnace.  The  cost  of  the  apparatus 
for  smelting  is  great,  and  the  expenses  in  working  are  heavy. 
The  various  smelting  Companies  charge  the  miner  from  about 
thirty  dollars  a  ton,  to  one  hundred  dollars  a  ton,  according  to 
locality  and  the  value  of  the  product  secured  from  the  concen- 
trates operated  upon.  Before  smelting,  the  ores  are  culled  or 
selected  by  hand,  or  otherwise  separated,  and  then  in  general 
concentrated  after  the  methods  already  stated.  This  involves 
much  labor,  and  still  the  final  result  is  very  unsatisfactory  to 
the  intelligent  practical  miner  and  a  matter  of  reproach  to  the 
science  of  the  expert. 

The  first  waste  of  metal  involved  in  the  process  by  the 
stamp  mill,  is  by  "float  gold"  washed  away  in  free  but  invisi- 
ble particles ;  the  loss  by  this  cause  is  estimated  as  high  as 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  407 

twenty  per  cent,  of  the  amount  saved  by  amalgamation.  The 
second  waste  arises  from  the  passing  away  of  particles  of  gold 
in  imperfectly  pulverized  rock.  Where  the  greatest  possible 
care  has  been  taken,  a  loss  of  ten  per  cent,  of  the  gold  con- 
tained in  the  rock  is  estimated.  In  Australia,  on  ores  pro- 
ducing but  $6,52  worth  of  gold  per  ton,  an  average  loss  of 
$1,56  per  ton  was  attributable  to  this  cause.  The  third  and 
greatest  waste,  results  from  the  presence  of  the  sulphides  in 
the  ore.  Presuming  the  value  of  the  best  ores,  as  worked  at 
the  most  carefully-conducted  mines  of  California,  to  be  $29,00 
per  ton,  and  the  average  yield  $14,00  to  $15,00  per  ton,  the 
loss  by  sulphides  is  estimated  at  an  average  of  $6,00  for  each 
ton  of  ore  milled  in  the  state.  In  Colorado,  where  the  assayed 
value  of  the  ore  has  been  stated  at  from  $32,97  to  $37,97  a 
ton,  the  possible  loss  by  mill  treatment  has  been  estimated  as 
high  as  $22,00  on  each  ton. 

The  demonstration  of  such  results,  or  even  the  reasonable 
suspicion  of  their  possibility,  was  sufficient  to  stimulate  inves- 
tigation  to  the  utmost,  and  make  ultimate  improvement  by 
new  inventions  almost  certain.  It  has  long  been  generally 
known,  that,  as  described  on  page  258  of  this  essay,  gold  could 
be  detected  and  captured  by  chemical  analysis  and  assay,  when, 
as  in  the  experiments  of  Soustadt  upon  sea  water,  the  amount 
of  the  precious  metal  present  was  but  about  a  grain  in  a  ton. 
The  want  of  the  miner,  is  a  process,  which,  while  saving  ap- 
proximately, the  amount  of  gold  shown  by  analysis  to  exist 
in  the  ore,  shall  yet  be  so  cheap,  as  to  cost  but  a  very 
moderate  per  centage  of  the  gross  income  derived  from  the 
mine. 

Upon  the  preceding  page  261,  in  reference  to  the  solvents  of 
gold,  it  is  stated  that  the  metal  "is  not  acted  upon  by  the  alka- 
lies, nor  by  any  simple  acid,  except  selenio  acid,  neither  is  it 
affected  by  the  oxygen  of  the  air,  though  long  exposed  to  the 
same  when  in  a  state  of  fusion.  It  is  not  affected  by  sulphur, 
but  is  dissolved  by  bromine  and  chlorine,  or  by  any  combina- 
tion of  acids  or  different  substances  wherein  free  chlorine  may 


408  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

be  found.  Chlorine,  as  generated  in  chemical  compounds,  is  a 
powerful  solvent  of  gold." 

A  practical  knowledge  of  these  elementary  facts  in  the 
chemistry  of  gold,  was  first  applied  to  the  treatment  of  ores 
by  "chlorination"  by  Professor  Plattner,  at  the  mines  at 
Reichenstein,  Silesia,  in  1851.  The  material  operated  upon, 
then  and  there,  was  arsenide  waste,  containing  a  small  amount 
of  gold.  The  success  of  Plattner's  original  operations,  called 
attention  to  his  method,  and  led  to  experiments  and  modifica- 
tions of  his  system,  but  none  of  the  primary  radical  innova- 
tions came  into  general  use. 

About  1868,  when  extraction  by  smelting  was  first  applied 
to  the  ores  of  Colorado,  Professor  Deetten  of  San  Francisco, 
California,  began  the  demonstration  of  a  method  of  securing 
gold  by  chlorination  of  the  pulverized  ores  of  that  state.  This 
he  presently  made  practical  in  Grass  valley,  California,  since 
which,  chlorination  works  have  been  erected  in  many  places, 
the  process  being  until  recently,  with  few  modifications,  that 
first  applied  by  the  original  inventor,  Professor  Plattner,  to 
the  auriferous  arsenical  wastes  at  Reichenstein.  Under  proper 
management,  this  process,  with  most  auriferous  sulphides, 
gives  good  uniform  results,  and  when  worked  for  gold  alone, 
is  cheaper  than  smelting.  Practical  reasons  have  limited  the 
application  of  the  original  method  of  chlorination  to  "concen- 
trates," or  prepared  selected  separated  portions  of  the  ore, 
from  which  the  bulk  of  the  waste  rock  has  been  discharged. 
Chlorination  works  are  now  established  at  separate  mines,  or 
in  localities  where  the  concentrates  can  be  obtained  conveni- 
ently from  several  mills.  Large  works  of  this  kind  under  the 
original  system,  have  not  been  attempted,  their  success  being 
considered  doubtful. 

The  original  Plattner  Process  of  Chlorination  may  be  con- 
sidered as  the  type  of  the  chlorine  process,  the  apparatus  and 
mode  of  operation  being  somewhat  as  follows :  There  is  pro- 
vided a  tank,  vat  or  cistern,  of  proper  size,  having  a  per- 
forated false  bottom,  and  a  close  removable  cover.     Upon  the 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  409 

false  bottom  of  the  tank,  in  some  one  of  a  number  of  ways 
used,  a  filter  is  made,  and  upon  this,  the  prepared  concentrates, 
having  been  cooled  and  moistened  with  water,  are  lightly  sift- 
ed, until  the  tank  is  full.  The  apparatus  includes  a  chamber 
or  generator  made  of  lead,  in  which  chlorine  gas  is  produced 
from  the  decomposition  of  salt  (chloride  of  sodium),  and  the 
peroxide  of  manganese,  by  sulphuric  acid,  or  from  the  perox- 
ide and  hydro-chloric  acid.  The  chlorine  gas  being  passed 
through  water,  to  purify  it  from  hydro-chloric  acid,  enters^ 
leaden  pipes,  which  conduct  it  to  the  space  between  the  true 
and  false  bottoms  of  the  tank,  and  under  the  mass  of  concen- 
trates. The  gas  ascends  through  the  perforations  of  the  false 
bottom,  and  through  the  filter,  and  in  from  fifteen  to  forty 
hours  permeates  the  mass  above.  Whenever  the  mass  has 
become  saturated  with  the  gas,  the  odor  of  chloripe  will  be 
perceived  at  the  top  of  the  tank ;  the  cover  of  the  same  is  then 
secured  in  place,  and  closely  luted  or  sealed,  and  pure  water  is 
introduced,  until  the  mass  of  concentrates  is  flooded. 

The  action  of  the  chlorine  gas  having  changed  the  fine  par- 
ticles of  gold  in  the  concentrates,  to  a  soluble  terchloride  of 
gold,  the  water  dissolves  the  same,  and  the  aqueous  solution 
is  presently  drawn  off'  into  vats;  fresh  water  is  then  added  to 
the  mass  of  concentrates  in  the  tank,  and  the  leaching  con- 
tinued until  the  water  drawn  off  yields  no  trace  of  gold  to 
chemical  tests.  To  the  dilute  aqueous  solution  of  terchloride 
of  gold  thus  obtained,  a  precipitant  is  carefully  added  ;  for  this 
purpose  a  variety  of  reagents  or  substances  are  used,  among 
which  are  the  prepared  solution  of  sulphate  of  iron,  or  com- 
mon copperas ;  the  sub.  chloride  of  arsenic;  sulphurous  acid ; 
sulphuretted  hydrogen;  phosphorous;  iron;  copper;  zinc; 
mercury ;  charcoal ;  sawdust ;  leather,  etc.  Extended  and  ex- 
haustive experiments  by  expert  metallurgists,  have  shown 
that  the  successful  extraction  of  gold  from  concentrates  of  its 
ores  by  chlorination,  is  dependent  upon  the  nature  of  the  ore, 
a  thorough  and  proper  preparation  of  the  concentrates,  and 
skillful  manipulation  in  the  various  steps  of  the  process.     The 


410  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

sulphur  and  arsenic  of  the  sulphides  and  arsenides  which  may 
be  found  in  the  ores  and  their  concentrates,  must  be  com- 
pletely driven  off  by  heat ;  the  roast  being  continued  until  the 
metals  are  perfectly  transformed  into  oxides,  the  chemical 
combination  of  the  mass  broken  up,  and  the  gold  left  in  its 
native  condition  as  a  free  metal. 

If  sulphides  and  soluble  sulphates  of  the  metals  are  allowed 
to  remain  in  the  materials  operated  upon  by  chlorine  gas,  they 
are  transformed  into  chlorides,  and  the  chlorine  gas  being  ab- 
sorbed, is  wasted.  The  chlorides  may  also  evolve  sulphui- 
etted  hydrogen  gas,  which  would  cast  down  the  dissolved  gold 
so  as  to  cause  a  loss  of  the  same  in  the  mass.  The  sulphides 
produce  chloride  of  sulphur,  hydro-chloric  and  sulphuric  acids 
are  then  produced  by  reactions,  the  acids  attack  the  oxides, 
and  the  metallic  salts  created  descend  with  the  dissolved  gold 
as  cast  down  by  the  sulphates,  the  whole  forming  an  impure 
precipitate.  The  chlorine  gas  must  be  freed  from  hydro- 
chloric acid,  or  the  metallic  oxides  are  taken  into  solution; 
sulphuretted  hydrogen  would  be  evolved  from  undecomposed 
sulphides,  if  present,  and  the  dissolved  gold  descend  and  be 
lost  in  the  mass. 

The  restrictive  objections  to  the  use  of  this  otherwise  un- 
equalled process  have  been,  the  care  and  expense  of  such  a 
preparation  of  the  ores  and  roast  of  the  concentrates,  as  is  ab- 
solutely requisite ;  the  time  needed  to  effect  the  chlorination 
of  even  a  moderate  mass ;  the  amount  of  pure  water  which 
must  be  used ;  the  great  number  and  size  of  the  tanks  and  vats 
to  be  erected  for  any  considerable  working,  and  the  great  space 
occupied  by  a  most  cumbersome  establishment. 

For  many  years,  the  cost  of  the  necessary  acids  prevented 
the  economical  separation  of  gold  in  Australia,  until  the  diffi- 
culty was  overcome  by  the  introduction  and  adoption  of  a 
chlorine  process,  invented  by  Mr.  F.  Bowyer  Miller,  formerly 
one  of  the  assayers  of  the  Sydney  branch  of  the  Royal  Mint, 
and  in  1880,  superintendent  of  the  bullion  ofBce  at  Melbourne. 
By  Miller's  process,  the  gold  is  rendered  tough  and  the  silver 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  411 

is  scijarated  and  becomes  a  valuable  source  of  revenue.  The 
process  has  the  additional  advantage  of  rapid  operation ;  un- 
der the  other  known  methods  of  refining,  much  time  was  lost 
but  a  few  hours  now  suffices  for  the  treatment  of  the  largest 
parcels.  Eighteen  thousand  ounces  of  gold,  have  been  refined 
and  delivered  for  work  in  one  working  day.  The  plant 're- 
quired for  this  operation  is  of  the  simplest  kind,  and  the 
chemical  agents  used  are  of  the  most  inexpensive  character. 
Information  in  regard  to  this  process,  was  communicated  to 
the  Secretary  of  the  Treasury  of  the  United  States,  by  0.  M. 
Spencer,  Consul-Gcneral  at  Melbourne. 

In  regard  to  this  Australian  process,  Mr.  "Wm.  E.  Du  Bois, 
Assayer  of  the  United  States  Mint  at  Philadelphia,  informs 
the  writer  that :  "  The  chlorine-parting  process  was  abundantly 
tested  at  the  U.  S.  Mint  in  Philadelphia,  some  years  ago,  by 
the  inventor,  and  elicited  warm  approbation  from  the  opera- 
tive officers  there. 

"  It  was  evident,  however,  that  it  was  not  well  adapted  to  the 
most  of  the  gold  ores  of  the  United  States,  on  account  of  their 
being  argentiferous,  in  a  considerable  degree;  while  for  the 
gold  mines  of  Australia,  where  the  gold  is  of  a  high  grade, 
containing  but  little  silver,  it  was  just  the  thing  they  wanted. 
For  auriferous  silver,  such  as  Nevada  produces  mainly,  it  is 
not  suited  at  all.  The  nitric  process,  and  especially  the  sul- 
phuric, continue  therefore  to  be  used  at  the  U.  S.  mints,  and 
private  refineries  generally.  It  seems  not  necessary  to  give 
here  the  chemical  reasons  for  the  difference." 

With  a  view  to  remedying  the  defects  of  the  Plattner  process 
of  chlorination,  or  at  least  of  adapting  the  same  to  a  wider 
range  of  operation.  Dr.  J.  Howell  Mears  of  Philadelphia,  madd 
a  series  of  experiments  which  resulted  in  what  is  claimed  to 
be  an  original  discovery,  and  device  of  surpassing  importance. 
The  new  method  of  working  developed  by  Dr.  Mears,  is  styled 
the  Mears-Plattner  Process.  For  this  process,  The  ^^leara 
Chlorination  Company  of  Philadelphia,  claim  "the  locking-up 
of  hitherto  uncontrolled  power,  subjecting  it  to  order,  method, 


412  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

and  measure,  the  harnessing  of  it  to  disciplined  effort  for  per- 
fecting in  one  hour  a  duty  which,  at  will,  required  from  twen- 
ty to  forty  hours."  They  farther  state :  "  The  merit  of  the 
discovery  rests  in  this  condensed  and  increased  force  of  dis- 
ciplined work,  vastly  accelerating  perfect  results.  The  scope 
of  labor  thus  opened  embraces  the  large  portion  of  the  aurifer- 
ous ores,  which  may  now  be  handled  cheaply  and  conveniently 
without  waste  in  the  residues."  "  Briefly  stated,  the  Mears 
improvement  derives  form  and  force  from  compressed  chlorine 
confined  in  a  revolving  cylinder  containing  the  auriferous 
roast  mass.  The  advantages  consist  in  an  expedited  action,  an 
important  contracting  of  the  operating  area  and  appliances, 
therefore  great  economy  in  material,  in  handling,  and  in  out- 
lay for  plant ;  to  which  is  added  a  close,  if  not  closer  extrac- 
tion of  metal  than  by  the  old  free  range  process  according  to 
Plattner." 

Chlorine  gas  for  operations  by  the  Mears-Plattner  Process 
is  generated  in  the  usual  manner.  From  the  generator,  the 
gas  is  passed  into  a  metallic  gasometer  lined  with  lead,  and 
thence  is  forced  by  a  pump  into  a  strong  reservoir.  In  place 
of  the  tank  formerly  used,  there  is  a  chlorinator,  formed  of 
"a  cylinder  of  iron  lined  with  lead,  the  cylinder  revolving  on 
trunions  centered  on  the  heads  and  resting  on  boxes  firmly 
seated  on  the  iron  frame  support,  one  trunion  being  hollow, 
to  which  the  connecting  pipe  is  adjusted.  Central  on  the 
periphery  of  the  cylinder  a  man  hole  is  fitted  with  an  adjusta- 
ble cover.  All  assailable  parts  are  protected  with  sheet- lead, 
and  the  parts  firmly  bolted  together  and  capable  to  resist  a 
pressure  much  greater  than  the  working  maximum,  and  indi- 
cated by  an  attached  pressure  guage." 

The  ores,  or  concentrates,  to  be  operated  upon  by  the  appara- 
tus just  described,  are  submitted  to  the  same  thorough  prepara- 
tion required  for  the  original  Plattner  process;  being  "dead- 
sweet  roasted,"  they  are  placed  in  the  cylinder  just  described, 
to  the  amount  of  two  thousand  pounds  weight ;  to  this  charge, 
one  hundred  and  twenty-five  gallons  of  pure  water  are  added, 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  413 

and  the  cylinder  revolved  until  a  thorough  mixture  has  been 
effected.  The  air  is  then  exhausted  from  the  cylinder,  to  pre- 
vent adulteration  of  the  chlorine,  and  the  chlorine  gas  is  ad- 
mitted from  the  reservoir  until  the  guage  indicates  the  requi- 
site pressure ;  the  gas  is  then  shut  off,  and  the  cylinder  kept 
revolving  from  thirty  minutes  to  an  hour.  By  this  time,  the 
gold  contained  is  thoroughly  dissolved,  the  gas  remaining  is 
discharged,  either  back  into  the  gasometer,  by  force  of  the 
pump  for  reuse,  or  forward,  escaping  into  another  and  newiy- 
charged  cylinder,  where  being  reinforced  from  the  gasometer, 
it  helps  to  chloridize  another  ton  of  material. 

The  man-hole  is  then  opened  and  the  contents  of  the  cylin- 
der are  dumped  through  the  hole  into  cars  with  bottoms  ar- 
ranged as  a  filter  ;  pure  water  is  added,  and  the  leaching  car- 
ried on  and  the  solution  conducted  to  a  precipitating  vat,  until 
the  wash  shows  no  trace  of  gold  to  chemical  test.  The  pre- 
cipitation may  be  effected  by  sulphate  of  iron,  or  charcoal.  If 
the  sulphate  is  used,  it  is  added  to  the  contents  of  the  vat  un- 
til the  solution  shows  no  change  of  color  when  a  few  drops  of 
the  sulphate  in  preparation  are  added  to  a  sample  quantity 
from  the  vat.  If  charcoal  is  used,  the  solution  must  be  care- 
fully filtrated  through  several  successive  barrels,  properly 
filled  with  the  coal  in  a  pulverized  state  until  all  the  gold  is 
saved.  If  a  precipitate  be  made  with  sulphate  of  iron,  the 
substance  cast  down  must  be  washed  and  purified  by  dilute 
sulphuric  acid,  and  when  mixed  with  borax,  or  other  suitable 
flux,  smelted  and  run  into  ingots  of  gold.  When  the  precipi- 
tate is  made  in  charcoal,  a  rich  carbon  concentrate  is  obtained, 
which  must  be  dried  and  carefully  burned  to  ashes ;  these  are 
then  to  be  washed,  and  the  gold  which  remains,  smelted  into 
an  ingot  as  in  the  other  process. 

Chlorination  by  use  of  the  revolving  cylinder,  is  also  effect- 
ed in  a  second  method :  The  charge  of  dead-roast  is  placed  in 
the  cylinder,  with  a  definite  amount  of  chloride  of  hme,  and 
the  proper  proportion  of  sulphuric  acid.  The  man-hole  is 
then  secured,  and  the  cylinder  made  to  revolve,  when  the  evo- 


414  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

lution  of  clalorine  gas  is  at  once  made  evident  by  the  pressure 
indicated  upon  the  dial  of  the  guage;  the  maximum  pressure 
is  at  once  attained,  but  decreases  gradually  to  the  completioij 
of  the  process.  The  subsequent  treatment  of  the  mass  is  the 
same  as  in  the  former  instance.  By  evolving  the  chlorine 
gas  in  the  cylinder,  it  is  made  to  operate  in  the  nascent  state, 
underpressure,  with  mechanical  agitation;  this  modification 
of  the  method  of  Dr.  Mears,  was  first  used  for  tests  in  the  lab- 
oratory ;  then  for  working  trials,  and  finally  in  a  large  way, 
working  tons  of  ore  daily  in  an  entirely  satisfactory  manner. 

The  Mears  Plattner  Process  is  in  use  at  the  Yadkin  Gold 
Mine  and  Eeduction  Works,  North  Carolina,  and  from  those 
concerned,  the  report  is  made,  that :  "these  simple  progressive, 
and  S3^stematic  operations  serve  to  extract  and  put  in  the  form 
of  bullion,  the  entire  auric  contents  of  the  dead-roast,  seldom 
leaving  beyond  a  trace — not  over  fifty  cents  per  ton — if  th^ 
operation  has  been  conducted  with  the  care  that  the  syste- 
matic conduct  of  the  process  demands  and  makes  easy.  In  an 
establishment  working  several  tons  of  dead-roast  continuously, 
thus  exhausting  the  powers  of  the  chlorine  needed  for  keeping 
up  the  pressure,  only,  or  mainly  that  absorbed  by  the  water  is 
wasted.  The  cost  of  a  quantity  absolutely  required  for  dis- 
solving the  gold,  bears  about  the  relation  of  twenty  five  cents 
to  $240  in  gold  bulHon. 

The  Mears  Chlorinatiou  Company,  as  at  present  advised, 
recommend  no  special  means  for  claiming  the  irregular  quan- 
tity of  silver  and  copper  chloridized  in  their  process  when  em- 
ployed for  the  gold.  Special  information  upon  this  subject  is 
promised,  but  thus  far  those  using  the  chlorine  process  for 
gold,  are  left  to  their  choice  of  the  already-known  meihods 
for  the  chlorides  of  silver  and  copper  produced.  It  is  claimed 
that  in  North  Carolina,  where  labor  is  cheap,  chlorination, 
with  the  reuse  of  gas,  can  be  made  for  one  dollar  per  one  ton 
of  ore ;  the  cost  of  mining  and  milling  may  be  from  $3.00  to 
$5,00,  making  a  total  e.^:pense  for  operation,  of  from  four  to  six 
dollars  per  ton,  under  favorable  circumstances. 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  415 

The  Company  estimated  that  by  an  increased  outlay  of  $2,75 
per  ton,  substituting  their  method  of  chlorination,  for  the  mill 
process,  a  present  annual  industrial  loss  of  bullion  worth  $4,- 
500,000,  might  be  saved  in  the  state  of  California,  and  the 
profits  of  the  mine  owners  and  operators  increased  by  $5,75 
on  each  ton  of  ore,  a  net  gain  to  them  of  $2,375,000  each  year. 

According  to  a  further  calculation,  by  the  same  Company, 
if  the  average  cost  of  milling  and  smelting  the  ores  of  Colora- 
do, were  increased  in  the  same  way,  by  from  seventy  five  cents 
to  a  dollar  a  ton,  there  would  result  an  industrial  savino:  of 
$15,00  a  ton,  or  $2,250,000  worth  of  bullion  annually  in  the 
state,  and  an  increased  profit  to  the  mine  owners  and  operators 
of  more  than  $14,00  per  ton,  or  in  all  over  $2,100,000  each 
year.  These  figures  indicate  an  estimated  possible  increase  in 
the  yield  of  bullion  in  these  two  states,  of  some  $6,750,000 
value  each  year,  and  an  enlargement  of  profits  by  the  sum  of 
about  $4,475,0u0  each  year. 

Even  an  approximation  to  such  results,  would  doubtless 
make  chlorination  by  such  a  method,  the  working  process  of 
the  world  for  the  future,' in  ores  adapted  to  the  same,  and  re- 
sult in  an  almost  incalculable  increase  of  the  general  yield  of 
bullion 

To  resume  m  chronological  order  the  record  of  events  which 
from  1848  to  1852,  and  thereafter  until  now,  have  marked  the 
development  of  California  as  the  great  gold  field  of  the  world, 
it  may  here  incidentally  be  stated,  that  the  social  and  political 
phenomena  observable  m  that  territory  during  the  first  few 
years  of  the  time  noted,  were  quite  as  extraordinary  and  mar- 
vellous as  the  altogether  unprecedented  product  of  gold,  mer- 
cury, and  other  metallic  wealth. 

The  acquisition  of  California  by  the  United  States,  is  the 
subject  of  one  of  the  most  remarkable  pages  of  American 
history,  the  details  of  the  matter,  however,  have  never  been 
made  pubhc.  It  seems  to  have  been  assumed  among  that  class 
of  politicians  who  considered  it  the  "manifest  destiny"  of  the 
United  States  to  overrun  the  continent,  that  such  a  territory 


416  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

as  California  was  found  to  be,  ought  to  be  absorbed.  "Whether 
the  acquisition  of  California  was  in  consequence  of  the  war 
with  Mexico,  or  the  war  with  Mexico  precipitated  to  facilitate 
the  acquisition  of  California,  might  be  made  a  topic  for  dis- 
cussion. There  seems  to  have  been  some  "  sharp  practice,"  as 
well  as  a  good  deal  of  hard  fighting,  involved.  It  was  evident 
Mexico  could  not  maintain  her  power  in  California,  against 
the  intrigues  of  France  and  England,  and  the  Government  of 
the  United  States  was  determined  to  hold  swav  from  ocean  to 
ocean,  and  never  permit  the  nullification  of  the  "Monroe  doc- 
trine" bj  the  establishment  of  new  European  colonies  on  its 
western  frontier. 

Emigration,  revolution,  conquest,  peaceable  possession,  de- 
velopment— such  was  the  programme,  and  rapidly  and  effect- 
ually the  whole  order  was  carried  to  complete  success. 

In  1846,  Colonel  John  C.  Fremont  was  conveniently  on  the 
Pacific  coast,  conducting  a  scientific  exploration;  verbal  in- 
structions were  sent  to  him  from  Washington,  in  consequence 
of  which  he  and  his  followers,  as  already  §tated  on  a  former 
page,  declared  the  independence  of  California.  Some  fighting 
and  much  disorder  in  California,  followed,  but  the  territory 
was  ceded  to  the  United  States  in  1848,  the  people  adopted  a 
Constitution  October  13,  1849,  and  California  became  one  of 
the  United  States  September  9th,  1850.  The  events  of  these 
years  as  connected  with  the  mining  of  gold,  and  other  inci- 
dental affairs,  have  been  related  in  this  writing.  I'o  the  po- 
litical and  social  developments  of  the  time,  among  an  excita- 
ble, motley,  heterogeneous,  polyglot  population,  a  few  para- 
graphs should  now  be  given. 

In  1852,  California  contained  a  population  of  about  250,000 
persons,  by  far  ihe  larger  portion  of  whom  were  males.  More 
than  100,000  of  these  were  miners,  men  in  the  prime  of  life, 
deprived  of  the  direct  influence  of  women,  children,  home  and 
regular  society,  in  a  country  with  but  inadequate  provision 
for  the  enforcement  of  the  common  law.  All  of  these  men 
were  energetic,  daring,  reckless,  earning  an  average  of  more 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  417 

tnan  $8,00  a  day,  and  mad  with  a  thirst  for  more  gold ;  beside 
which  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  many  of  them  were  desper- 
adoes capable  of  any  crime.  Gambling  and  other  forms  of 
robbery,  were  quickly  developed,  and  social  vices  of  every 
kind  multiplied  and  flourished.  Theft  and  murder  were  com- 
mon occurrences  in  the  streets  of  San  Francisco,  in  which  city 
whole  squares  of  buildings,  of  one  kind  and  another,  were  de- 
voted to  the  use  of  gamesters  and  their  confederates  in  swind- 
ling and  debauchery.  Eogues  and  ruffians  were  sheltered  in- 
stead of  being  punished  by  the  courts. 

In  spite  of  the  most  earnest  and  even  death -dealing  opposi- 
tion of  some  of  the  better  citizens,  the  highest  offices  of  the 
state  were  seized  by  the  worst  of  men  through  open  and  un- 
blushing frauds,  and  the  whole  machinery  of  government 
prostituted  to  the  rapacity  and  arrogance  of  an  organized 
banditti.     ■ 

In  May,  1855,  the  Vigilance  Committee  (instituted  in  1851), 
was  revived,  and  for  eight  months  held  sway  in  San  Francis- 
co ;  they  arrested,  they  tried,  they  banished,  they  hung  ob- 
noxious characters  with  an  illegal  and  yet  discriminating  pro- 
cedure. Absolute  and  extraordinary  as  their  doings  were,  the 
one  prominent  mistake  charged  against  the  Vigilance  Com- 
mittee, in  the  dispassionate  chronicles  of  the  era  is,  that  they 
liberated  one  of  the  Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State 
whom  they  brought  before  them  for  trial — his  subsequent 
course  having  proved  his  ill-desert  of  the  mercy  shown  him. 
The  people  of  Cahfornia,  residents  of  the  state  before  the  dis- 
covery of  gold  there,  were  of  necessity  unsettled,  or  as  might 
be  said,  overturned  and  carried  away,  by  the  rush  of  strange 
men  and  incredible  events  during  1848  and  the  succeeding 
years,  and  the  dislocation  was  not  always  to  their  advantage. 
The  case  of  Colonel  or  General  John  Augustus  Suter,  of  Sut- 
ter's Fort,  a  sketch  of  whose  career  may  be  found  on  page  385 
is  an  instance  in  proof.  From  his  vast  landed  estate,  received 
by  grant  from  the  Mexican  government,  Suter,  as  Governor 
of  that  part  of  the  territories  of  Mexico,  became,  bv  lumber- 
z 


418  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 

ing,  trading,  and  cattle  raising,  a  man  of  great  wealth.  "When 
the  authority  of  the  United  States  became  established  in  Cali- 
fornia, the  former  Mexican  Governor  was  made  an  alcalde^  or 
justice  of  the  peace,  and  an  Indian  agent. 

"General  Sutter"  could  then,  according  to  law,  dispense  jus- 
tice to  others,  but  the  event  proved  he  was  powerless  to  obtain 
the  same  for  himself.  He  was  the  agent  of  a  great  govern- 
ment in  its  dealings  with  the  Indians,  but  presently  unable  to 
find  even  an  Indian,  willing  to  act  as  an  agent  of  his.  Strange- 
ly enough,  the  discovery  which  showed  that  the  many  broad 
acres  of  "New  Helvetia"  were  not  only  fertile  soil,  but  part 
of  the  richest  gold  field  in  the  world,  proved  the  signal  of  ruin 
to  their  owner! 

The  garrison  of  Sutter's  Fort  deserted ;  the  laborers  in  the 
fields,  among  the  herds,  and  at  the  mill,  abandoned  their  em- 
ployment ;  Sutter's  land  was  overrun  by  gold-digging  multi- 
tudes, who  heedless  of  grants,  deeds,  or  any  proof  of  proprie- 
tary rights  whatever,  "squatted  upon  the  ground"  and  paid 
neither  rent  nor  royalty ;  crops  disappeared,  cattle  and  sheep 
went  the  way  of  all  beef  and  mutton,  in  the  presence  of  an 
army  of  hungry  men,  uncounted,  un weighed,  and  unpaid  for; 
horses  were  stolen,  all  kinds  of  property  appropriated,  a  great 
establishment  was  broken  up,  its  proprietor  maltreated  and 
despoiled.  The  most  persistent  subsequent  effort  failed  to  ob- 
tain a  reinstatement  for  General  Sutter  or  anything  from  the 
state  of  California,  beyond  a  repayment  of  the  taxes  paid  by 
him  for  the  benefit  of  the  state,  upon  the  lands  of  which  he 
was  dispossessed.  In  1865,  or  thereabouts.  Gen.  Sutter  left 
California,  and  finally  settled  at  Litiz,  Lancaster  county,  Pa. 
He  died  at  Washington,  D.  C,  Friday,  June  18th,  1880.  His 
faithful  wife,  eighty  years  of  age,  followed  him  to  the  life  be- 
yond, seven  months  after  his  decease. 

However,  none  of  .  .lese  things  are  to  be  recorded  to  the  un- 
qualified disparagement  of  the  persons  immediately  concerned, 
or  of  the  condemnation  of  the  entire  state,  where  the  descend- 
ants of  many  of  them  now  live  most  prosperous  and  honora- 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  419 

ble  lives,  "Mexican  grants"  in  the  days  of  revolution  and 
conquest  in  California,  were  considered  an  uncertain  and  du- 
bious tenure  of  land,  the  circumstances  were  unprecedented, 
events  uncontrolable,  the  excitement  fearful.  It  was  a  time 
and  place  where  men  might  almost  be  allowed  to  plead  insan- 
ity, at  the  bar  of  public  opinion,  in  excuse  for  their  collective 
misdemeanors.  The  people  of  California  had  in  1857,  a  pub- 
lic debt  of  $12,163,090  for  the  state  and  the  counties.  The 
entire  revenue  raised  by  taxation  to  meet  the  entire  debt,  was 
$1,152,234,  four-fifths  from  property  and  one-fifth  personal. 
The  prompt  payment  of  the  debt  was  demanded;  when,  the 
question  of  repudiation  being  raised,  the  popular  vote  was — 
for  payment,  57,661 — for  repudiation,  16,970 — and  the  credit 
and  honor  of  the  state  were  preserved.  This  was  not  a  dis* 
honest  people. 

That  the  Legislature  of  California  should  have  found  grace, 
even  for  the  seemingly  scanty  measure  of  justice  done  General 
Sutter,  may  seem  more  to  their  credit,  when  the  defects  ot 
such  bodies  the  world  over  are  taken  into  consideration,  and 
note  is  made  of  the  positive  statement  made  by  his  surviving 
friends,  that  the  venerable  claimant  persistently  and  stubborn- 
ly refused  the  expenditure  of  a  single  dollar  for  purposes  o# 
bribery  and  corruption. 

The  vicissitudes  of  life  in  California,  have  largely  depended 
upon  the  temper  of  the  people,  but  are  nearly  all  traceable  io 
the  various  findings  of  gold.  Nothing  was  ever  quite  good 
enough  for  the  original  California  miners.  They  had  an  idea 
that  somewhere,  among  the  almost  inaccessible  mountains,  or 
across  vast  barren  plains,  there  would  be  found  the  home  of 
the  gold  ;  a  center  or  focus  of  the  precious  metal,  vastly  richer 
than  any  deposit  ever  found,  or  any  vein  ever  opened.  It  wa« 
the  old  Spaniards  dream  of  El  Dorado  over  again  in  the  nifl^ 
teenth  century ! 

The  miners  lived  in  a  fever  of  excitement;  sometimes  a 
special  frenzy  would  break  out  upon  ihe  report  of  some  lucky 
strike  here  or  there,  and  leaving  good  work  and  prospects, 


420  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

awaj  they  would  rush,  pell-mell,  by  thousands,  for  some  dis- 
tant newly-reported  locality,  perhaps  merely  mentioned  in  tho 
newspapers.  Many  would  perish  from  hardship  on  the  way, 
and  often  the  new  field  would  prove  barren,  and  the  adven- 
turers repent  their  enterprising  journey,  in  poverty  and  rags, 
until  perhaps,  the  "strapped"  gold  digger  somewhere  met  "pay- 
dirt"  once  more.  Such  was  the  Kern-river  fever  of  1855,  and 
the  "Frazer-river  rush"  of  1858;  this  last  involving  an  emi- 
gration of  some  20,000  men,  of  whom  few  were  even  moder- 
ately successful,  while  all  suffered  beyond  description,  nearly 
all  were  made  totally  destitute,  and  many  died. 

Such  unexampled  and  sudden  shiftings  of  masses  of  popu- 
lation, even  when  the  object  of  such  a  journey  was  attained, 
was  necessarily  fatal  to  stable  local  enterprise  and  common  in- 
dustries, the  excitement  as  to  new  gold  fields,  in  more  than 
one  instance  quite  depopulating  one  district,  and  as  suddenly 
creating  settlements  and  trade  in  another.  The  partial  ex- 
haustion of  the  placers,  and  the  more  or  less  complete  explor- 
iation  of  the  country,  have  put  an  end  to  the  ways  and  meth- 
ods of  "the  pioneers  of  forty-nine." 

Gold  mining,  with  great  capital,  and  by  scentific  methods,  is 
now  one,  and  but  one,  of  the  great  regular  and  prosperous  in- 
dustries of  fertile,  salubrious,  California,  and  yet,  though  united 
with  the  east  by  railroads,  and  with  Europe  and  Asia  by  lines 
of  steamers,  the  growth  of  the  state  in  proportion  has  been 
comparatively  slow  for  the  last  twenty  years,  amounting  in 
1880,  to  no  more  than  864,686  persons,  an  increase  of  304,439 
since  1870,  or  54.3  per  ceot.  in  ten  years.  In  1872,  the  gold 
produced  in  California,  was  estimated  at  a  value  of  $20,000,00 ; 
which  was  reduced  by  1879,  according  to  official  estimate,  to" 
but  $17,600,000;  the  greater  part  of  this,  being  from  perma- 
nent sources  of  supply,  something  like  the  same  amount  may 
probably  be  relied  upon  for  many  years. 

To  the  north  of  California,  from  42  degrees  to  46  degrees 
18  minutes.  North  latitude,  and  from  longitude  116  degrees  33 
minutes  to  124  degrees  25  minutes.  West  from  Greenwich, 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  421 

lies  the  state  of  Oregon.  This  region,  having  an  area  of  95  - 
274  square  miles,  is  divided  by  the  Cascade  and  Blue  Moun- 
tains,  into  Western,  Middle,  and  Eastern  sections.  The  Cas- 
cade  Mountains,  are  a  continuation  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  rano-e, 
and  are  situated  about  110  miles  from  the  Pacific;  they  have 
an  average  elevation  of  from  6,000  to  7,000  feet,  above  which 
rise  the  peaks  of  Mount  Hood,  from  11,025  to  11,225  feet; 
Mt.  McLaughlin,  or  Pitt,  11,000  feet ;  Mount  Jefferson,  10,200 
feet;  the  Three  Sisters,  9,420  feet;  Diamond  Peak,  nearly  the 
same  elevation,  and  Mt.  Thielsen,  8,500  feet  above  the  level  of 
the  sea.  The  rivers  are  large,  rapid,  and  numerous,  but  most- 
ly unnavigable,  the  Columbia,  already  described  on  pages  363 
and  364,  being  the  most  important. 

Oregon  was  discovered  by  De  Fuca,  a  Greek  pilot,  in  1592, 
and,  as  far  as  maritime  discovery  gave  a  title,  originally  be- 
longed to  Spain.  Other  powers  subsequently  laid  claim  to 
portions  of  the  territory,  and  different  parties  made  small  at- 
tempts at  settlements.  Emigrants  from  the  United  States,  be- 
gan to  arrive  in  1832 ;  a  missionary  colony  was  established 
in  1834,  of  which  Dr.  Marcus  Whitman,  and  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Spalding  were  in  charge.  The  wives  of  these  two  leaders, 
were  the  first  white  women  to  cross  "the  plains"  from  the 
United  States,  and  their  children  the  first  born  to  citizens 
of  the  United  States  in  Oregon. 

Oregon  was  formally  made  part  of  the  United  States,  by 
treaty  with  Great  Britain  in  1846 ;  a  territorial  government 
was  organized  by  Act  of  August  14,  1848,  and  established  in 
1849  ;  the  territory  became  one  of  the  United  States  in  1859. 
The  progress  of  Oregon  has  been  slow,  although  accelerated 
by  very  favorable  land  laws,  since  1850,  but  it  yet  remains 
one  of  the  least,  if  not  the  very  least,  populated  of  the  United 
States. 

A  large  part  of  the  eastern  section  of  Oregon,  has  been  sub- 
jected to  recent  volcanic  action,  of  immense  violence.  This 
part  of  the  country  is  seamed  by  canons  or  "canyons,"  ofteA 
1,500  or  more  feet  in  depth,  the  sides  of  which  are  wonderful 


422  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

exhibitions  of  the  strata,  and  demonstrations  in  the  science  of 
geology  hardlj  to  be  found  elsewhere.  Here,  as  in  Califor- 
nia, ancient  Cretaceous  beds  are  found,  with  abundant  marine 
fossil  shells  in  keeping,  the  marine  fossils  of  Oregon  being 
generally  perfect  in  form,  and  yet  filled  with  concretions, 
(Chalcedony  or  calcareous  spar  mostly.  Above  the  Cretaceous 
Strata,  are  found  the  Lower  Tertiary  rocks,  filled  with  fossil 
leaves,  from  plants  of  both  the  tropical  and  temperate  zone ; 
palms,  yews,  giant  ferns,  oak  leaves  and  acorns.  In  these 
rocks,  are  also  many  fossil  bones,  including  two  species  of 
rhinoceros,  four  species  of  a  kind  of  camel-tapir  called  Oredon, 
tapirs,  peccaries,  and  the  remains  of  a  horse-like  animal,  the 
Orohippus.  Upon  the  Lower  Oregonian  Tertiary,  rest  the 
products  of  volcanic  discharge,  an  overflow  of  lava,  deposits 
of  mud,  and  beds  of  ashes,  all  of  great  extent. 

lu  Eastern  Oregon,  earthquakes  have  upheaved  isolated 
coues,  and  created  dike-formed  ridges  of  secondary  rock,  the 
chasms  being  filled  with  lava,  or  with  tertiary  sediments.  In 
the  same  section,  are  mountains  of  amygdaloid,  hills  of  igneous 
conglomerate,  and,  along  the  rivers,  remarkable  columnar 
basaltic  cliffs. 

The  northern  part  of  the  central  section  of  Oregon,  is  occu- 
pied by  the  valleys  of  the  John  Day's  and  Des  Chutes  rivers, 
and  thereabouts  the  Cretaceous  formation  predominates.  Ou 
the  hill  sides  at  the  Dalles,  of  the  Columbia  river,  near  the 
mouth  of  the  Des  Chutes,  boulders  of  gray  and  red  granite  are 
found.  A  considerable  part  of  the  southern  portion  of  this 
dentral  section,  east  of  the  Cascade  Mountains,  and  south  of 
the  44 th  parallel,  is  covered  by  the  tertiary  strata. 

The  Blue  Mountains,  and  the  Coast  range,  are  alike  of 
Ezoic  formation.  The  Cascade  Mountains,  which  rise  be- 
tween these  ranges,  are  volcanic,  with  traces  of  recent  action ; 
which  is  also  traditional  among  the  Indians.  Along  the  Paci- 
fic coast,  there  is  a  narrow  tertiary  region.  The  valley  of  the 
Williamette  river,  and  the  head- waters  of  the  Umpqua,  occupy 
from  north  to  south,  the  central  part  of  the  section  between 


AMEEICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  423 

tne  Cascade  and  Coast  ranges.  To  the  north,  this  interval  is 
in  part  basaltic,  showing 'upright  walls.  Midway  of  the  Wil- 
liamette  valley,  is  a  district  of  igneous  debris,  where  black- 
trap  is  common ;  and  south  of  this,  are  thin  layers  of  lime- 
stone, with  fossil  two-valved  shells,  then  granite  in  place,  and 
southward  still,  a  development  of  basalt.  The  prevailino-  rock, 
however,  is  trap.  The  head  of  the  valley  of  the  Williamette 
river,  shows  a  light  clayey  sandstone.  The  Umpqua  river,  in 
the  south-western  part  of  Oregon,  rises  in  a  tertiary  district 
west  of  the  Cascade  Mountains,  and  flowing  in  its  lower  course, 
in  part  through  carboniferous  formations,  enters  the  Pacific 
ocean. 

The  state  of  Oregon  is  rich  in  meta  s  and  minerals,  but  its 
resources  are  very  imperfectly  developed;  the  mines  are  of 
gold,  silver,  copper,  iron,  coal,  and  lead,  the  ores  of  most  of 
these  metals  being  not  only  abundant  but  rich.  Copper  is 
found  in  ores  and  in  solid  ledges ;  iron  ores  are  of  superior 
quality,  and  exist  in  almost  every  part  of  the  state;  the  coal 
is  lignitic,  and  may  be  taken  in  large  quantities,  in  many 
places,  from  beds  of  great  thickness.  A  large  amount  of  coal 
is  ab'eady  exported  from  mines  on  the  shores  of  Coos  Bay. 
Limestone,  granite,  marble,  sandstone,  slate,  syenite  and  other 
stones  fit  for  building,  may  be  obtained  generally,  though  most 
abundant  in  the  west.  Steattite  or  soap-stone,  is  found  in  the 
region  of  the  Klamath  Lakes;  clays  for  brickmaking  or  pot- 
tery are  plenty ;  the  inexhaustible  sands  of  the  sea  coast  make 
excellent  glass,  and  there  are  a  number  of  springs  in  Western 
Oregon  yielding  large  amounts  of  good  salt. 

Gold  exists  in  the  sands  of  the  Pacific  shore  of  Northera 
California  and  south  western  Oregon,  and  is  taken  thence  by- 
washing.  The  deposits  have  been  brought  down  the  rivers, 
or  derived  from  auriferous  bluffs  undermined  by  the  waves  of 
the  sea.  The  shore  sands  of  Coos  Bay  are  washed  for  gold, 
but  neither  there  nor  along  the  shore  of  the  open  sea  are  the 
operations  permanent  at  any  definite  point,  the  precious  metal 
being  washed  hither  and  thither  along  the  coast,  according  to 


424  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

currents,  winds  and  weather,  as  affecting  the  waves  which 
strike  upon  the  land.  Gold-placer  deposits  were  discovered 
in  Jackson  and  Josephine  counties  of  Oregon  in  1851,  and 
have  been  worked  ever  since,  and  are  estimated  to  have  yield- 
ed some  $23,000,000  or  more  worth  of  gold.  Gold  mining  is 
carried  on  in  Douglas  county ;  but  the  most  important  gold 
field  of  Oregon,  is  to  the  east  of  the  Cascade  Mountains,  on 
the  upper  branches  of  John  Day's  rivQr,  and  in  the  valleys  of 
the  Burnt  and  Powder  rivers.  These  last  deposits  were  dis- 
covered in  1861.  Since  1862,  extensive  placers  and  quartz 
lodes,  have  been  worked  in  Grant  and  Baker  counties,  the 
production  of  which,  until  recent  dates,  was  estimated  at  $1,- 
600,000  worth  of  gold  each  3'ear.  Some  of  the  silver  ores  of 
Oregon,  yield  from  $150  to  $300  worth  of  silver  for  every 
ton ;  silver  is  found  in  all  the  quartz  ledges,  but  the  silver 
mines  are  in  general  undeveloped.  The  annual  product  of 
gold  in  Oregon,  was  at  one  time  estimated  to  be  worth  $2,000,- 
000  a  3'ear,  but  the  reports  of  1880,  credit  the  territory  with 
a  deposit  of  gold  valued  at  but  $583,365.34.  It  is  probable 
the  increase  of  population,  and  the  more  thorough  exploration 
of  the  territory,  with  the  introduction  of  the  improved  and 
extensive  methods  of  operation,  will  increase  the  present  pro- 
duct and  maintain  the  same  for  an  indefinite  period. 

Washington  Territory,  which  lies  to  the  north  of  Ore- 
gon, has  a  somewhat  similar  geologic  formation,  and  ex- 
tends to  the  boundary  of  British  Columbia,  latitude  49  degrees 
North.  Gold  was  discovered  in  this  territory,  east  of  the 
Cascade  Mountains,  in  1858.  The  Columbia  river  flows 
southward  across  the  eastern  section  of  Washington  Terri- 
tory, and  its  bars  and  the  shoals  of  the  streams  which  flow 
into  it,  have  been  profitably  worked  for  gold,  the  greatest 
yield  being  obtained  from  placers  in  the  north-east,  above 
Priest  rapids,  and  in  the  neighborhood  of  Fort  Colville.  It 
has  been  estimated  that  down  to  1868,  gold  to  the  value  of 
$10,000,000  had  been  taken  in  the  territory,  but  this  is  con- 
sidered an  over-statement  by  some  authorities.     Since  1868, 


AMERTCAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  425 

the  yield  has  steadily  decreased,  the  average  product  of  gold 
for  a  number  of  years,  being  no  more  than  $300,000  worth 
each  year.  In  1875,  the  product  of  gold  was  valued  at  $82,- 
000,  and  in  1880,  but  $34,529.24  was  deposited  This  indi- 
cates the  exhaustion  of  the  placers,  but  what  a  more  thorough 
exploration  of  the  country,  or  the  regular  working  of  the 
strata  by  modern  scientific  methods  may  produce,  remains  to 
be  discovered. 

The  general  geologic  indications,  already  noted,  as  observed 
in  California  and  Oregon,  characterize  the  adjoining  states  and 
territories,  marking  them  as  one  vast  gold  field  and  silver- 
mining  territory,  all  the  domain  of  the  United  States  around 
the  Rocky  Mountains,  being  more  or  less  productive  of  the 
precious  metals. 

The  territory  of  Arizona,  between  the  Rocky  Mountains 
and  the  Sierra  Nevadas,  from  latitude  31  degrees  37  minutes 
to  87  degrees  North,  and  between  longitude  109  degrees  to 
114  degrees  25  minutes  "West  from  Greenwich,  comprising 
113,916  square  miles,  or  72,906,240  acres,  an  area  nearly  as 
large  as  the  states  of  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsylvania, 
Delaware  and  Maryland  combined,  is,  throughout  its  whole 
extent,  one  of  the  richest  mineral  regions  of  the  world. 

The  surface  of  Arizona  is  mountainous,  and  the  territory 
is  crossed  by  the  Rio  Colorado,  which  as  already  described  on 
page  364,  flows  through  an  almost  impassable  region.  The 
remains  of  primitive  tools  and  traces  of  aboriginal  workings 
found  in  the  mines  of  Arizona,  lead  to  the  supposition  that 
the  Aztecs  of  Mexico,  there  secured  the  gold  of  which  thej 
were  robbed  by  Cortes  and  his  followers,  and  that  in  Arizona 
was  located  the  country  of  gold  to  which  the  Indians  of 
America  were  in  the  habit  of  referring  the  invading  Europe- 
ans. The  mineral  wealth  of  Arizona  was  known  to  the  old 
Spaniards,  and  very  profitable  gold  and  silver  mines,  some  of 
which  are  still  worked,  were  opened  there  over  200  years  ago. 
The  mountains  of  Central  and  Southern  Arizona,  nearly  all 
contain  lodes  of  gold,  as  well  as  an  abundance  of  silver  and 


426  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

other  metals.  The  auriferous  ores  of  Central  Arizona  have 
yielded  a  value  of  from  $25  to  $100  worth  of  gold  to  the  ton. 
Placer  deposits  of  gold  have  been  discovered  in  every  part  of 
Arizona,  but  no  one  of  them  has  been  sufficiently  extensive 
to  become  famous  under  the  circumstances. 

Notwithstanding  the  richness  of  the  mines  of  Arizona,  the 
yield  of  the  precious  metals  from  them  has  been  small ;  the 
roughness  of  much  of  the  country,  the  want  of  means  of 
transportation,  the  lack  of  fuel,  the  scarcity  of  water,  in  places, 
the  terrible  heat  of  some  parts,  the  unreliability  of  labor,  and 
more  than  all,  the  deadly  hostility  of  the  native  Indians,  and 
the  lawlessness  of  renegade  Mexicans  and  other  desperadoes, 
have  formed  an  array  of  difficulties  and  dangers  which  have 
almost  prohibited  industrial  enterprise.  On  account  of  the 
conditions  described,  many  of  the  old  mines,  though  still  un- 
exhausted, have  been  abandoned,  and  the  working  of  those 
since  discovered  excessively  hindered. 

The  total  amount  of  bullion  produced  in  Arizona  in  1868,  is 
estimated  at  a  value  of  $250,000;  in  1869,  $1000,000;  in  1870, 
$800,000.  In  1880,  Arizona  had  deposited  $2,256,742  worth 
of  gold,  and  silver  to  the  value  of  $4,373,459.  The  future  of 
Arizonian  mining  is  most  promising ;  some  other  fields  have 
become  exhausted,  or  are  fully  occupied,  the  territory  has  be- 
come better  known,  the  Indians  are  less  formidable,  the  laws 
of  the  United  States  prevail,  canals  are  being  made  for  w^ater, 
railroads  constructed,  and  the  development  of  the  natural  re- 
sources of  Arizona  seems  certain. 

To  the  north  of  Arizona,  lies  the  territory  of  Utah,  extend- 
ing to  latitude  42  degrees  North.  The  chief  geologic  strata 
of  Utah,  are  the  cretaceous,  triassic,  Jurassic,  tertiary,  eozoic, 
alluvial,  Cambrian,  and  silurian.  The  Rio  Colorado  and  its 
tributaries  drain  the  eastern  part  of  the  territory.  In  the 
south-west,  Sevier  Lake  receives  several  rivers,  but  has  no 
outlet;  the  Great  Salt  Lake  in  the  north-west,  contains  22  per 
centum  of  salt,  a  brine  wherein  r.o  fish  can  live.  The  Wah- 
satch  Mountains  of  Utah,  attain  at  a  number  of  points,  an  ele- 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  427 

vation  of  from  ten  to  thirteen  thousand  feet  above  the  sea, 
rising  from  a  plain  some  four  to  six  thousand  feet  above  the 
ocean  level.  The  topographic  features  of  Utah,  are  remarka- 
ble ;  the  rivers  run  through  canons  from  2,000  to  5,000  feet 
deep,  and  the  surface  of  the  country  is  largely  occupied  by  arid 
barren  alkaline  deserts. 

Utah  was  settled  by  the  Mormons,  whose  pioneers,  under 
Brigham  Young,  reached  the  region  of  Salt  Lake  July  24, 
1847,  the  main  body  of  emigrants  arriving  in  the  fall  of  1848, 
but  a  few  weeks  before  the  discovery  of  gold  at  Sutter's  Fort 
in  California.  The  Mormon  leaders  discouraged  mining,  and 
stimulated  agriculture,  which,  through  irrigation  and  great 
industry,  was  made  very  productive.  In  consequence,  no 
known  discoveries  of  the  mineral  wealth  of  Utah  took  place, 
until  1858,  when  argentiferous  galena  Avas  discovered  in 
Beaver  county.  From  the  Beaver  county  ores,  the  Mormons 
extracted  a  large  amount  of  mixed  metal,  which  they  regarded 
and  used  as  lead,  being  ignorant  of  the  presence  of  the  silver. 
Silver  lead  ores  were  discovered  in  Bingham  canon,  in  the 
Oquirrh  range  of  mountains  of  Utah,  in  1863,  by  a  party  of 
Californians.  For  want  of  proper  treatment  of  the  ores,  and 
the  lack  of  available  transportation,  the  attempts  made  to  work 
these  deposits  were  unprofitable. 

Gulch  mining  for  gold,  began  in  Bingham  canon  in  1868, 
and  was  continued,  over  a  limited  area,  for  several  years.  In 
1868-9,  the  gold  taken  in  Utah,  was  valued  at  $600,000 ;  in 
1870,  at  $300,000;  in  1871,  at  $221,000;  in  1872,  at  $100,- 
000;  in  1873,  at  $52,426;  in  1874,  at  $92,093;  in  1875,  at 
$181,765.  Meantime,  silver  had  been  mined  to  the  value  of 
$15,925,485.  During  1879,  Utah  produced  gold  to  the  value 
of  $575,000,  and  silver  worth  $6,250,000.  Judging  from  sta- 
tistics, and  the  known  conditions  of  the  territory,  it  may  be 
assumed,  that  the  mineralogical  record  of  Utah,  may  yet  be- 
come as  remarkable  as  its  social  and  political  history. 

Westward  of  Utah,  and  of  Northern  Arizona,  between  these 
territories  and  California,  is  the  state  of  Nevada,  covering  an 


428  DYE'S  com  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

area  of  104,125  square  miles.  The  greater  part  of  this  state, 
is  included  in  the  Great  American  Basin,  a  vast  depression  or 
valley,  lying  between  the  Sierra  Nevadas  on  the  west,  the 
Wahsatch  Mountains  on  the  east,  and  cross  ranges  to  the 
north  and  south.  The  average  elevation  of  the  basin  is  some 
4,000  feet  above  the  sea,  but  it  contains  mountains  which  rise 
from  1,000  to  8,000  feet  above  the  general  level,  and  thus 
present  peaks  from  5,000  to  12,000  feet  above  the  sea.  The 
Great  American  Basin,  contains  an  area  of  about  92,125  square 
miles,  and  yet  has  no  outlet  for  its  drainage.  The  numerous 
and  considerable  rivers,  which  flow  from  the  mountains  in 
this  section  of  Nevada,  discharge  their  waters  into  lakes,  or  in 
many  cases  disappear  in  "sinks"  into  the  earth.  Some  of  the 
rivers  enter  the  earth,  and  after  a  subterranean  course  for 
some  distance,  reappear  in  pools,  and  may  then  again  become 
visible  streams,  flow  into  some  lake,  or  disperse  their  waters 
and  finally  be  lost.  The  rapid  evaporation  of  the  dry  season 
in  Nevada,  exhausts  many  of  the  shallow  lakes,  the  beds  of 
some  of  them  becoming  arid  alkaline  plains  for  the  time ;  but 
a  return  of  the  rains,  and  the  melting  of  the  snows,  fills  the 
streams  Avith  torrents,  and  expands  the  pools  and  lakes,  into 
floods  and  inundations. 

The  numerous  mountains'of  Nevada,  are  of  volcanic  origin, 
and  present  abundant  traces  of  intense  and  recent  action ;  how- 
ever, no  eruption  is  known  to  have  taken  place  during  the 
last  hundred  years.  The  surface  of  the  valleys  and  plains,  is 
mainly  composed  of  the  results  of  prolonged  erosion  from  the 
mountains,  and  presents  tertiary,  quarternary,  and  alluvial  de- 
posits, often  of  great  depth. 

The  gold  of  Nevada,  is  generally  found  in  combination  with 
silver.  In  the  western  part  of  the  state,  in  the  region  of  the 
Humboldt  river,  and  "Walker  Lake,  true  gold  quartz  veins 
have  been  discovered,  and  are  expected  to  yield  well.  In  the 
Antelope  district,  Churchhill  county ;  in  the  Tuscarora  dis- 
trict, whence  rises  the  Owyhee  river ;  in  the  Gold  Mountain 
district,   Esmeralda  county ;    in  Sacramento  district ;  in  the 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  429 

Sierra,  as  well  as  in  Humboldt  county,  and  at  some  mines 
elsewhere,  the  gold  is  the  most  important  metal. 

The  percentage  of  gold  in  various  argentiferous  ores  of  Ne- 
vada, has  been  found  to  vary  from  one-fifth  to  more  than  one- 
half  of  the  entire  amount  of  metal  contained.  In  the  famous 
Comstock  lode,  on  the  eastern  slope  of  Mt.  Davidson,  in  Storey 
county,  in  part  under  the  towns  of  Virginia  City  and  Gold 
Hill,  the  richest  vein  of  silver  in  Nevada,  or  perhaps  in  the 
world,  the  gold  forms  about  one-third  of  the  value  taken  from 
the  ore,  the  silver  making  the  other  two-thirds.  The  propor- 
tion of  gold  found,  increases  as  the  silver  mines  are  worked 
downwards,  much  free  gold  being  found  in  the  ore  veins  of 
the  deepest  mines.  The  recently-finished  Sutro  tunnel,  drains 
the  Comstock  lode  to  a  depth  of  8,000  feet.  The  amount  of 
gold  taken  in  Nevada,  was  first  noted  in  1861,  at  a  value  of 
$600,000;  in  1862,  the  amount  was  $2,500,000;  in  1863, 
$4,000,000 ;  in  1864,  $5,000,000 ;  the  aggregate  of  the  next 
five  years  was  $21,250,000;  in  1872,  $6,000,000;  in  1873, 
$10,000,000 ;  in  1875,  $10,000,000.  In  1879,  the  gold  pro- 
duced in  Nevada,  was  estimated  at  $9,000,000,  and  the  silver  at 
$12,560,000. 

Down  to  1875,  the  Comstock  mines  had  produced  an 
amount  of  bullion  valued  at  $169,000,000,  of  which  about 
$56,333,333  may  be  supposed  to  have  been  gold.  Since  1871, 
the  bullion  product  of  Nevada,  has  exceeded  that  of  California, 
but  as  the  principal  value  is  silver,  further  notice  is  postponed 
to  a  page  devoted  to  that  metal. 

The  territor}^  of  Idaho,  situated  between  42  degrees  and  49 
degrees  North,  and  longitude  111  degrees  and  117  degrees  10 
minutes  West  from  Greenwich,  has  for  its  north-eastern 
boundary  the  line  of  the  Couer  d  Alenc,  or  Bitter  Eoot  Moun- 
tains, by  which  its  area  is  narrowed  in  the  north,  to  a  width 
of  no  more  than  forty-eight  miles,  the  southern  boundary  line 
extendinsr  from  east  to  west  a  distance  of  308  miles.  The 
area  of  this  irregular  tract,  is  86,294  square  miles,  or  55,228,- 
160  square  acres.     Nearly  all  of  Idaho  lies  in  the  basin  of  the 


43&  DYE'S  COIN  'ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Upper  Columbia  River,  being  generally  mountainous,  and 
containing  an  abundance  of  minerals  and  metals.  Gold  and 
silver-bearing  rocks  are  found  in  many  localities,  and  gold- 
dust  deposits  are  numerous. 

The  first  discovery  of  gold  m  this  territory,  was  made  in 
1852,  on  the  Pend  d  Oreille,  or  "Pond  Orvilles,"  a  river  of 
Kootenai  county,  in  the  extreme  north  of  the  territory,  near 
the  lake  bearing  the  same  name  as  the  stream.  There  was 
but  a  small  yield  of  gold  from  the  Pend  d  Oreille  region,  and 
BO  profitable  mining  of  gold  in  the  territory  until  1860,  when 
it  was  discovered  in  placer  deposits  on  Ore  Fino  creek,  a 
stream  flowing  into  the  Clearwater  river. 

Gold-mines  were  found  in  the  Boise  basin,  Boise  county, 
near  the  center  of  the  territory,  in  1862.  The  Owyhee  mines, 
in  the  south-western  part  of  the  territory,  south  of  Smoke 
river,  in  Owyhee  county,  and  mostly  on  Jordan  creek,  were 
discovered  in  1863.  Since,  gold  and  silver  mines  have  been 
opened  in  every  county  of  Idaho,  the  precious  metals  being 
everywhere  found  on  the  upper  waters  of  the  rivers. 

The  most  important  quartz  mines,  are  in  the  central  and 
south-western  part  of  the  territory.  The  richest  of  these  are 
the  Owyhee  veins,  in  which  silver  is  the  predominating  metal. 
The  most  productive  of  the  other  quartz  mines,  are  those  of 
Boise  basin,  an  elliptical  depressed  area  25  miles  long,  from 
north  to  south,  and  18  miles  wide  from  east  to  west.  The 
quartz  veins  of  Kootenai  county  are  extensive,  and  many 
quartz  mills  are  in  operation  in  that  district.  The  most  im- 
portant placers,  are  those  of  Boise  basin,  and  those  lying  along 
tbe  upper  streams  of  the  Salmon  and  Clearwater  rivers  and 
their  confluents,  in  Shoshone,  Kez  Perces,  Idaho  and  Lemhi 
counties. 

The  bullion  taken  in  Idaho,  np  to  1868,  was  valued  at  $45,- 
000,000;  by  June  30,  1876,  this  amount  is  estimated  to  have 
been  increased  to  more  than  $77,000,000,  but  the  statistical 
data  upon  which  these  conclusions  are  based,  are  confessedly 
imperfect.     For  the  year  ended  June  30,  1880,  the  Director  of 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  431 

the  Mint  reports  a  deposit  of  gold  from  Idaho  to  the  vakie 
of  $510,546.73.  Hydraulic  mining  having  been  introduced 
there  for  a  number  of  years,  the  exhaustion  of  the  principal 
placers  of  gold  already  begun  must  proceed  rapidly,  but  the 
increase  in  the  number  of  quartz  gold  mines,  and  the  exten- 
sion operations  upon  the  auriferous  rocks,  will,  it  is  supposed, 
be  sufficient  to  keep  up  the  supply  of  gold,  while  the  yield  of 
silver,  to  be  noted  hereafter,  may  increase. 

Eastward  of  Idaho,  to  longitude  104  degrees  West  from 
Greenwich,  and,  except  a  small  area  in  the  south-west,  above 
the  45th  parallel  of  latitude  North,  is  the  territory  of  Mon- 
tana, the  Toy-a-he  Shock  up,  or  "Land  of  the  Mountains"  of 
the  Snake  Indians.  This  territory  was  made  up  of  a  large  sec- 
tion set  off  from  Idaho  during  May,  1864,  and  a  tract  of  about 
2,000  square  miles  in  the  south-west,  taken  in  1873  from  Dakota. 

The  Couer  d  Alene,  or  Bitter  Root  Mountains,  are  partly  in 
Idaho,  and  partly  in  Montana;  the  Rocky  Mountains  cross 
the  western  part  of  the  last  nearly  from  north  to  south,  and 
the  eastern  part  of  the  territory  is  occupied  by  several  ranges 
of  less  extent  and  elevation.  The  mountains  of  this  region  are 
not  as  rugged  as  those  farther  south,  and  yet  they  contain 
many  peaks  of  great  magnitude,  and  present  some  of  the  most 
sublime  and  beautiful  scenery  known  in  the  world.  The  ter- 
ritory is  very  well  supplied  with  rivers,  and  has  an  immense 
amount  of  available  water  power,  though  irrigation  is  neces- 
sary to  agriculture  in  some  places. 

The  geologic  formation  of  Montana  is  complex  and  irregular; 
the  region  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  presents  igneous  rocks 
of  basalt,  granite,  and  different  metamorphic  formations.  The 
central  part  of  the  territory  shows  the  effect  of  earthquakes, 
in  the  disturbed  and  contorted  forms  of  various  silurian,  trias- 
sic,  and  Jurassic  strata.  The  eastern  part  of  the  country,  is 
Silurian,  cretaceous,  and  tertiary.  About  the  head-waters  of 
the  Missouri  and  Yellowstone  rivers,  are  numerous  geysers 
and  hot  springs,  indicative  of  igneous  action  still  going  on  in 
the  fiery  caverns  beneath  the  surface. 


432  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA, 

The  metamorpliic  rocks  of  Montana,  contain  large  amounts 
of  gold,  and  the  precious  metals,  combined,  or  practically  sepa- 
rate, are  found  in  every  part  of  the  territory.  Gold  was  first 
discovered  therein  placer  deposits  during  the  year  1852,  at  lati- 
tude 47  degrees  North,  between  longitude  113  and  11-4  degrees 
West  from  Greenwich,  on  a  branch  of  Hell  Gate  river,  now 
called  Gold  creek,  but  no  mining  was  done  until  late  in  1861. 
Further  discoveries  of  gold  placers  were  made  from  50  to  80 
miles  south-east  of  Gold  creek,  on  the  upper  streams  of  Hell 
Gate  river,  in  Deer  Lodge  valley.  One  of  the  earliest  diggings 
was  in  Alder  Gulch,  the  site  of  the  Capital,  Virginia  City, 
Madison  county.  The  gold  field  around  Bannock  Cit}-,  Beaver 
Head  county,  in  the  south-west  of  the  territory,  was  discovered 
in  1861.  Not  long  after  gold  was  discovered  on  the  present 
site  of  the  town  of  Helena,  in  Lewis  and  Clark  county,  the 
placer  becoming  known  as  Last  Chance  Gulch.  Other  dis- 
coveries of  gold  deposits  followed  in  many  places ;  gold  was 
found  in  a  number  of  quartz  veins,  and  silver  mines  were 
opened.  So  numerous  were  discoveries  of  this  kind  about  that 
time,  that  the  miners  in  an  actual  embarrasment  of  riches, 
often  left  one  well-paying  placer  and  migrated  to  another  sup- 
posed to  be  richer. 

The  same  scenes  and  experiences  already  described  as  having 
been  observable  in  California,  were  repeated  in  Montana. 

The  discovery  of  gold  induced  a  great  emigration ;  the  only 
available  means  of  transportation  were  steamboats  voyaging 
an  immense  distance  up  the  Missouri  river  to  Fort  Benton,  or 
otherwise,  by  wagon  trains  or  pack  mules,  over  a  vast  country 
almost  absolutely  without  the  vestige  of  a  road.  There  was 
little  or  no  agriculture  in  the  territory,  and  following  the  sud- 
den increase  of  population,  a  want  of  provisions  was  soon  felt. 
There  was  fortunately  an  ample  supply  of  good  beef,  and  upon 
this  alone  the  miners  subsisted  during  the  first  winter;  flour 
for  bread,  which  was  all  reserved  for  the  women  and  children, 
was  sold  at  this  time  at  the  rate  of  one  hundred  dollars  in  gold 
for  a  sack  holding  one  hundred  pounds.     Of  course,  these  ex- 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD,  43S 

treme  hardships  aud  famine  prices  measurably  disappeared 
with  the  subsequent  seasons,  ^-et  the  opening  of  the  Montana 
gold  field  was  for  sometime  a  Avork  which,  for  natural  and  un- 
avoidable reasons,  was  attended  with  incredible  suffering 

Up  to  the  date  of  the  discovery  of  gold  therein,  ^Montana 
had  been  known  chiefly  as  a  place  of  resort  for  hunters  and 
trappers ;  the  opening  of  the  mines  hastened  the  partial  colo- 
nization of  the  territo^3^  Considerable  settlements  were  soon 
made  in  Deer  Lodge  valley ;  at  Confederate  Gulch  the  town 
of  Diamond  City  sprang  up.  When  the  diggings  were  opened 
at  Alder  Gulch,  upon  the  site  of  the  present  town  of  "Virginia 
City,  the  prospect  of  gold  in  unlimited  amounts  was  reasona- 
bly entertained. 

By  1877,  gold  to  the  value  of  over  $25,000,000  had  been 
taken  from  Alder  Gulch,  and  although  much  exhausted  by 
constant  working,  part  of  the  deposit  was  still  operated  upon 
to  a  fair  profit.  The  diggings  in  Last  Chance  Gulch,  at  Ilelena, 
were  still  richer. 

The  first  quartz  mill  in  Montana,  was  put  up  early  in  the 
year  1863.  As  the  actual  resources  of  the  territory  came  to 
be  understood,  the  extreme  excitement  first  created  became 
modified,  the  business  of  mining  was  extended  to  silver,  iron, 
and  coal,  the  great  industry  of  the  territory  was  carried  on 
with  energy  and  success,  but  more  quietly  and  skillfully,  and 
without  the  extravagant  expectations  of  profit  so  often  re- 
alized in  the  beginning. 

The  bullion  produced  in  Montana  in  1862,  has  been  esti- 
mated at  a  value  of  $500,000 ;  by  1866,  the  yield  of  the  same 
had  reached  its  maximum,  and  was  worth  for  that  year  $16,- 
500,000 ;  it  fell  off  rapidly  after  1868,  being  worth  but  $  1,000,- 
000  in  1874.  Up  to  1875,  the  total  yield  of  bullion  from  Mon- 
tana, was  valued  at  $120,901,886.  Of  this  amount,  much  the 
larger  part  was  gold.  The  silver  _  produced  in  Montana  in 
1872,  was  valued  at  only  $351,944,'  and  in  1873,  at  $176,500. 
The  census  of  1870,  credited  Montana  with  683  gold  mines, 
which  may  be  multiplied  almost  indefinitely.  The  inaccessi- 
2A 


434  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

bility  of  this  remote  region,  is  the  great  reason  an  even  larger 
development  has  not  been  reached.  The  Northern  Pacific 
Railroad,  delayed  but  not  abandoned,  will  in  a  few  years  cross 
Montana,  and  then,  with  more  reliable  communications,  au 
importation  of  machincr}',  a  settlement  of  the  country,  and  an 
extension  of  mining  enterprises  may  be  considered  certain. 

The  territory  of  Dakota  lies  between  latitude  41  degrees 
40  minutes  and  49  degrees  North  latitude,  and  longitude  96 
degrees  25  minutes  and  104  degrees  West  from  Greenwich. 
This  district  is  414  miles  long,  by  360  miles  wide,  and  con- 
tains an  area  of  148,932  square  miles,  or  95,315,840  acres. 
The  Missouri  river  crosses  Dakota  from  southeast  to  north- 
west; a  number  of  other  important  rivers  flow  to  the  Mis- 
souri ;  there  are  many  small  streams  and  numerous  lakes,  the 
country  being  in  general  well  watered.  The  great  surface 
features  of  Dakota,  are  large  elevated  plains,  from  which  arise 
abrupt  elevations  of  500  to  1,500  feet  above  the  local  level. 
Moct  of  the  surface  rocks  are  of  the  cretaceous  or  still  more 
recent  formations.  The  notable  exceptions  are  iri  the  valley 
of  the  Red  river,  along  the  north-western  boundary  of  the 
territory,  where  the  Silurian  strata  are  indicated  by  salt 
springs ;  and  in  the  Black  Uills,  on  the  western  boundary,  un- 
der the  44th  parallel  of  latitude  North,  where  are  found  the 
developments  of  earlier  geologic  systems. 

The  survey  of  Dakota  has  not  been  completed,  nor  its  min- 
eralogical  resources  even  approximately  reported.  Gold  has 
been  discovered  and  worked  for  with  success  in  the  Black 
Hills,  and  it  is  expected  that  Dakota  will  in  time  become  a 
very  productive  general  mining  district. 

The  state  of  Nebraska,  lying  south  of  Dakota  as  far  as  the 
40th  parallel  of  latitude  North,  presents  the  general  aspect  of 
a  vast  plain  sloping  eastward  to  the  Missouri  valley.  The 
geologic  strata  are  the  upper  carboniferous,  the  permian,  and 
cretaceous,  according  to  locality,  the  state  containing  very  lit- 
tle gold  or  silver,  a  small  amount  of  good  coal,  and  but  little 
other  mineral  wealth,  except  salt,  which  as  obtained  from  the 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER  GOLD.  439 

salt  springs  of  Lancaster  county  by  solar  evaporation,  yield* 
to  chemical  analysis  98  8-10  per  centum  of  pure  chloride  of 
sodium,  the  purest  common  salt  in  the  world. 

The  territory  of  Wyoming,  lying  between  latitude  41  de- 
grees and  45  degrees  North,  and  longitude  104  degrees  and 
111  degrees  West  from  Greenwich,  is  a  part  of  the  Rocky 
Mountain  region,  being  crossed  by  the  Medicine  Bow,  Green 
River,  and  Wind  River  ranges,  and  containing  in  the  north 
the  Big  Ilorn  Mountains,  and  on  the  north-eastern  border  part 
of  the  Black  Ilills,  Fremont's  Peak,  near  the  center  of  the 
territory,  is  13,570  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  The  fa- 
mous reservation  of  the  Yellow  Stone  National  Park,  one  of 
the  most  remarkable  geologic  districts  in  the  world,  is  mostly 
included  in  the  north-west  corner  of  Wyoming. 

The  production  of  gold  in  Wyoming  has  been  limited  i6  a 
comparatively  small  result.  The  Great  South  Pass,  over  the 
Wind  River  Mountains,  about  latitude  42  degrees  15  minutes' 
North,  and  longitude  109  degrees  20  minutes  West  from 
Greenwich,  lying  7489  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  was 
used  by  the  Pony  Express  Companies,  as  part  of  the  route  to 
California,  before  the  construction  of  the  Pacific  railroads. 
About  twelve  miles  north  of  this  pass,  in  Sweetwater  county^ 
gold  was  discovered,  and  in  this  Sweetwater  district,  gulch- 
diggings  of  small  extent,  have  been  developed.  In  the  same 
neighborhood,  a  considerable  number  of  gold-bearing  quarts 
veins  were  also  found,  and  a  few  of  them  have  been  worked' 
with  good  results,  for  a  short  time  each. 

Laramie  Peak,  in  Albany  county,  about  latitude  42  degreesr 
15  minutes  North,  and  longitude  105  degrees  and  SO  raiuutesr 
West  from  Greenwich,  a  mountain  10,000  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea,  is  the  center  of  a  range  of  mountains  contiiningi 
gold.  The  slopes  of  the  Medicine  Bow  Mountains,  in  Albany 
and  Carbon  counties,  have  been  successfully  prospected  and 
worked  for  the  precious  metals.  The  mountains  west  of  Lar^ 
amie  City  yield  gold,  and  mines  of  the  same  have  been  opened 
near  the  town  itself.     There  had  been  received  from  Wyo- 


436  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

ming,  at  the  various  mints  and  assay  offices  of  the  United  States 
Government,  down  to  June  80, 1875,  an  amount  of  gold  valued 
St  $174:,  146.69.  There  was  received  from  the  same  territory, 
at  the  same  places  of  deposit,  during  the  fiscal  year  1876,  gold 
to  the  value  of  $18,419.66;  during  1878,  $52,921.02  ;  during 
1879,  $27,255.85 ;  during  1880,  $17,320.70.  The  total  amount 
of  gold  received  as  above  stated,  down  to  June  30,  1880,  was 
valued  at  $728,760.33  ;  the  total  amount  of  silver  received  to 
the  same  date  having  been  valued  at  $11,793.86.  What 
amount  of  the  precious  metals  taken  from  Wyoming,  passed 
down  to  this  time,  through  the  hands  of  private  assayers  and 
refiners  into  use  in  the  arts  and  manufactures,  or  was  exported, 
would,  as  in  the  case  of  other  territories  or  states,  be  difficult 
to  determine. 

The  Btate  of  Colorado,  comprising  the  most  elevated  por- 
tion of  the  Rocky  Mountain  region,  is  situated  between  lati- 
tude 87  degrees  and  41  degrees  North,  and  longitude  102  de- 
grees and  109  degrees  West  from  Greenwich,  covering  an  area 
of  104,500  square  miles,  or  66,880,000  acres.  The  center  of 
Colorado  is  the  watershed  of  the  continent,  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains in  that  section  presenting  an  average  elevation  of  some 
10,000  feet  above  the  sea,  with  numerous  peaks  which  rise 
three  thousand,  four  thousand,  or  five  thousand  feet  above 
this  altitude.  From  Mount  Lincoln,  in  the  north-west  of  the 
central  region  of  Colorado,  having  a  total  elevation  of  14,000 
feet,  there  are  visible  200  mountain  tops,  some  13,000  feet 
above  the  sea,  and  25  more  quite  as  high  as  that  from  which 
the  observation  is  taken.  The  Rocky  Mountains  cross  Colo- 
rado nearly  north  and  south  west  of  the  center  of  the  state,  in 
three  almost  parallel  ranges.  The  eastern  line  of  mountains 
is  called  the  Front  or  Colorado  range,  west  of  this  is  the  Park 
range,  west  of  the  Park  range,  and  south  of  Mount  Lincoln,  is 
the  line  of  the  Sierra  Madrc,  and  between  the  two,  below  Dake 
county,  the  Sah  watch  Mountains.  The  Sierra  dc  la  Platte 
range  runs  westward  from  the  Sierra  Madre,  just  above  the 
88th  parallel  of  latitude  North. 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   OOLD.  437 

The  rivers  of  Colorado  are  large  and  numerous,  flowing  be- 
yond its  borders  to  the  north,  south,  east,  and  west.  Several 
of  the  rivers  of  greatest  importance  rise  in  remarkable  great 
valjeys,  or  basins,  called  parks,  between  the  mountains,  aH 
supposed  to  have  been  the  bottoms  of  lakes  previous  to  an 
ancient  era  of  volcanic  action,  the  traces  of  which  are  most 
noticeable  in  the  elevated  country  to  the  west. 

The  main  range  of  mountains  is  composed  of  gneissic,  gran- 
itic and  similar  rocks,  and  these  also  form  the  main  body  of 
the  mountains  to  the  east.  The  short  intersecting  rangos 
which  bound  the  parks  on  the  north  and  south,  abound  in 
boulder  drift;  the  parks  themselves  have  a  sub-stratum  of 
sedimentary  rocks,  with  beds  of  gypsum  in  places,  and  a  num- 
ber of  salt  springs.  The  eastern  portion  of  Colorado  is  in  gen- 
eral an  elevated  rolling  prairie,  rising  from  east  to  west.  In 
the  east  are  cretaceous  rocks  with  alluvial  depositsj  while  un- 
der the  surface  of  the  section,  and  along  the  foot  hills  west  of 
the  plains,  are  very  wide  carboniferous  beds,  often  thirty  feet 
deep,  containing  an  unlimited  supply  of  good  coal  of  various 
kinds,  often  lying  in  immediate  proximity  to  an  abundance  of 
magnetic  and  hematite  iron  ores. 

The  first  organized  attempt  at  an  exploration  of  Colorado, 
■was  made  by  a  band  of  civilized  Cherokee  Indians  in  1857, 
but  they  were  met  and  driven  back  by  the  nomadic  wild  tribes 
of  the  country.  In  1858,  explorations  of  the  region  formerly 
known  as  "  The  Great  American  Desert,"  were  made  by  two 
parties,  one  from  Georgia  and  one  from  Lawrence,  in  Kansas. 
Both  of  there  companies  claimed  to  have  discovered  gold  in 
deposits  which  paid  for  working,  in  several  valleys  near  Pike's 
Peak,  a  mountain  14,000  fcet  above  the  sea,  discovered  by  Gen. 
Zebulon  M.  Pike  during  the  year  180G,  in  latitude  88  degrees 
and  50  minutes  North,  and  longitude  105  degrees  West  from 
Greenwich,  and  now  included  in  the  western  part  of  El  Paso 
county,  Colorado.  HowcN^r,  the  first  really  remunerative 
■workings  for  gold  in  the  Pike's  Peak  district,  were  in  ricli 
deposits  discovered  in  May,  1859,  fifty  miles  north-west  of  the 


.438  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Peak,  at  the  base  of  the  Colorado  Mountains,  near  tlie  sources 
of  Clear  Creek,  There  gold  was  rapidly  secured  in  great 
quantities,  and  a  great  exeitcment  and  rush  of  emigration  fol- 
lowed. The  name  of  Pike's  Peak  \vas  made  to  cover  all  cen- 
tral Colorado  for  a  time,  and  to  reach  the  district  incredible 
■hardships  wero  endured  by  many.  The  emigrants  being  un- 
provided with  provisions  or  other  requisites  for  the  dangerous 
and  prolonged  journey  they  undertook,  often  died  a  miserable 
:death  by  the  way^  or  arrived  at  the  end  jf  their  long  and  te- 
jdious  pilgrimage  on  the  verge  of  starvation.  But  the  gold 
svas  there,  for  those  who  reached  the  placers  and  could  find 
tstrength  to  work,  and  so  the  peril  and  disaster  were  forgotten, 
and  new  adventurers  constantly  pushed  on  to  share  the  good 
luck  of  the  fortunato  among  those  who  had  preceded  them. 

In  1860,  Colorado,  though  without  any  organic  local  govern- 
ment, had  a  population  of  35,000  persons,  of  whom  by  far  the 
"jgreater  portion  were  males;  its  territorial  organization  was 
effected  by  Act  of  Congress  in  February,  18G1.  The  Colora- 
do gold  placers  first  found,  were  rapidly  exhausted,  but  it  was 
Jineantime  discovered  that  gold  also  existed  most  abundantly 
in  lodes  or  fissure  veins,  running  in  general  from  south-west 
to  north-east,  but  forming  groups  a  mile  or  two  wide,  and  two 
©r  more  miles  long  each,  made  up  at  the  surface,  of  numerous 
complicated  veins  involved  in  an  intricate  network.  These 
Jodes  and  the  placers  were  ascertained  to  be  more  or  less  fre- 
quent and  extensive  throughout  a  belt  some  50  miles  wide, 
lying  across  the  center  of  the  territory  from  north  to  south. 

At  the  same  time  silver  was  discovered,  with  the  gold,  or  in 
xich  deposits  of  surface  or  galena  ores,  at  many  places,  in  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  central  zone  described.  The  bright  pros- 
.peets  first  entertained  by  the  gold  miners  of  Colorado,  were 
Jiot  immediately  realized.  There  was  gold  in  plenty,  the  ores 
assaying  in  bulk  from  thirty  to  forty  dollars  the  ton,  but  the 
precious  metal  was  held  in  a  forrA  not  familiar  to  those  who 
handled  the  ores,  being  generally  combined  with  copper  and 
sulphur,  or  with  iron  in  the  condition  of  pyrites.     The  cop- 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  439 

per  and  iron  sulphurets  were  mostly  found  together,  the  iron 
generally  most  abundant,  but  the  copper  under  such  circum- 
stances always  carrying  most  gold.  The  successful  practical 
treatment  of  sucb  ores  was  a  perplexing  problem,  and  so  re- 
mains, though  of  late  better  understood'.  At  first,  the  diffi- 
culty of  extracting  the  gold  from  Colorado  ores  was  so  great 
as  to  lead  to  an  utter  abandonment  of  many  veins,  and  general 
discouragement  among  operators.  The  growth  of  the  terri- 
tory was  in  consequence  very  slow  for  several  years. 

Regardless,  however,  of  its  mineral  wealth,  and  the  trouble- 
some ores  of  gold,  Colorado  was  found  well  worthy  the  con- 
sideration of  the  emigrant,  stock  raiser,  or  farmer,  and  a  con- 
siderable number  of  such  persons,  with  their  attendant  me- 
chanics and  traders,  gradually  found  their  way  into  the  state 
and  quietly  settled  there.  During  this  time,  the  fame  of  the 
gold  of  Pike's  Peak  and  the  surrounding  country,  had  become 
general,  and  a  great  amount  of  enterprise,  money,  invention, 
skill,  and  tireless  industry,  were  brought  to  bear  upon  the 
vexatious  problem  of  how  to  profitably  secure  the  same.  The . 
results  of  these  efforts  were  generally  discouragii^g,  often  ruin- 
ous to  those  who  undertook  them,  but  it  was  not  in  the  na- 
ture of  the  people  of  the  United  States,  to  allow  themselves  to 
be  baffled  by  any  obstacle  less  than  an  impossibility.  The 
failure  of  the  many,  was  the  education  of  the  few,  and  less 
care  was  taken  to  count  the  life,  money,  and  energy  wasted 
in  sometimes  unscientific  experiments,  than  to  speculate  upon 
the  riches  awaiting  those  who,  by  a  cheap  and  rapid  process, 
should  separate  from  the  ores,  even  approximately,  the  amount 
of  gold  they  were,  by  careful  and  very  costly  chemical  analy- 
sis, demonstrated  to  contain. 

According  to  Le  Conte:  "Gold  originally  existed  in  quartz 
veins  usually  associated  with  metallic  sulphides,  particularly 
the  sulphide  of  iron  (pyrites).  If  the  pyrites  be  dissolved  in 
nitric  acid,  the  gold  is  left  as  minute  threads  and  crystals  scat- 
tered througb  the  pyrites.  Now,  when  such  a  vein  is  exposed 
to    meteoric  {'meteorological     Pertaining  to  the  atmosphere 


440  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

and  its  phenomena' — Editor),  agencies,  the  pyrites  are  oxi- 
dized, partly  as  soluble  sulphate  and  carried  away,  and  partly 
as  insoluble  reddish  peroxide  of  iron,  which  remains.  The 
quartz-vein  stone  is,  therefore,  left  in  a  honey-comb  condition 
by  the  removal  of  the  pyrites,  and  more  commonly  stained  of 
a  rusty  color  by  the  peroxide.  Among  the  cells  of  this  rusty 
cellular  quartz,  the  gold  is  found  in  minute  sharp  grains,  evi- 
dently left  by  the  removal  of  the  pyrites.  Hence,  in  an  au- 
riferous quartz  vein,  along  the  outcrop  to  a  depth  of  thirty  to 
sixty  feet,  gold  is  found  free  in  small  grains  among  the  cellu- 
lar quartz,  but  below  the  reach  of  these  agencies  it  is  enclosed 
in  the  undecomposed  pyrites." 

This  statement  seems  to  have  been  demonstrated  in  the 
quartz  veins  of  Colorado ;  there  the  free  gold  was  found  near 
the  surface,  and  as  in  the  ores  of  Nevada,  described  on  page 
429 ;  the  proportion  of  gold  found,  increased  as  the  mines  were 
worked  downwards.  But  in  Colorado,  the  greater  amount  of 
gold  found  by  chemical  analysis  to  exist  in  the  deepest  por- 
tions of  the  veins,  was  too  intimately  combined  with  the  sul- 
phides and  locked  in  the  rock  to  be  secured  by  ordinary  pro- 
cesses, and  the  percentage  of  loss  in  working,  from  the  causes 
already  detailed  on  pages  405  and  415,  increased  with  the 
depth  of  the  mine.  Thus  a  Colorado  gold-bearing  quartz- 
vein  ore,  when  taken  from  the  surface,  might  yield  to  chemi- 
cal analysis,  some  thirty  dollars  worth  of  gold  per  ton ;  the 
Same  vein  at  six  hundred  feet  below  the  surface,  would  yield 
a  very  much  greater  amount  of  gold  to  the  same  analysis. 
The  surface  ore  would  return,  to  practical  methods,  that  is  to 
say,  to  processes  adapted  to  general  use,  some  twenty  or  more 
dollars  worth  of  gold  to  each  ton  of  ore  operated  upon.  Sup- 
posing the  cost  of  the  process  to  have  been  eight  or  even  ten 
dollars  per  ton,  it  would  seem  evident  that  all  was  needed,  was 
enough  of  such  ore  to  keep  the  stamps  in  operation,  to  insure 
the  boundless  wealth  of  those  who  wrought  them.  How  much 
more  brilliant  was  the  prospect,  when  it  came  to  be  considered, 
that  the  quartz  veins  extended  to  a  great  depth,  and  might  b6 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  441 

relied  upon  to  double,  or  even  more  increase  the  amount  of 
gold  per  ton  contained  in  them,  as  they  grew  deeper  ?  But 
what  was  the  disappointment,  when  it  was  found  in  many  such 
cases,  that  the  greatest  practical  result  was  obtained  only  from 
ores  which  had  for  ages  been  subject  to  the  action  of  the 
weather  and  atmosphere,  and  that  the  ores  from  below,  though 
chemically  considered,  growing  richer  and  richer  as  they  were 
taken  from  greater  depths,  grew  more  and  more  obdurate  and 
unmanageable,  until  they  no  more  returned  the  cost  of  the 
process  employed  upon  them. 

To  produce  in  a  day  by  art,  results  like  those  brought 
about  by  exposure  to  natural  agencies  for  age  after  age,  to 
break  down,  comminute,  desulphurize,  and  separate  such  ores, 
has  been  the  object  of  numerous  inventions  and  costly  de- 
vices; improvements  have  been  made,  some  of  which  have 
already  been  noted  in  this  writing  as  used  elsewhere,  experi- 
ments are  still  carried  on,  and  apparatuses  yet  incomplete, 
will,  as  is  assumed  by- their  makers,  give  much  more  favora- 
ble results  than  any  yet  attained.  The  gold  produced  in  Col- 
orado during  the  year  1880,  exceeded,  according  to  the  Cir- 
cular of  Wells,  Fargo  k  Company,  that  produced  in  1879,  by 
no  less  than  the  value  of  $6,871,474,  and  this  chiefly  from  the 
Leadville  district.  The  base  bullion  shipped  from  Leadville, 
during  January,  1881,  was  estimated  at  2,625  tons,  worth  $817,- 
000,  beside  refined  bullion  to  the  value  of  $65,000,  an  aggregate 
of  $882,000  for  the  month.  The  population  of  Colorado,  given 
as  35,000  persons  in  1860,  had  increased  to  but  89,864  in  1870 ; 
by  1880,  this  had  enlarged  to  174,649  persons,  a  growth  during 
the  last  ten  years  of  154,785,  or  at  the  rate  of  388.9  per  centum, 
showing  a  much  more  rapid  proportionate  development,  than 
any  other  state  or  territory  of  the  United  States  for  the  same 
time.  Doubtless,  in  this  case,  the  progress  of  the  past  decade, 
may  be  accepted  as  a  reasonable  forecast  of  the  future,  and  Col- 
orado be  considered  for  years  to  come,  the  reliable  source  of  an 
increasing  yield  of  gold,  and  hereafter,  one  of  the  great  agri- 
cultural and  manufacturing  states  of  the  productive  west. 


442  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA, 

A  part  of  the  lands  acquired  by  the  United  States  by  con- 
quest and  by  purchase  from  Mexico,  was  the  tract  included 
between  31  degrees  20  minutes  and  37  minutes  latitude  North, 
and  103  degrees  2  minutes  and  109  degrees  2  minutes  longi. 
tude  West  from  Greenwich,  an  area  of  121,201  square  miles, 
or  77,568,640  acres,  comprised  in  the  territory  still  known  as 
New  Mexico.  The  boundaries  of  this  territory  of  the  United 
States  originally  included  the  whole  of  Arizona  and  parts  each 
of  Colorado  and  Nevada.  The  general  surface.of  New  Mexico 
forms  part  of  the  vast  elevated  plain  upon  which  rise  the 
ranges  of  the  Rocky  Mountaip  system  which  includes  the 
Sierra  Madre.  This  table  land  slopes  toward  the  south,  the 
average  elevation  decreasing  across  the  territory  in  the  course 
.of  390  to  400  miles  from  6,000  or  8,000  to  3,000  or  -8,500  feef 
above  the  sea.  Scattered  upon  the  surface  are  numerous  high 
or  moderately  elevated  mountain  ranges  and  hundreds  of  sum- 
mits connected  or  detached.  Of  these,  the  highest  known  are 
Mount  Taylor  of  the  Zuni  range  district,  in  latitude  35  degrees 
North,  and  longitude  108  degrees  AVest  from  Greenwich,  and 
Topped  Peak,  in  the  Zuni  range  at  the  north-western  part  of  the 
territory,  each  of  these  mountains  rising  to  an  altitude  of  about 
10,000  feet  above  the  general  level  of  the  adjacent  plateaus,  and 
in  all  some  15,000  or  16,000  feet  above  the  sea.  These,  and 
other  peaks  less  elevated,  are  covered  with  perpetual  snow. 

The  mountain  ranges  of  New  Mexico,  all  being  parts  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,  tend  in  general  from  north  to  south,  but 
diverge  to  east  or  west  in  certain  sections.  These  ranges  are 
called  variously  the  Gaudaiupe,  tlie  Sacramento,  the  Organ 
Mountains,  the  "White,  or  Sierra  a  Blanco,  the  Hueca,  the 
Capitana,  the  Sierra  San  Mateo,  the  Zuni,  the  Sierra  del  Datil, 
the  Sierra  Mimbres,  the  San  Juan,  the  Mogollon,  the  Pina- 
leno,  the  Peloncito,  the  Chiricahua,  the  Sierra  de  Chusca,  and 
other  local  names.  The  general  name  of  Sierra  Madre  is  ap- 
plied to  several  ranges  in  the  west,  while  the  central  chain  is 
known  in  common  as  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  south-west 
of  New  Mexico  i^  occupied  by  a  desert  called  El  LLano  Esta- 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  443 

cado,  or  the  Staked  Plains.  The  great  river  called  the  Rio 
Grande  del  Norte,  which  rises  in  San  Luis  Park,  Colorado, 
above  the  38th  parallel  of  latitude  North,  flows  southwardly 
through  the  central  section  of  New  Mexico  and  entirely  across 
the  territory  ;  this,  and  its  tributary  the  Pecos,  rising  a  little 
north-west  of  the  intersection  of  the  36th  parallel  of  latitude 
North,  and  the  105th  meridian  of  longitude  West  from  Green- 
wich, and  also  flowing  southward  beyond  the  boundary,  are 
the  principal  rivers  of  New  Mexico.  Neither  of  these  rivers 
are  navigable  within  this  territory. 

The  eastern  and  central  parts  of  New  Mexico  have  not  as 
yet  been  perfectly  explored,  and  the  western  region  beyond 
the  Sierra  Madre,  contains  considerable  districts  which  are 
practically  an  unknown  country.  To  the  east  of  the  lOoth 
meridian  west  from  Greenwich  and  of  the  Pecos  river,  the 
surface  of  the  territory  descends  gradually  eastward,  toward 
the  Mississippi  valley  and  slopes  to  the  south  in  the  direction 
of  the  gulf  of  Mexico 

The  surface  rocks  of  the  great  table  land  of  this  territory 
are  mostly  of  the  tertiary  and  lower  Cretaceous  formations. 
The  mountains  between  the  Rio  Grande  and  Pecos  rivers,  are 
principally  of  syenitic  rocks  which  have  been  thrust  upwards 
through  palaeozoic  sandstones  and  carboniferous  limestones. 
The  sandstones  and  limestones  are  intersected  by  dikes  of  por- 
phyry and  traversed  by  mineral  lodes.  The  plateau  of  the 
Sierra  Madre  in  the  west  and  south-west  of  the  territory,  rests 
upon  Ezoic  rocks,  and  these -jnake  up  the  basic  body  of  the 
Sierra  Madre  and  Rocky  Mountain  ranges.  The  summits  of 
the  mountains  are,  however,  as  has  been  noted,  metamorphic 
formations,  mostly  porphyry,  trap  and  basalt.  On  the  northern 
boundary  of  New  Mexico,  west  of  the  Rio  Grande,  and  some 
75  miles  wide  toward  the  south,  is  a  volcanic  region.  Mount 
Taylor,  already  described,  is  the  center  of  a  volcanic  area,  and 
the  Mai  Pais  (Bad  Country),  east  of  the  Rio  Grande,  above 
and  below  latitude  83  degrees  North,  is  covered  with  lava, 
volcanic  sand,  and  salt  marshes.     Extensive  horizontal  beds 


444  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 

of  lava,  spread  over  sandstone  strata,  are  remarkable  features 
of  the  geology  of  New  Mexico.  The  lava  and  igneous  rocks 
of  the  volcanic  districts  just  described,  indicate  an  era  of  vol- 
canic action  which  ended  but  a  few  hundred  years  ago.  Many 
of  the  rivers  of  New  Mexico  have  formed  canons,  in  the  depths 
of  which  they  still  continue  to  flow.  The  sides  of  these  can- 
ons sometimes  show  beds  of  coal  in  positions  to  admit  of 
mining.  The  sandstones  of  the  central  mesas,  or  table  moun- 
tains, contain  beds  of  lignite  and  of  bituminous  coal  several 
feet  thick,  between  layers  of  shales,  fire-clay,  and  ores  of  iron. 
Such  beds  exist  in  many  localities,  but  in  volcanic  areas,  as 
in  the  Placiere  Mountains,  where  porphyry  has  been  formed 
and  igneous  action  brought  to  bear  upon  the  coal  bearing 
strata,  the  carboniferous  beds  have  been  completely  changed 
into  an  excellent  quality  of  anthracite.  The  central  plateau 
and  the  country  west  of  the  Rio  Grande,  contain  variegated 
marls  and  beds  of  gypsum,  salt  and  iron  are  abundant,  copper 
ores  are  plentiful  and  very  rich,  and  New  Mexico,  for  nearly 
two  and  a  half  centuries,  has  been  known  to  Europeans  as  a 
country  prolific  of  silver  and  gold. 

The  discovery  of  gold  in  New  Mexico,  as  in  Arizona,  was 
prehistoric.  "When  in  1492,  Columbus  reached  the  West  In- 
dian islands.  New  Mexico  contained  a  large  semi-civilized  popu- 
lation, who  cultivated  the  soil,  manufactured  cotton  and  woolen 
goods,  worked  the  metals  and  builded  houses  of  great  size  and 
several  stories  high,  with  walls  of  stone,  of  which  the  ruins 
still  remain,  with  other  traces  of  their  occupancy  and  im- 
provement of  the  country.  The  remnants  of  the  once  great 
Indian  population  of  the  territory,  are  found  in  the  citizens  of 
nineteen  Pueblos,  or  Indian  villages,  who  now  number  some 
7,000  persons,  and  own  a  half  million  or  more  dollars  worth 
of  property.  These  Pueblo  Indians,  though  hindered  from 
voting,  are  really  citizens  of  the  United  States  and  Christians, 
in  a  manner,  and  yet  follow  the  same  methods  of  life  described 
as  peculiar  to  them  and  their  country  for  the  past  three  cen- 
turies. 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  445 

New  Mexico  is  from  1,000  to  1,500  miles  from  the  landing 
places  of  the  Spaniards  who.invaded  Mexico,  and  hundreds  of 
miles  from  any  possible  approach  by  shipping,  even  via  the 
gulf  of  California,  and  yet  the  fellow-countrymen  of  Grijalva 
and  Cortes  had  forced  their  way  into  the  heart  of  the  territory, 
almost  a  hundred  years  before  the  English  settled  in  New  Eng- 
land. The  men  who  survived  the  disastrous  expedition  to 
Florida  under  Pamfilo  de  Narvaez,  in  1528,  were  led  into  New 
Mexico  by  Alvar  Nunez,  in  1537  or  earlier ;  the  result  of  their 
observations  there  was  made  known  to  the  viceroy  of  Mexico. 
An  expedition  to  New  Mexico  under  Marco  de  Niza,  was  made 
in  1539,  which  was  followed  by  another  under  Coronado  in 
1540 ;  this  last  crossed  the  entire  territory,  as  is  proved  by 
the  description  given  of  the  same  by  Castaneda,  the  historian 
who  accompanied  the  party  of  exploration. 

The  name  of  New  Mexico  was  given  to  the  newly-discov- 
ered country,  in  or  about  1581,  when  an  expedition  led  thither 
by  Capt.  Francisco  de  Bonillo,  first  made  known  its  great  min- 
eral and  metallic  riches.  About  this  time,  a  Franciscan  mis- 
sionary, by  the  name  of  Augustin  Euiz,  undertook  to  convert 
the  Indians  of  New  Mexico,  but  lost  his  life  at  their  hands. 
In  1592,  two  partially  successful  efforts  were  made  to  plant 
colonies  of  Spaniards  iu  New  Mexico,  and  Don  Antonio  Espejo 
having  been  made  Commandante,.  entered  the  province  with  a 
body  of  armed  men.  No  great  measure  of  success  followed, 
and  in  1595,  or  1599,  the  viceroy  of  Mexico  sent  Juan  de 
Onate  to  take  possession  of  New  Mexico  in  the  name  of  Spain, 
and  found  colonies,  establish  missions,  and  maintain  forts  in 
the  new  province. 

The  administration  of  Onate  was  considered  most  success- 
ful; the  missions  were  established,  the  forts  were  built,  the 
colonies  grew  apace;  by  dint  of  powder  and  persuasion,  the 
Indians  were  conquered  and  converted,  or  in  the  case  of  the 
wild  tribes,  driven  into  the  deserts ;  placers  of  gold  dust  and 
veins  of  silver  were  discovered ;  mines  were  opened ;  diggings 
developed;  the  Christianized  Indians  were  enslaved,  and  un- 


44i  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA, 

der  cruel  taskmasters  perished  in  great  numbers,  through 
hardships  and  overwork,  in  securing  the  precious  metals  for 
those  who,  full  of  professions  of  the  religion  of  Jesus,  mani-' 
fested  an  avarice  would  have  shamed  any  Pagan,  and  a  cru- 
elty might  have  been  the  inspiration  of  a  fiend. 

The  Pueblo  Indians  were  very  patient,  but  their  sufferings 
became  too  much  for  human  endurance,  and  they  made  re- 
peated attempts  at  revolt.  At  length,  in  16^0,  they  regained 
their  freedom,  and  drove  the  Spaniards  from  most  of  their 
country.  All  the  northern  part  of  New  Mexico  was  held  by 
the  Indians  until  1698,  when  the  Spaniards,  having  already 
been  several  times  defeated,  reconquered  the  entire  region; 
obtaining,  however,  but  a  portion  of  their  fol-mer  power  over 
the  natives,  and  this  was  exercised  with  greater  moderation 
and  humanity.  In  1822,  Mexico,  and  New  Mexico,  declared 
their  independence  of  Spain,  when  New  Mexico  became  a 
Mexican  state.  As  such,  it  was  invaded  by  United  States 
troops  in  1846,  and  in  1818  ceded  to  the  United  States  by  the 
treaty  of  Gaudalupe  Hidalgo.  New  Mexico  was  organized  as 
a  territory  of  the  United  States  Sept.  9,  1850.  Slavery  was 
recognized  by  the  territorial  legislature  in  1859,  but  abolished 
at  the  suggestion  of  Gen.  E.  R.  S.  Canby,  of  the  United  States 
army,  in  1881,  which  Act  emancipated  the  Indian  j^eons,  put- 
ting an  end  to  a  local  system  of  serfdom  which  had  existed 
for  two  hundred  and  fifty  years. 

During  the  year  1862,  New  Mexico  was  the  scene  of  some 
severe  fighting  between  Confederate  troops  under  Gen.  H.  F. 
Sibley,  and  the  forces  of  the  United  States  Government  under 
Gen.  E.  R.  S.  Canby.  Finally,  the  plots  of  those  recreant  bflS- 
eers,  who  sought  to  deliver  the  territory  to  the  Confederacy, 
were  circumvented,  and  Gen.  Sibley  withdrew,  having  lost  half 
his  command  in  killed,  wounded  and  prisoners;  he  declaring 
the  territory  not  worth  one  fourth  of  the  cost. 

The  subsequent  growth  of  New  Mexico  Avas  slow,  and 
thousjh  several  times  before  Concrress  for  admission  to  the 
Union,  it  has  failed  to  become  a  state.     The  population  of 


AMERICAN  AND  OTHER   GOLD.  447 

this  territory  in  1850,  numbered  61,547;  in  1860,  it  was  re- 
ported as  93,516 ;  and  in  1870,  at  91,874,  of  whom  nine-tenths 
were  supposed  to  be  Mexicans.  The  Census  of  1880,  gives 
New  Mexico  a  population  of  118,430,  and,  as  a  considerable 
emigration  thither  has  taken  place,  the  proportion  of  residentiS 
other  than  Mexicans  has  increased.  In  addition  to  the  vari- 
ous returns  just  noted,  the  territory  has  contained  some  20,- 
000  Indians,  outside  of  the  several  tribes. 

The  Indians  of  New  Mexico  are  at  once  of  the  most  peace- 
able, and  of  the  most  murderous  description.  The  Pueblos, 
who  live  in  great  communistic  edifices,  are  inoffensive  and  in- 
dustrious, while  the  Comanches  ^nd  Apaches  are  notorious 
for  their  ferocity.  The  raids  and  plundering  expeditions  of 
the  last  two  tribes,  the  difficulty  in  securing  clear  titles  to  land, 
and  the  scarcity  of  water  in  some  sections,  have  operated  to- 
gether to  hinder  the  development  of  mines  and  check  every 
other  form  of  industry.  As  these  obstacles  are  gradually  over- 
come, a  great  impetus  is  given  to  progress,  new  mines  are 
opened  in  every  direction,  settlements  multiply,  or  increase, 
and  furnish  a  market  for  the  produce  of  adjoining  states. 
The  most  important  sources  of  gold  in  New  Mexico,  are  the 
Moreno  district  in  the  north  part  of  the  territory,  on  the  east- 
ern slope  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  in  Colfax  county ;  that  of 
Pinos  Altos,  in  Grant  county,  south  of  the  Zuni  Mountains ; 
and  the  Old  and  New  Placeres  Mountains,  along  the  course  of 
the  Rio  del  Norte,  in  Santa  Fe  and  Bernalillo  counties.  The 
Sierra  Blanco,  Jicarilla,  Carrizo,  and  Patos  Mountains  of  Lin- 
coln county,  and  the  Magdalena  Mountains  of  Socooro  county, 
also  contain  productive  gold  mines.  There  are  beside,  dig- 
gings in  Taos  county,  and  in  Rio  Arriba  county,  in  the  region 
of  Santa  Fe.  In  fact,  there  are  placers,  such  as  most  of  those 
already  named,  more  or  less  rich,  known  in  various  parts  of 
the  territory,  too  numerous  for  record  here,  and  new  discov- 
eries add  largely  to  the  number. 

Five  years  ago,  the  quartz  gold-bearing  veins  of  New  Mex- 
ico were  worked  at  some  fcvv  points,  but  to  a  limited  extent. 


448  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

The  ores  then  worked  were  such  as  yield  from  50  to  75,  or 
sometimes  $100  per  ton ;  they  were  less  obdurate  and  refrac- 
tory than  those  of  Colorado,  already  described,  yielding  easily 
and  readily  to  proper  treatment,  and  returning  a  large  per- 
centage of  their  contents  of  precious  metal  as  a  result  of  the 
process.  In  1870,  New  Mexico  was  reported  to  be  producing 
gold  to  the  value  of  $343,250  each  year.  In  1874,  the  yearly 
product  of  gold  in  the  territory,  was  officially  estimated  to 
have  been  worth  $500,000  each  year  for  several  years.  Mean- 
time, the  production  of  silver,  copper,  lead  and  coal  became 
more  and  more  important. 

Since  the  opening  of  the  Atchison,  Topeka  and  Santa  Fe 
Eailroad  across  the  interior  of  New  Mexico,  the  development 
of  the  territory  has  been  remarkably  stimulated.  The  exist- 
ence of  immense  deposits  of  mineral,  rich  in  the  precious  metals, 
has,  according  to  current  report,  already  been  abundantly  proved 
by  the  recent  researches  of  mineralogists  whose  reputations 
in  principal  mining  districts  of  the  west,  has  been  such  that 
their  statements  can  be  considered  authentic.  The  interchange 
of  mining  property  from  the  original  "locaters"  to  eastern 
capitalists  and  various  corporations  for  large  sums  of  money, 
even  before  any  considerable  work  had  been  done,  is  held  by 
local  writers  of  the  territory  to  prove  that  the  value  of  the 
mines  has  not  been  overestimated. 

The  Pinos  Altos  mining  district  of  Grant  county,  is  de- 
scribed as  the  only  part  of  New  Mexico  where  gulch  mining 
has  been  carried  on  to  any  great  extent.  The  four  principal 
ravines  where  work  has  been  done,  are  Bear  creek,  "Whisky 
creek,  San  Domingo  creek  and  Atlantic  creek,  beside  which 
are  hundreds  of  side  ravines  emptying  into  them.  These  ra- 
vines can  be  worked  the  year  round  with  rockers,  by  which 
the  miners  can  always  make  wages,  and  in  the  rainy  season 
extensive  and  profitable  operations  can  be  carried  on.  The 
veins  of  a  characteristic  locality  of  this  district,  are  represented 
as  being  all  true  fissure,  never  "pinching  out";  at  the  depth 
of  from  60  to  100  feet  the  ore  changes  from  a  free  oxide  to 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  449 

pyrites,  under  which,  as  is  supposed,  pyritous  sulphides  are 
to  be  found.  The  deepest  work  yet  done  in  these  veins,  is 
less  than  150  feet  below  the  surface,  where  the  pyrites  are 
found,  and  as  these  cannot  be  reduced  with  an  arrastra,  the 
apparatus  still  in  use,  the  diggings  are  for  the  time  carried  no 
farther  downward.  The  general  leads  carry  silver,  thou<7h 
only  gold  has  been  taken  out,  large  amounts  of  silver  having 
been  washed  away  into  the  Gila  river,  as  no  attempt  has  ever 
been  made  to  save  it.  One  of  the  recently-opened  gold  mines 
of  New  Mexico,  is  described  as  follows  in  the  last  issue  (Feb- 
ruary 26,  1881),  of  a  trusted  periodical  devoted  to  mines  and 
mining:  "A  tunnel  was  run  into  the  claim,  in  the  direction 
that  it  was  expected  the  lead  took.  But  after  getting  in  fifty 
or  sixty  feet,  it  was  found  that  the  dip  was  altogether  differ- 
ent, and  the  tunnel  was  run  at  right  angles  to  the  direction 
first  taken.  A  cross-cut  was  made  twelve  feet  in  one  direction 
and  fifteen  in  another.  In  this  chamber  there  is  gold  to  the 
right  of  you,  gold  over  head,  and  gold  under  foot.  You  can- 
not put  up  your  hand  anywhere  without  covering  the  measure. 
Holding  up  a  light,  the  walls  fairly  glisten  with  gold.  A  shaft 
has  been  sunk,  and  fifteen  feet  above  the  chamber  is  the  same 
rich  ore,  as  gleams  and  glistens  on  the  roof  of  the  chamber. 

It  is  no  wonder  that  the  owners, ,  hold  the  price  at  $750,- 

000.  In  fact,  it  is  estimated  there  is  more  than  that  amount 
in  sight,  as  the  lowest-grade  ore  will  run  as  high  as  $500  to 
the  ton."  A  specimen  of  this  ore,  said  to  have  been  chipped 
off,  44  feet  down  the  shaft  just  described,  is  almost  a  nugget 
of  gold.  , 

There  was  deposited  in  the  Unite  I  States  Mints  and  Assay 
Ofl^ices,  during  the  fiscal  year  1881,  gold  from  New  Mexico  to*" 
the  value  of  $91,037.28.  Making  all  necessary  allowance,  for 
the  bias  toward  exaggeration,  self-interest,  local  pride,  or  san- 
guine enthusiasm  may  cause  in  the  reports  of  the  mines  of 
New  Mexico,  it  is  evident  that  the  territory,  one  of  the  dis- 
tricts first  occupied  by  white  men  in  the  interior  of  the  Ameri- 
can continent,  and  where  some  of  the  oldest  mines  of  the  West- 
2B 


460  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

ern  Hemisphere  are  still  productive,  is,  with  the  adjoining  ter- 
ritory of  Arizona,  to  become  anew  the  scene  of  adventure, 
speculation  and  enterprise  in  pursuit  of  the  precious  and  other 
metals. 

Doubtless,  mistakes  will  be  made  by  the  reckless,  and  lossea 
incurred  bj  the  unwary,  but  it  is  considered  certain  that  un- 
der the  stable  control  of  the  United  States,  with  an  infusion 
of  a  varied  emigration,  the  advent  of  railroads,  and  the  appli- 
cation of  new  methods  and  perfected  machinery  to  old,  and 
new,  reliable  sources  of  mineral  wealth,  the  settlement  and 
progress  of  the  whole  section  will  be  rapid,  judicious  invest- 
ments there  be  made  profitable,  local  industry  rewarded,  and 
the  world's  supply  of  gold  and  silver  largely  augmented  there- 
by year  after  year  for  a  long  time  to  come. 

Besides  its  mines.  New  Mexico,  though  generally  counted 
a  total  desert,  by  those  who  derive  their  misinformation  from 
certain  text  books  of  a  generation  ago,  has  a  capacity  for  stock 
raising,  farming  and  fruit  culture  not  at  all  to  be  despised. 
Thousands  of  acres  of  tillable  land  need  no  irrigation ;  there 
are  already  choice  vineyards,  the  grapes  from  which  make 
.splendid  wines.  As  in  California,  a  great  amount  of  land  can 
be  made  fruitful  by  an  available  supply  of  water ;  moreover, 
the  climate  is  generally  very  healthful.  Since  the  introduc- 
tion of  railroads  into  New  Mexico,  stock  raising  there  has  in- 
creased very  rapidly,  yet  few  "Americans"  have  penetrated 
the  agricultural  districts  of  the  territory;  when  they  have 
done  so,  and  made  application  of  their  capital,  their  improved 
machinery,  skill,  and  energy  to  the  arable  soil,  they  will  find 
a  ready  and  well-paying  local  market  for  their  produce,  and 
create  in  many  parts  of  that  section  of  country,  cattle  ranges, 
plantations,  and  farms,  as  valuable  as  an"  lands  elsewhere  used 
for  a  similar  purpose. 

The  state  of  Kansas,  named  after  an  Indian  tribe  of  the  Da- 
kota family,  occupies  the  territory  between  37  degrees  and  40 
degrees  latitude  North,  and  longitude  94  degrees  40  minutes 
and  102  degrees  West  from  Greenwich.     On  the  east  of  this 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER    GOLD.  451 

tract,  the  strata  are  of  tlie  carboniferous  system ;  the  most  of 
the  surface  of  this  section  is  occupied  by  upper  carboniferous 
formations,  and  includes  all  the  abundant  coal  measures  of  th& 
state ;  the  lower  carboniferous  strata,  are  presented  at  the  sur- 
face, only  in  the  south-east  corner  of  Kansas.  Further  west^ 
the  permian,  the  triassic,  and  the  cretaceous  formations  suc- 
ceed each  oilier,  the  last  extending  west  into  Colorado,  and  ta 
the  foot-hills  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  The  mines  of  Kansas, 
are  rich  in  coal,  with  which  they  supply  several  adjacent 
states  and  territories  ;  there  are  large  quantities  of  very  pure 
salt  in  crystalized  beds  and  springs ;  otherwise,  the  minerals 
of  the  district  are,  as  far  as  known,  unimportant;  the  precious 
metals  have  not  been  found  in  the  state,  and  the  geology  ol 
Kansas,  though  rich  in  fossils  and  underlying  a  fertile  soil, 
gives  no  promise  of  future  discoveries  there  of  gold  and 
silver. 

The  Indian  Territory,  lying  south  of  Kansas  to  latitude  33* 
degrees  85  minutes  North,  presents  a  geological  development 
which  somewhat  resembles  that  of  Kansas:  the  Indians  lo« 
cated  there  on  reservations,  as  wards  of  the  United  States, 
farm  some  of  the  land.  No  mines  have  been  opened,  and  the 
precious  metals  are  probably  absent. 

The  great  state  of  Texas,  lying  south  of  the  Indian  terri- 
tory, and  south  and  east  from  New  Mexico,  north  of  the  Rio 
Grande  del  Norte,  to  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  presents  every  kind  of 
soil  and  variety  of  surface.  The  whole  country  slopes  gradu- 
ally upward  from  the  great  gulf,  on  the  south-east,  to  the 
L  Lano  Estacado  or  Staked  Plain,  which  occupies  the  large 
part  of  the  west  and  north-west  of  the  state.  The  gulf  coast 
is  alluvial,  the  region  back  from  the  shore  tertiary,  and  the 
higher  western  lands  cretaceous  in  formation.  There  are  also 
minor  districts  of  palaeozoic,  carboniferous,  silurian,  Jurassic, 
triassic,  and  ezoic  rocks.  The  mineralogy  of  Texas  is  but  lit- 
tle known.  Gold  has  not  been  mined  in  the  state,  in  any  no- 
table quantity ;  the  workable  placers  and  veins,  if  in  exist- 
ence, remain  to  be  discovered.     The  north-west  of  the  state, 


452  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

contains  large  quantities  of  argentiferous  galena,  yielding  a 
large  percentage  of  silver.  Copper  abounds  in  exceedingly 
rich  veins  and  peculiar  lodes,  iron  ores  exist  in  large  amounts, 
of  good  quality,  convenient  to  vast  beds  of  coal  of  various 
kinds.  There  are  other  minerals  of  commercial  value  and  ex- 
tensive tracts  of  timber  in  the  state,  which  already  crossed  by 
railroads,  is  evidently  destined  to  eventually  become  the  home 
of  a  vast  and  prosperous  population. 

Of  the  states  forming  the  western  bank  of  the  Mississippi 
river,  Minnesota  alone  is  known  to  contain  gold  in  quantities 
likely  to  pay  for  the  working  of  diggings  or  mines.  Gold  has 
been  discovered  in  White  county,  Arkansas,  but  not  in  such 
quantities  and  conditions  as  to  pay  for  the  labor  required  to 
obtain  it.  Missouri  contains  gold  only  in  the  drift  sands  of 
it3  rivers ;  the  placers,  as  far  as  known,  are  not  rich  enough 
to  repay  the  trouble  of  washing.  In  the  state  of  Minnesota, 
gold  and  silver  are  found  in  but  moderately  profitable  work- 
ings, on  the  shores  of  Vermillion  lake ;  the  country  around, 
however,  is  reported  to  be  so  wild,  that  these  deposits  are  not 
worked.  The  geology  of  the  state  of  Minnesota,  as  far  as  ex- 
plored, indicates  the  possibility  of  other  and  perhaps  richer 
sources  of  the  precious  metals  yet  to  be  found  therein.  The 
state  of  "Wisconsin,  on  the  east  of  the  Mississippi  river,  and 
between  lakes  Superior  and  Michigan,  contains  but  very  small 
quantities  of  gold  and  silver,  these  being  found  in  a  metallic 
condition. 

With  these  notes  upon  the  sources  of  gold  around  the  head- 
waters of  the  Mississippi  river,  and  the  country  west  of  the 
great  lakes,  ends  the  general  survey  of  the  Rocky  Mountain 
gold  field,  as  far  as  it  is  included  in  the  United  States.  An 
account  of  the  gold-bearing  districts  of  the  British  portion  of 
North  America,  is  reserved  for  a  future  page.  The  vast  sec- 
tion of  the  mineral  lands  of  the  United  States  already  described 
herein,  mostly  presents  its  mines'of  the  precious  metals  in  a 
manner  indicative  of  their  origin  in,  and  connection  with,  the 
same  vast  mountain  system.     The  most  noteworthy  apparant 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  453 

exception  to  this  general  rule,  is  found  in  the  mines  of  the 
Black  Hills,  in  Dakota,  to  which  reference  has  been  made  ou 
page  434  of  this  volume. 

The  Black  Hills  country,  lying  in  tne  south-west  portion  of 
the  territory  of  Dakota,  upon  the  head-waters  of  the  Cheyenne 
river,  between  the  north  and  south  forks  of  the  same,  is  a  re- 
cently-discovered source  of  gold,  which  on  account  of  its  ex- 
ceptional peculiarities,  and  very  considerable  fruitfulness,  mua* 
be  somewhat  especially  described,  before  the  consideration  of 
the  resources  of  the  great  west  is  concluded.  These  "Ilills" 
are  really  mountains  of  moderate  elevation,  yet  not  a  part  of 
the  great  mineral  ranges  upon  which  the  mines  of  Idaho,  Mon- 
tana, Kevada,  California  and  the  West  are  principally  located. 
They  are  instead,  an  isolated  group  of  highlands,  standing  in 
a  region  ^Imost  a  plain.  Among  these  eminences,  gold  has 
been  found  throughout  a  district  of  some  sixty  miles  or  more 
in  length  from  north  to  south,  and  some  fifteen  or  twenty 
miles  in  width.  There  are  two  kinds  of  ore  bodies  in  this 
field,  the  first,  cement  deposits,  like  placer  mines,  lying  hori- 
zontal, in  conformity,  or  nearly  so,  with  the  surface,  and  found 
all  over  the  country. 

These  deposits  are  sometimes  found  in  large  masses,  often 
thirty,  forty,  or  fifty  feet  thick,  sometimes  containing  gold  to 
the  value  of  three  or  four  dollars  per  ton,  and  sometimes 
yielding  fifty  dollars  from  the  same  amount  of  ore.  Some  of 
the  cement  deposits  are  quite  extensive  and  of  great  value. 
The  worth  of  any  known  deposit  can  be  closely  estimated,  and 
many  of  them  are  large  enough  to  each  employ  a  forty-stamp 
mill  for  a  score  of  years.  The  deposits  lie  upon  a  bed  of  slate, 
and  are  frequently  covered  by  a  cap  of  porphyritic  rocks. 
The  materials  of  the  deposits  are  quartz  gravel,  and  a  kind  of 
cement,  conglomerated  and  fused  together;  this  matrix  is 
generally  easily  pulverized,  but  occasionally  is  hard  as  gran- 
ite. The  ores  are  quite  free  and  easily  milled,  and  the  gold 
which  is  found  therein  in  coarser  and  heavier  particles  and 
grains  than  in  the  fissure  veins,  is  easily  saved. 


454  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

The  quartz  gold-bearing  lodes  of  the  Black  Ilills,  are  re- 
garded by  Professor  Jenny  as  "fissure  veins  following  the 
stratification  of  the  slates,  with  a  strike  of  North  30  degrees 
West,  and  a  dip  of  61  degrees  north-east.  Tlie  walls  are 
usually  chlorite  slate  or  a  hard  green  chloriticquartzite,  which 
by  oxidation  and  surface  decomposition,  forms  the  hard  brown 
'iron  rock'  of  the  mines.  The  wall  rock  is  very  solid  and 
compact."  The  ore  of  some  of  the  veins  is  described  as  a  mix- 
ture of  ferruginous  quartz  with  decomposed  chloritic  slate, 
which  mills  freely  and  allows  the  gold  to  be  easily  saved.  The 
ores  of  the  Elack  Ilills'  veins  are,  with  but  few  exceptions,  of 
alow  grade,  yielding  from  eight  to  twenty-two  dollars  the  ton. 
The  fissure  veins  of  the  whole  belt  are,  as  a  general  thing,  very 
wide  and  uniform.  One  cut  of  the  vein  of  the  Deadwood 
mine,  is  100  feet  across,  and  similar  lodes  elsewhere  show  a 
width  of  IGO  feet.  The  ore  pays  for  milling  all  the  way  from 
the  surface  down,  the  whole  of  the  ore  and  crevice  material 
returning  a  profit.  The  ore  being  perfectly  free,  according  to 
report,  from  base  metals,  the  cost  of  reducing  the  products  •f 
the  mill  to  bullion  is  comparatively  small.  »  The  cost  of  mining 
and  milling  the  average  Black  Hills'  ore,  is  estimated  by  a 
resident  observer,  at  three  dollars  a  ton. 

An  80  stamp  mill,  crushing  ores  yielding  five  dollars  a  ton, 
is  said  to  be  able  to  make  a  profit  of  $300  each  working  day, 
upon  ores  yielding  $9,  $12,  $16,  and  even  $22  the  ton;  the 
cost  of  milling  does  not  increase  in  proportion,  and  the  profits 
are  assumed  to  be  very  great.  The  water  supply  of  the  Black 
Hills'  gold  field,  is  copious,  constant  and  reliable ;  in  fact,  some 
of  the  stamps  are  very  economically  run  by  water  power. 
The  first  quartz  mill  erected  in  the  Black  Hills'  gold  l>elt, 
commenced  work  upon  the  ore,  January  1st,  1876.  In  1879, 
there*were  over  5,000  quartz-mining  locations  recorded  in  the 
different  districts,  with  62  stamp  mills  of  from  6  to  120  stamps 
each,  with  an  aggregate  of  1,120  stamps  in  successful  opera- 
tion. There  were  more  than  twenty  prominently-developed 
mines  in  the  Hills  at  the  date  specified,  many  of  which  were 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  455 

yielding  handsomely;  producing,  according  to  an  estimate 
made  in  the  district,  an  amount  of  gold  each  month,  worth 
about  $600,000. 

Various  sums,  such  as  $20,000,  $50,000,  $70,000,  $80,000, 
$100,000,  $120,000,  and  in  one  case,  $400,000,  have  been  paid 
by  capitalists  of  New  York  and  San  Francisco  for  a  gold  mine 
in  the  Black  Hills'  belt,  and  the  profits,  even  upon  such  large 
investments,  have  in  many  cases  been  very  satisfactory.  It 
has  been  stated  that  there  was  not  for  three  years  a  single 
mining  failure  in  the  Black  Ilills,  where  honest  and  careful 
management  was  devoted  to  the  enterprise.  The  owners  of 
mills  in  this  district,  though  using  no  elaborate  machinery, 
claim  to  save  by  ordinary  process,  seventy-five  per  cent,  of  the 
gold  existing  in  the  ores  submitted  to  their  working.  All 
circumstances  considered,  the  holders  of  Black  Hills'  property, 
the  era  of  wild  speculation  having  passed,  feel  justified  in  an- 
ticipating a  high  and  long-continued  prosperity  for  their  gold- 
producing  region  of  country,  and  invite  capital  and  emigra- 
tion accordingly. 

The  yield  of  the  Rocky  Mountain  gold  field,  ♦he  net  product 
of  the  states  and  territories  west  of  the  Missourv  river,  accord- 
ing to  the  statement  of  Wells,  Fargo  k  Company  has  been  as 
follows : 

1870  ...  .        $  33,750,000 

1871 34,398,000 

1872 38,177,395 

1873 39,206,558 

1874 38,466,488 

1875            ....  39,968,194 

1876 42,886,935 

1877 44,880,223 

1878 37,576,030 

1879 31,470,262 

1680 32,550,067 


Total,  for  eleven  years,  $  413,239,152 


466  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

During  the  year  1880,  the  product  of  California  showed  an 
increase  of  $579,579  in  gold,  and  a  decrease  in  silver  of  $360,- 
873.  Kevada  show.ed  a  total  falling  off  in  gold  and  silver  of 
$6,966,093 ;  the  yield  from  the  Comstock  being  only  $5,312,- 
592,  as  against  $8,830,562,  in  1879— a  decrease  of  $3,517,970. 
The  product  of  Eureka  District  was  $4,639,025,  as  against  $5,- 
859,261  in  1879— a  decrease  of  $1,220,236.  Utah  showed  an 
increase  of  $982,074.  Colorado  shows  an  increase  of  $6,871,- 
474  over  the  product  of  1879,  chiefly  from  Leadville  District. 
Dakota  shows  an  increase  of  $914,094.  Arizona  showed  a 
notable  increase  of  her  gold  product  during  the  year.  Ac- 
cording to  the  Report  of  lion.  Horatio  C.  Burcliard,  Director 
of  the  United  States  Mint  for  1880,  the  diminished  production 
of  gold  and  silver  on  the  Pacific  coast,  has  sensibly  affected 
both  the  amount  of  deposits  and  coinage  of  the  San  Francisco 
Mint,  the  amount  struck  at  that  establishment  having  been 
$13,0C0,000  less  of  gold,  and  $6,000,000  less  of  silver,  during 
the  fiscal  year  1880,  than  for  the  same  period  two  years  before. 
The  time  for  enormous  returns  from  newly -discovered  placers,  ^ 
or  from  the  rapid  collection  of  nuggets  from  any  source,  in  the 
Rocky  Mountain  region,  seems  to  have  passed ;  it  remains  to 
be  seen  whether  regular  hydraulic  mining  applied  to  the  high 
gravels  of  that  part  of  the  continent,  and  the  extended  work- 
ing of  the  various  apparently  inexhaustible  veins  of  gold- 
bearing  rock  west  of  the  Mississippi,  by  improved  methods, 
will  not  maintain  the  present  yield  of  gold  and  silver  there, 
or  perhaps  increase  the  same,  making  the  return  of  the  pre- 
cious metals  thence,  as  regular,  reliable,  and  permanent,  as  it 
has  been  remarkably  abundant  and  vastly  valuable. 

The  second  great  gold  field  of  North  America,  is  centered 
in  the  Appalachian  Mountains  along  the  Atlantic  coast,  and 
may  be  regarded  as  containing  all  the  sources  of  gold  known 
upon  the  northern  part  of  the  American  continent  east  of  the 
90th  meridian  of  longitude  West  from  Greenwich,  the  line  of 
the  Mississippi  river  and  the  great  lakes,  and  south  of  the 
river  St.  Lawrence.     For  a  general  account  of  the  Appala- 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  457 

chian  Mountains,  and  of  the  geology  of  the  principal  gold- 
bearing  districts  within,  or  contiguous,  to  their  several  ranges 
reference  may  be  made  to  pages  856  and  357  of  this  volume. 
Traces  of  ancient  gold  mines  have  been  discovered  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  Atlantic  coast  gold  field,  and  from  relics 
and  other  indications,  it  has  been  assumed  these  old  workings 
were  opened  by  some  of  the  Spaniards  who  entered  Florida 
under  Hernando  De  Soto  in  1539,  and  subsequently  sought 
for  the  precious  metals  in  various  directions.  The  earliest 
recorded  discovery  of  gold  in  the  Appalachian  region,  was 
made  in  a  district  now  known  as  Cabarrus  county,  in  the 
state  of  Norih  Carolina.  The  gold  was  first  found  there  in 
the  form  of  a  nugget,  weighing  28  pounds,  and  said  to  have 
been  of  the  shape  and  size  of  an  ordinary  domestic  smoothing 
iron.  After  the  finding  of  this  nugget,  there  was  more  or 
less  prospecting  for  gold  in  the  district  from  which  it  had 
been  taken,  and  a  number  of  placers,  and  possibly  a  few  veins, 
were  worked  irregularly,  in  a  primitive  manner,  for  a  number 
of  years.  The  gold  secured  by  these  primitive  operations 
having  been  sold  in  a  number  of  places,  for  various  purposes, 
no  record  of  the  product  was  kept,  and  the  amount  of  the 
same  is  therefore  unknown.  Gold  has  been  obtained  at  vari- 
ous places  all  along  the  Appalachian  ranges,  and  westward  in 
Tennessee,  yet  although  known  for  a  hundred  and  eighty 
years,  and  more,  and  lying  in  an  accessible  country,  with  an 
enterprising  and  numerous  population,  and  worked  persist- 
ently, the  Atlantic  coast  gold  field,  has  not  been  found,  either 
in  the  magnitude  of  its  deposits,  or  the  amount  of  gold  pro- 
duced, comparable  with  the  rich  auriferous  developments  west 
of  the  Mississippi  valley. 

The  principal  portion  of  the  Appalachian  gold  field,  is  in- 
cluded in  Georgia,  Alabama,  South  Carolina,  Isorth  Carolina, 
Tennessee,  and  Virginia;  there  is  no  continuous  belt  of  gold- 
producing  placers  or  lodes  in  the  section  named,  but  there  are 
numerous  auriferous  tracts  at  intervals,  and  these,  though 
often  many  miles  apart,  are  generally  situated  parallel  to  each 


A^  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

otlier.  The  veins  of  the  southern  portion  of  the  Appalachian 
gold  field,  are  mostly  placed  in  rocks  of  a  granitic  nature,  and 
in  diorite,  a  kind  of  hornblend;  all  of  the  rocks  containing 
gold-bearing  veins  in  this  section,  being  often  discovered  in  a 
state  of  decomposition,  to  the  depth  of  some  two  hundred  feet. 
The  gold  veins  of  this  district  are  also  found  in  the  various 
slates,  notably  those  of  a  talcose,  micaceous,  chloritic,  and 
hornblendic  character.  In  the  state  of  North  Carolina,  a  belt 
of  crystalline  slates  like  those  named,  may  be  traced  through 
several  counties ;  to  the  east  of  this,  is  a  belt  of  hornblendic 
rock,  and  to  the  west  is  another  belt,  of  granite.  The  rela- 
tions of  the  gold  of  South  Carolina,  are  similar  to  those  already 
noted  here.  Steatitic  strata  are  frequently  found  near  the  gold 
mines  of  this  last  state,  the  veins  of  gold-bearing  ore  being 
often  cut  and  thrown  into  irregularity,  by  dikes  of  intruding 
rocks  of  varied  natures.  The  general  bearing  of  the  common 
lodes  is  north-east  and  south-west,  with  a  dip  toward  the  north- 
west, yet  their  course  is  not  at  all  uniform,  being  directed  to 
various  points,  and  the  veins  often  tortuous  and  much  dis- 
placed by  faults. 

The  veins  having  a  highly  crystalline  quartz  gangue,  gen- 
erally abound  in  iron  pyrites;  in  these,  pyritous  copper  is 
generally  found  at  some  distance  from  the  surface.  In  nearly 
all  such  cases,  the  amount  of  gold  to  be  found  in  the  lode,  de- 
creases as  the  quantity  of  copper  contained  increases;  the 
copper  to  be  had,  however,  is  not  sufficient  to  pay  for  mining 
and  separation,  and  the  gold  having,  perhaps,  almost  disap- 
peared, the  workings  are,  of  necessity,  abandoned.  The  most 
of  the  gold  secured  from  deposits  and  lodes  on  the  Atlantic 
seaboard,  or  within  a  distance  of  about  three  hundred  miles 
from  the  eastern  coast  of  North  America,  has  been  obtained 
from  a  tract  lying  in  the  states  named  in  the  preceding  para- 
graph, and  of  very  irregular  width,  but  in  some  places  more 
than  seventy-five  miles  across.  , 

The  greatest  amount  of  gold  produced  in  any  eastern  state 
of  the  United  States,  has  been  taken  from  North  Carolina, 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  459 

where  two  principal  auriferous  belts  are  to  be  observed,  cross- 
ing the  state  in  a  south-west  and  north-east  course.  One  of 
these  belts  passes  through  Mecklenburg,  Cabarrus,  Eowan, 
Davidson,  Guilford  and  Caswell  counties.  The  second  belt  is 
further  to  the  west,  lying  from  ten  to  twenty  miles  from  the 
base  of  the  Blue  Eidge  range  of  mountains,  and  at  a  greater 
general  elevation  than  the  first  or  eastern  belt ;  the  placer  de- 
posits of  the  western  belt,  are  richest,  and  most  extensive, 
continuing  through  Rutherford,  McDowell  and  Burke  coun- 
ties. 

The  state  of  Georgia,  also  presents  two  auriferous  belts,  the 
ranges  of  gold  deposits,  being  separated  by  a  district  of  rocks 
entirely  free  from  gold.  The  quartz  veins  of  the  region  de- 
scribed, resemble  those  of  California,  the  gold  being  found  in 
them  in  free  coarse  grains,  or  finely  disseminated  through 
masses  of  sulphuret  of  iron  or  of  copper.  Most  of  the  gold 
taken  from  the  region  of  the  Appalachian  Mountains,  has 
been  found  in  placer  deposits,  the  value  and  practicability  of 
the  veins  and  lodes  in  the  rocks,  when  under  ordinary  pro- 
cess, seeming  to  increase  according  to  their  position  within 
certain  limits  toward  the  north. 

In  Virginia,  gold  veins  are  found  extending  through  Fau- 
quier, Culpepper,  Louisa,  Fluvianna,  Buckingham,  and  a  num- 
ber of  adjacent  counties.  In  the  ore  from  Virginian  veins, 
the  gold  has  been  found  in  a  more  visible  form  than  in  the 
average  of  those  mined  further  south,  and  more  readily  sepa- 
rable ;  the  richness  of  the  ores  has  been  quite  variable  and  un- 
certain, yet  the  production  of  gold  from  the  same,  has  at  times 
been  very  large ;  the  average  statement  of  the  metal  taken, 
and  of  time  and  money  expended,  is  nevertheless  unfavorable ; 
however,  some  of  these  mines  still  continue  to  be  operated  to 
a  greater  or  less  extent. 

As  might  be  inferred  from  the  geognostical  developments 
and  relations  of  the  country,  gold  has  been  discovered  in  the 
state  of  Maryland;  also  in  Pennsylvania,  and  in  the  states  of 
Vermont,  New  Hampshire,  and  Maine;   but  except  certain 


460  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

operations  in  Yermont,  carried  on  over  a  small  district,  dur- 
ing the  year  1859,  no  part  of  these  states  has  been  found  to 
contain  such  an  exhibit  of  gold,  as  would  warrant  the  trouble 
and  expense  of  proper  mining  explorations  for  the  discovery 
of  the  precious  metals. 

Having  given  the  preceding  general  statement  regarding  the 
principal  features  of  the  Appalachian  gold  field,  it  is  requisite, 
before  noting  the  auriferous  characteristics  of  some  districts  of 
the  provinces  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  and  parts  of  the 
British  Possessions  in  North  America,  to  review,  briefly,  the 
eastern  part  of  the  United  States,  and  give,  state  by  state,  in 
geographical  order,  somewhat  more  in  detail  as  concerns  each 
locality,  an  account  of  each,  in  relation  to  the  subject  of  gold 
and  its  production.  So  old,  well  known  and  populous  are 
these  states,  that  the  matter  of  their  location,  outline,  area  and 
history,  may  be  supposed  well  enough  known  by  those  of  even 
average  education ;  their  geological  structure  has  been  suffi- 
ciently noted  in  general  remarks  already  given  herein,  or  hav- 
ing been  explored  and  recorded,  may  be  found  in  the  common 
text  books  and  treatises.  It  is  then  to  the  gold,  and  the  strata 
containing  the  same  in  the  states  of  the  region  named,  that  the 
next  succeeding  paragraphs  are  to  be  more  especially  devoted. 

The  state  of  Florida,  lying  between  the  Atlantic  ocean  and 
the  gulf  of  Mexico,  and  south  of  latitude  31  degrees  North,  is 
made  up  entirely  of  alluvial  and  diluvial  formations;  few  val- 
uable minerals  are  found ;  the  rocks  are  shell  conglomerates 
of  marine  origin,  the  soil  often  very  fertile,  but  as  might  be 
expected,  no  gold  has  been  found  in  Florida. 

The  state  of  Mississippi,  east  of  the  river  of  the  same  name, 
to  longitude  88  degrees  7  minutes  and  91  seconds  West  from 
Greenwich,  and  south  of  the  35th  meridian  of  latitude  North, 
to  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  is  occupied  by  carboniferous,  cretaceous, 
tertiary,  and  post-tertiary  strata ;  the  mineral  resources  of  the 
district  are  inconsiderable,  and  there  are  no  deposits  of  the 
precious  metals  known  in  the  state. 

The  state  of  Alabama,  includes  the  territory  lying  cast  of 


AMEBIC  AN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  461 

Mississippi,  to  longitude  85  degrees  and  10  minutes  "West  from 
Greenwich.  This  state  has  a  coast  on  the  gulf  of  Mexico,  at 
the  south-west  corner  of  its  territories,  of  some  sixty  miles  or 
more,  indented,  however,  by  Mobile  Bay.  The  rest  of  the 
state  is  bounded  on  the  south  by  Florida.  The  southern  por- 
tion of  Alabama,  is  occupied  by  alluvial,  diluvial,  and  tertiary 
formations;  the  "Cotton-Belt"  region,  102  miles  wide  on  the 
west  and  60  on  the  east,  in  the  central  section,  is  underlaid  with 
Jurassic  limestone,  and  contains  some  chalk;  the  eastern  and 
north-eastern  district  is  occupied  by  the  eozoic  rocks  of  the 
Appalachian  mountain  system.  These  primitive  rocks  are 
found  in  parts  of  Lee,  Chambers,  Tallapoosa,  and  Eandolph 
counties ;  to  the  west,  and  north  north-west  of  these,  are  car- 
boniferous beds,  and  westward  still  again,  a  belt  of  palaeozoic 
■  rock.  The  extreme  northern  part  of  Alabama,  is  a  limestone 
region,  and  part  of  the  valley  of  the  river  Tennessee. 

Alabama,  is  one  of  the  richest  mining  and  mineral  regions 
of  the  w^orld ;  its  metallic  wealth  consists  of  gold,  silver,  cop- 
per, iron  and  lead ;  beside  which  are  valuable  mineral  beds, 
containing  coal  of  various  kinds  and  good  quality,  sj^enite, 
soapstone,  arsenical  ores,  vivianite,  carite,  caleite,  dolomite 
and  crystaline  quartz.  There  are  also  clays  fit  for  pottery, 
chinaware,  fire-brick,  or  crucibles;  good  limestone  of  difiercnt 
kinds,  manganese,  valuable  sulphates,  and  building  stone ;  in- 
cluding granite,  slate,  white  marble,  and  variegated  marble ; 
also,  lithographic  stone,  and  red  ochre.  The  marbles  of  Ala- 
bama, equal  any  in  America.  The  most  important  mines  of 
the  state,  are  those  producing  iron ;  the  most  valuable  mineral 
product  is  coal.  The  coal  and  iron  of  Alabama,  are  inex- 
haustible, and  of  surpassing  excellence;  as  they  are  found  in 
close  proximity,  and  near  the  lines  of  railroads,  the  state  pre- 
sents every  condition  for  manufacturing  the  best  of  iron  in 
the  greatest  quantities,  at  the  lowest  possible  price. 

The  gold  of  Alabama,  was  first  found  in  Randolph  county 
during  1836,  and  other  discoveries  followed,  the  auriferous 
mines  made  known  and  worked,  often  containing  a  small  per- 


462  J)YE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

centage  of  silver.  The  greatest  yield  from  these  mines,  was 
from  1836  to  1859,  during  which  period  the  gold  produced 
was  valued  at  about  $200,000.  Up  to  June  30,  1872,  there 
had  been  deposited  at  the  United  States  Mints  and  Assay 
Offices,  gold  from  Alabama,  to  the  value  of  $213,750.66.  The 
amount  of  gold  thus  deposited,  from  the  same  state,  during 
the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  1880,  was  valued  at  $752,79, 
and  the  total  amount  of  gold  so  received,  from  the  same,  to 
that  date,  at  $219,872.95.  The  gold  mines  of  Alabama,  are 
of  small  importance,  when  compared  with  the  sources  of  wealth 
contained  in  the  coal  measures  and  iron  mines  of  the  state; 
they  are,  however,  of  interest  in  the  present  writing,  as  the 
south-western  extremity  of  the  very  extensive  Appalachian 
gold  field  to  be  described. 

Eastward  of  Alabama,  and  north  of  Florida,  lies  the  state  of 
Georgia,  which  being  bounded  on  the  north-east  by  South 
Carolina,  extends  on  the  south-east  to  the  Atlantic  ocean. 
The  territory  of  the  state  presents  three  distinct  belts  of  dif- 
ferent elevation,  and  dissimilar  climate.  Geologically  de- 
scribed, the  coast  region  is  a  district  of  sand,  often  but  a  few 
feet  above  the  sea,  imposed  upon  the  rocks  of  the  lowest  ter- 
tiary, eocene,  or  modern  tertiary  rocks,  with  clays  and  calca- 
rious  beds,  over  metamorphic  slates  and  gneiss,  with  occa- 
sional outcroppings  of  the  cretaceous  strata.  This  belt  ex- 
tends inland,  with  a  gradual  ascent,  to  about  the  center  of  the 
state;  where,  on  a  line  nearly  parallel  with  the  sea  coast,  the 
primary  formations  are  developed  in  hills  of  granitic  and  pal- 
aiozoic  rock.  From  this  line  of  hills,  a  metamorphic  and  Silu- 
rian belt  extends  northward  for  about  150  miles,  rising  to  a 
still  more  elevated  plateau  of  eozoic  formation,  some  sixty, 
seventy  or  more  miles  wide,  which  reaches  to  the  northern 
boundary  of  the  state  among  the  southern  spurs  of  the  Ap- 
palachian ranges  of  mountains. 

Gold  was  discovered  in  the  northern  geologic  district  of 
Georgia,  in  Habersham  count}',  in  1829,  or  1831,  and  has 
since  been  taken  from  veins  and  alluvial  deposits  found  in 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  463 

almost  every  county  north  of  the  center  of  the  state,  and  lying 
east  of  the  western  base  of  the  mountains  which  extend  into 
the  same  from  the  north.  Georgia,  has  been  regarded  as  the 
El  Dorado  sought  by  the  Spaniards  who  invaded  Florida  be- 
fore 1540.  In  Nacooche  valley  of  this  state,  the  remains  of  an 
Indian  gold- mining  village,  of  very  early  times,  consisting  of 
thirty-eight  low-timber  houses,  were  found  buried  nine  feet 
below  the  surface  of  the  ground.  "What  time  passed  after  the 
Indians  left  these  mines,  before  the  precious  metal  was  re- 
discovered in  the  same  region,  by  the  white  settlers,  as  already 
stated,  is  quite  unknown. 

Before  gold  was  found  in  California  in  1848,  the  placers  in 
the  northern  counties  of  Georgia,  had  been  profitably  worked 
for  many  years.  The  branch  of  the  United  States  Mint  es- 
tablished at  Dahlonega,  Lumpkin  county,  Georgia,  in  1837, 
coined  during  the  year  1853,  an  amount  of  gold,  mostly  pro- 
duced in  Georgia,  to  the  value  of  nearly  $500,000.  Tliis  mint 
was  kept  in  operation  for  24  years,  or  until  1861,  and  during 
that  period  coined  gold  to  the  value  of  $6,121,919,  the  most  of 
the  bullion  thus  used  having  been  produced  in  the  state  in 
which  the  mint  was  located.  The  production  of  gold  in  Geor- 
gia, down  to  1838,  was  estimated  to  have  been  800,000  ounces, 
worth  about  $14,500,000.  From  1838  to  1849,  the  gold  pro- 
duced in  the  same  state  was  estimated  at  200,000  ounces,  worth 
about  $3,726,000. 

From  the  year  1852,  the  production  of  gold  in  Georgia, 
rapidly  decreased,  until  in  1870  but  five  mines  were  worked  in 
the  state,  the  annual  yield  from  them  all  being  valued  at  but 
$29,780.  The  principal  gold-producing  area  of  Georgia,  is 
comprised  in  Lumpkin,  Habersham,  Forsyth  and  Hall  coun- 
ties, the  metal  being  taken  from  the  alluvium  of  the  streams, 
and  the  quartz  rocks  of  the  hills.  The  gold  received  from 
Georgia,  at  the  United  States  Mints  and  Assay  Offices,  during 
the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30, 1880,  was  valued  at  $89,831.08, 
and  the  aggregate  value  of  the  gold  thus  deposited  from  the 
opening  of  the  mines  of  the  state,  to  the  date  last  mentioned, 


464  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

was  valued  at  $7,698,082.03,  with  a  remarkably  small  amount 
of  silver,  to  the  value  of  only  $^58,20,  the  product,  as  thus 
stated,  indicating  the  nature  of  the  sources  from  which  the 
gold  has  been  taken. 

Eastward  from  Georgia  to  the  Atlantic  ocean,  lies  the  state 
of  South  Carolina.  The  coast  resrion  of  this  state  for  about 
thirty  miles  inland  from  the  sea,  is  an  alluvial  or  quartenary 
formation ;  to  the  west  of  the  coast  region,  is  a  tertiary  belt 
some  sixty  or  eighty  miles  wide;  beyond  this,  to  the  west,  is 
a  district  of  mixed  silurian  and  eozoic  rocks,  while  on  the  ex- 
treme western  border  of  the  state,  the  primitive  eozoic  appears 
in  rugged  mountainous  grandeur.  The  state  of  South  Caro- 
lina, contains  many  rich  but  mostly  undeveloped  mineral  and 
metallic  deposits  and  veins.  The  gold-bearing  rocks  extend 
through  the  north-west  corner  of  the  state,  the  metal  being 
found  in  Abbeville,  Edgefield,  Lancaster,  Pickens,  Sparten- 
burg.  Union  and  York  counties.  There  are  mines  in  Abbe- 
ville, Edgefield  and  Union  counties,  which  have  produced  large 
amounts  of  gold.  The  Dorn  mines  in  the  years  before  the  war, 
sometimes  yielded  gold  to  the  value  of  $200,000  each  year. 

The  first  deposit  of  gold  received  at  the  United  States  Mint, 
from  South  Carolina,  was  made  in  1827,  and  was  valued  at 
$8,500.  The  aggregate  of  such  deposits  from  the  same  state, 
from  the  opening  of  its  mines,  down  to  the  close  of  the  fiscal 
year  ending  June  80, 1876,  was  valued  at  $1,381,518.18.  The 
gold  from  South  Carolina  deposited  in  the  United  States  Mints 
and  Assay  Offices,  during  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30, 1880, 
was  valued  at  $11,861.70,  and  the  aggregate  of  all  such  de- 
posits from  the  same  state,  to  the  date  last  mentioned,  was 
valued  at  $1,401,845.30.  The  value  of  the  silver  so  received, 
during  the  period  named,  was  reported  at  but  $30.44. 

The  territories  of  the  state  of  North  Carolina,  are  included 
between  latitude  33  degrees  49  minutes  45  seconds  and  86  de- 
grees 33  minutes  North,  and  between  longitude  75  degrees  25 
minutes  and  84  degrees  30  minutes  "West  from  Greenwich. 
The  boundaries  of  the  state  are  irregular  in  form,  the  eastern 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER    GOLD.  466 

district  fronting  on  the  Atlantic  ocean,  and  including  various 
sounds.  The  region  of  the  coast  in  this  state,  is  marked  by  a 
heavy  deposit  of  sand  spread  over  tertiary,  cretaceous  eocene 
and  miocene  formations  of  rock.  One-half  the  surface  of  the 
state  is  comprised  in  the  quarternary  formations,  which  cover 
a  belt  from  100  to  125  miles  wide,  parallel  with  the  coast. 
The  midland  region  of  the  state,  for  some  125  miles  in  width, 
is  metamorphic  and  granitic ;  the  common  rock  of  this  belt  is 
a  kind  of  gray  granite,  destitute  of  gold.  There  have  been  dis- 
coveries of  gold  in  Franklin  county,  of  this  section,  how6ver. 
On  the  extreme  western  border  of  North  Carolina,  there  is 
another  granite  belt  some  10  to  14  miles  wide,  containing  nu- 
merous trap  dikes,  deposits  of  minerals  and  veins  of  gold. 

The  general  mineral  resources  of  North  Carolina,  are  enor- 
mously great,  consisting  mainly  of  beds  of  coal,  very  pure  ores 
of  iron  and  mines  of  the  precious  metals.  The  development 
of  the  gold  fields  of  North  Carolina,  may  be  considered  pre- 
historic, or  at  least  as  having  been  an  occurrence  of  which  no 
authentic  record  has  been  preserved.  A  few  years  ago,  a  se- 
ries of  heavy  freshets  overflowed  the  valleys  of  the  Catawba, 
Yadkin,  and  Dan  rivers  in  this  state,  and  in  washing  away  the 
soil  of  the  bottom  lands,  laid  bare  a  large  number  of  curious 
and  most  interesting  relics ;  among  these,  were  human  skele- 
tons, burial  urns,  different  implements  and  vessels  of  stone,  ar- 
ticles of  pottery  ware  and  wrought  copper,  weapons  and  orna- 
ments for  the  person.  In  the  mountain  regions  of  North 
Carolina,  in  various  places  are  ancient  mines  of  an  unknown 
age  and  doubtful  origin.  The  most  important  of  the  ancient 
mines  is  in  Cherokee  county,  in  the  extreme  south-western 
corner  of  the  state ;  this  mine  consists  of  a  perpendicular  shaft 
one  hundred  feet  deep,  lined  throughout  with  timber,  the  work 
upon  the  same  having  been  done  in  a  skillful  manner,  beside 
which,  there  is  a  horizontal  tunnel  driven  from  the  base  of  the 
hill  to  meet  the  bottom  of  the  shaft.  These  various  worKs 
are  supposed  to  have  been  of  Spanish  origin,  and  may  have 
been  in  existence  for  three  hundred  and  forty  years. 
2C 


466  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

The  gold  deposits  and  auriferous  veins  of  the  southernmost 
region  of  the  Appalachian  Mountain  system,  having,  as  is  sup- 
posed, been  known  to  the  Indians,  and  worked  by  them  and 
the  early  Spanish  adventurers,  were  rediscovered  before  the 
opening  of  the  present  century,  in  Cabarrus  county.  North 
Carolina.  Somewhere  about  a  century  ago,  according  to  tra- 
dition, the  nugget  weighing  28  pounds,  described  on  page  457 
of  this  volume,  was  found  in  the  county  last  named.  The 
value  and  nature  of  this  specimen,  is  said  to  have  been  un- 
knmvn  to  the  finder,  who,  after  keeping  it  for  some  years,  sold 
it  for  a  few  cents  "to  one  wise  enough  to  remain  reticent  upon 
the  subject."  A  second  rmgget  was  discovered  in  the  same 
county  during  the  year  1799,  by  a  person  named  Reed,  near 
what  was  afterwards  known  as  the  Reed  mine;  this  Reed  nug- 
get weighed  thirty-seven  pounds,  Troy,  and  with  its  discovery 
began  the  active  search  for  the  precious  metal  in  the  vicinity. 
In  1829,  a  nugget  weighing  ten  pounds  was  found  in  this  dis- 
trict, and  before  1830,  one  hundred  pounds  or  more  of  gold 
was  secured  in  the  form  of  nuggets,  each  more  than  a  pound 
in  weight. 

Gold  placers  and  deposits  were  opened  over  a  large  district 
of  North  Carolina  lying  on  both  sides  of  the  Blue  Ridge  range 
of  mountains,  where  they  were  successfully  worked  from  an 
early  date ;  these  raining  operations  were  quite  extensive,  but 
the  exact  product  of  the  same  cannot  now  be  determined. 
Gold  is  very  extensively  distributed  through  the  whole  moun- 
tain region  of  this  state,  being  found ;  first,  in  loose  quartz 
gravel  or  grits,  immediately  below  the  surface ;  second,  in 
stratified  la3'ers  of  the  same  age  as  the  rock  which  bears  them ; 
third,  as  crevice  gold,  among  the  joints,  seams  and  crevices  of 
the  rocks ;  fourth,  in  irregular  veins  with  quartz  and  the  sul- 
phurets  of  iron  or  of  copper.  The  gold  veins  of  North  Caro- 
lina were  discovered  by  a  man  named  Barrenger,  in  Montgom- 
ery county,  during  the  year  1825.  The  richest  gold  mine  in 
the  United  States,  before  1848,  when  the  precious  metal  was 
discovered  in  California,  was  in  Rowan  county,  North  Caro- 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  467 

Una,  some  of  the  earth,  taken  from  the  deposit  yielding  gold 
to  the  value  of  $500  from  each  bushel.  This  mine  was 
worked  from  1840  or  1842,  for  a  considerable  time,  when  it 
became  flooded,  having  produced  in  all,  gold  to  the  value  of 
some  $3,000,000.  Beside  the  celebrated  mine  here  described, 
regular  gold-bearing  veins  have  been  worked  in  North  Caro- 
lina, located  in  Davidson,  Cabarrus,  Stanley,  Montgomery,  and 
Mecklenburg  counties,  where  irregtilar  gold-bearing  veins  also 
exist,  and  where  surface  deposits  of  free  gold  have  been  found ; 
the  same  may  be  said,  but  in  less  degree,  of  Catawba,  Baii- 
dolph,  Union  and  Franklin  counties. 

In  the  vicinity  of  the  Reed  mine,  in  Cabarrus  county,  as 
already  related,  many  fine  nuggets  and  specimens  were  col- 
lected from  the  surface,  or  from  shallow  diggings,  a  long  time 
before  operations  were  begun  upon  the  mine.  In  addition  to 
the  gold-producing  localities  already  named  in  North  Carolina^ 
the  same  metal  has  been  discovered  in  Anson,  Burke,  Clay, 
Cleaveland,  Gaston,  Guilford,  Jackson,  Lincoln,  McDowell, 
Moore,  Nash,  Polk,  and  Yancey  counties.  There  was  former- 
ly a  branch  of  the  United  States  Mint  at  Charlotte,  Mecklen- 
burg county.  North  Carolina,  but  it  is  now  merely  an  assay 
oflfiice.  The  gold  deposited  in  the  United  Mints  and  Assay 
Offices,  to  the  close  of  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  1874, 
was  valued  at  $10,090,056.  The  gold  so  deposited,  from  th« 
same  source,  during  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30,  1870,  was 
valued  at  $85,659.57,  and  the  aggregate  of  all  such  deposits  to 
that  date,  at  $10,613,351.10.  Quite  recently,  the  Mears  Piatt* 
ner  Process  of  Chlorination,  has  been  practiced  at  the  Yadkid 
Gold  Mine  and  Reduction  Works  in  North  Carolina,  and  fa^ 
vorable  reports  of  the  results  are  published.  Considering  th« 
non-argentiferous  nature  of  the  ores  found  in  the  state,  the 
use  of  some  such  process  may  be  the  means  of  an  increase  ia 
the  production  of  gold,  not  only  in  North  Carolina,  but  pos- 
sibly all  along  the  Atlantic  slope,  wherever  the  precious  met*i 
has  been  obtained. 

West  of  North  Carolina,  to  the  bank  of  the  Mississippi 


468  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

river,  extends  the  state  of  Tennessee,  a  region  of  varied  geo- 
logic formation,  rich  in  coal,  iron,  marble,  and  numerous 
other  metals  and  minerals  of  a  valuable  nature,  the  certain 
sources  of  great  wealth  to  the  future  population  of  this  as  yet 
undeveloped  state.  Gold  has  been  found  in  Tennessee,  in  quartz 
veins  in  the  enormous  development  of  the  Lower  Silurian 
strata  proper,  which  marks  the  region  of  the  Unaka  Moun- 
tains in  the  eastern  part  of  the  state,  but  the  amount  of  the 
precious  metal  to  be  secured,  has  not  been  sufficient  to  make 
these  mines  a  source  of  profit. 

North  of  Tennessee,  to  the  Ohio  river,  lies  the  state  of  Ken- 
tucky ;  the  geology  of  this  state  is  made  up  of  the  various 
formations  developed  elsewhere  in  the  valley  of  the  Missis- 
sippi ;  the  caves  and  fossils  of  the  sub-carboniferous  district 
of  the  state,  are  very  remarkable,  the  coal  mines  of  the  state 
rank  in  quantity  and  quality  next  to  those  of  Pennsylvania, 
and  the  amount  of  iron  ore  to  be  had,  of  good  quality,  is  not 
exceeded  by  the  deposits  of  any  state.  Gold  is  not  reported 
among  the  metals  found  in  Kentucky. 

The  state  of  Illinois,  is  bounded  on  the  south,  and  the  south- 
east by  the  Ohio  river,  and  west  by  the  Mississippi  river ;  it 
extends  north  to  latitude  42  degrees  and  80  minutes,  and  east- 
ward to  the  line  of  Indiana,  in  longitude  87  degrees  and  85 
minutes.  Illinois,  has  been  described  in  general  as  one  great 
coal  field;  the  larger  part  of  the  surface  is  iccluded  in  the 
carboniferous  formation,  but  there  are  districts  presenting 
other  strata.  The  coal  measures  of  this  state  are  not  all  fit 
for  practical  mining,  but  there  are  immense  deposits  of  good 
coal  convenient  for  working  and  transportation.  The  coal 
measures  contain  iron  ores  in  places,  but  these  are  principally 
valuable  for  admixture  with  other  ores  mined  outside  of  the 
state. 

There  is  a  small  lead-bearing  district  in  Jo  Daviess  county, 
in  the  north-west  corner  of  Illinois.  The  galena  is  argentif- 
erous, and  is  an  important  product.  Gold  is  not  usually  reck- 
oned among  the  metals  of  Illinois,  yet  it  has  been  found  Id 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  469 

small  quantities  among  the  gravels  of  the  river  bottoms 
there. 

The  state  of  Indiana,  lying  east  of  Illinois  to  longitude  84 
degrees  49  minutes  West  from  Greenwich,  is  part  of  the  same 
great  coal-bearing  region  including  the  last-named  state  and 
Kentucky.  The  "block-coal"  of  Indiana,  which  exists  in 
great  abundance  and  is  easily  mined,  is  almost  entirely  free 
from  sulphur  and  phosphorus,  and  hence  a  superior  fuel  for 
manufacturing  iron,  excelling  even  charcoal  in  this  respect. 
As  in  Illinois,  the  river  gravels  of  Indiana,  contain  some  gold 
in  places,  but  the  scanty  supply  of  gold  dust  and  grains  of 
these  states,  lies  uncared  for  in  the  unprofitable  gravels,  among 
the  numerous  sure  sources  of  wealth  found  in  the  vast  coal 
measures,  in  various  other  mines,  and  in  the  generally  ex- 
ceedingly fertile  soil. 

The  state  of  Ohio  extends  eastward  from  Indiana  to  longi- 
tude 80  degrees  and  34  minutes  West  from  Greenwich,  and  is 
bounded  on  the  north  by  the  Great  Lakes,  and  on  the  south 
by  the  Ohio  river.  The  geology  of  Ohio  includes  the  lower 
and  upper  silurian,  the  devonian  and  carboniferous  strata,  with 
developments  of  the  quarternary  formation  in  deposits  of 
drift  of  various  kinds.  The  most  important  of  the  many 
mineral  resources  of  this  state  is  coal,  which  resembling  i^ 
some  fields  the  coal  of  Indiana,  is  used  in  connection  with  the 
abundant  ferruginous  ores  of  Ohio,  in  difierent  manufactures 
of  iron.  The  several  kinds  of  rocks  in  the  state,  supply  an 
abundance  of  valuable  stones  for  building,  and  many  other 
economic  purposes.  The  primitive  or  eozoic  rocks  are  be- 
neath the  surface  in  Ohio,  and  neither  veins  or  deposits  of 
gold  have  been  discovered  in  the  state. 

The  state  of  West  Virginia,  was  set  off  from  Virginia,  in 
1863.  The  territory  of  this  new  stale  is  very  irregular  in 
form;  it  is  bounded  on  the  north-west  by  Ohio,  and  on  the 
north-north-east  and  east-north-east  by  Pennsylvania  and 
Maryland,  on  the  east-south-east  and  south  by  Virginia,  and 
on  the  south-west  by  Virginia  and  Kentucky.     Including  part 


470  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

of  tte  Appalachian  valley,  an  extensive  section  of  the  western 
slope  of  the  Alleghany  range  of  mountains,  and  a  portion  of 
the  upper  regions  of  the  Ohio  valley,  the  state  of  West  Vir- 
ginia, has  a  varied  geological  structure  in  general  conformity 
with  the  already-described  formation  peculiar  to  the  several 
natural  districts  named  to  which  its  territories  belong.  Most 
of  the  surface  of  West  Virginia,  is  mountainous  and  hilly, 
but  the  eozoic  rocks  appear  only  in  the  eastern  boundary  of 
Jefferson  county,  in  the  extreme  eastern  point  of  the  state. 
The  Alleghany  coal  field  covers  the  principal  part  of  the  ter- 
ritories of  West  Virginia ;  the  area  of  the  coal  lands  in  the 
state,  is  some  15,000  square  miles,  and  some  of  the  mines  are 
unsurpassed.  Salt,  iron,  stone,  marble,  and  a  variety  of  val- 
uable minerals  are  found  in  the  same  region,  but  so  far  as  its 
deposits,  veins  and  mines  have  been  surveyed,  the  existence  of 
gold  is  not  noted. 

Virginia,  one  of  the  original  thirteen  states  of  the  United 
States,  is  bounded  on  the  west  and  north-west  by  Kentucky 
and  West  Virginia,  on  the  north  and  north-east  by  Maryland, 
on  the  east  by  the  Cherapeake  bay  and  the  Atlantic  ocean, 
ftnd  on  the  south  by  North  Carolina  and  Tennessee.  Vir- 
ginia, though  parted  from  a  portion  of  its  former  territories, 
is  still  a  large  state,  containing  in  all  an  area  of  some  45,000 
square  miles — 27,201,000  acres.  The  tide-water  section  of 
Virginia,  like  the  same  portion  of  the  states  south  of  it,  is  of 
the  quarternary  and  alluvial  formation ;  the  low  plains  of  the 
peninsulas  are  of  the  pliocene  or  upper  tertiary  order ;  the 
next  higher  lands,  well  up  toward  the  head  of  the  various 
bays,  is  miocene  or  middle  tertiary,  with  beds  of  sand,  gravel, 
marl  and  pebbles;  inland  from  this  terrace,  for  fifteen  or 
twenty  miles,  the  surface  presents  indications  of  the  eocene  or 
lower  tertiary  strata  in  various  colored  marls,  different  kinds 
of  clays  and  numerous  fossils.  The  central  region  of  Vir- 
ginia, is  principally  of  eozoic  structure,  the  rocks  mostly 
crystaline,  and  in  places  containing  gold-bearing  veins  of 
quartz.     The  western  part  of  Virginia,  lies  among  the  Ap- 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  471 

palachian  mountain  ranges,  and  presents  a  varied  geologic  view, 
including  limestones,  and  lower  silurian,  upper  silurian,  devoni- 
an, sul)-carboniferous,  and  carboniferous  rocks  and  deposits. 

The  gold  of  Virginia,  has  been  found  in  a  central  belt  some 
twenty  miles  wide,  extending  from  the  region  of  the  District 
of  Columbia,  to  the  south-west,  on  a  general  line  with  the 
ranges  of  mountains  for  about  two  hundred  miles,  to  Ilalifax 
Court  House,  and  nearly  across  the  state.  A  great  number  of 
mines  have  been  opened  in  this  district,  principally  in  Fau- 
quier, Culpepper,  Spottsylvania,  Orange,  Fluvanna,  Bucking- 
ham, and  some  adjacent  counties.  The  gold-bearing  rocks  of 
Virginia,  are  argentiferous,  the  percentage  of  silver  being 
greatest  in  the  veins  located  in  the  chloritio  slates.  The  gold 
product  of  Virginia,  has  at  times  been  quite  large,  but  during 
other  periods,  on  account  of  the  unevenness  and  comparative 
poverty  of  the  ore  taken  from  the  veins,  much  less,  the  whole 
working  making  an  uncertain,  fluctuating,  and,  on  the  average, 
unprofitable  business.  Some  of  the  gold  mines  in  Virginia, 
are  still  worked  with  moderate  success,  the  yield  of  gold  from 
the  state,  showing  an  increase  of  about  ten  per  cent,  of  the  to- 
tal product  each  year  for  several  years  past.  What  the  future 
profits  of  the  same  may  become,  through  more  extensive  op- 
erations by  probably  improved  processes,  remains  to  be  de- 
termined hereafter  by  actual  experiment  and  practical  demon- 
stration. 

The  first  deposit  of  gold  from  Virginia,  received  at  the 
United  States  Mint,  was  made  in  1829,  and  valued  at  $2,500. 
The  total  amount  of  gold  from  the  same  state,  deposited  at  the 
United  States  Mints  and  Assay  Offices,  to  the  close  of  the  fiscal 
year  ending  June  30,  1876,  was  valued  at  $1,638,593.13,  the 
amount  of  gold  so  deposited  for  that  particular  Centennial 
year,  having  been  valued  at  $3,323.49.  During  the  year  1380, 
the  amount  of  gold  from  Virginia,  deposited  at  the  United 
States  Mints  and  Assay  Offices,  was  valued  at  $9,322.07,  and 
the  total  amount  so  deposited  to  the  close  of  the  fiscal  year 
ending  June  SO,  1880,  was  valued  at  $1,672,667.70. 


472  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

To  the  north  and  north-east  of  Virginia,  between  87  degrees 
63  minutes  and  89  degrees  44  minutes  latitude  North,  and  75 
degrees  2  minutes  and  79  degrees  30  minutes  longitude  "West 
from  Greenwich,  lies  the  state  of  Maryland,  including  a  terri- 
tory which,  in  the  variety  of  its  geological  formations  and 
mineral  products,  is  one  of  the  most  remarkable  districts  of 
the  United  States.  It  is  sufficient  here  to  remark,  that  the 
strata  and  deposits  of  Maryland,  are  in  general  extensions  of 
those  found  in  the  adjoining  states,  modified  by  the  irregu- 
larities of  the  coast  line,  as  formed  by  the  indentations  of  the 
bays  and  arms  of  the  sea.  Traces  of  gold  have  been  found  at 
various  points,  in  that  part  of  Maryland  adjoining  the  central 
belt  of  Virginia,  and  the  precious  metal  has  been  secured  in 
the  state  to  a  small  amount.  The  gold  from  Maryland,  depos- 
ited at  the  United  States  Mints  and  Assay  Offices,  to  the  close 
of  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30, 1876,  was  valued  at  $402,12, 
being  the  total  gold  product  of  the  state  to  the  present  time. 

The  business  of  prospecting  and  mining  for  gold  in  North 
Carolina,  became  notable  as  early  as  the  year  1804.  The  first 
deposits  of  gold  of  domestic  production,  received  at  the  United 
States  Mint,  was  made  during  the  year  1824.  Up  to  the  year 
1827,  North  Carolina,  was  the  only  considerable  source  of  gold 
known  to  exist  in  the  United  States.  The  asrsrregate  value  of 
the  gold  produced  in  that  state,  to  the  date  named,  was  esti- 
mated at  $110,000.  In  1829,  South  Carolina,  deposited  gold 
to  the  value  of  $3,500,  and  Virginia,  did  the  same  to  the  value 
of  $2,500.  In  1830,  Georgia,  deposited  gold  to  the  value  of 
$212,000,  and  the  gold  produced  in  the  United  States,  became 
for  a  time  sufficient  to  meet  the  national  demand  for  coinage. 
The  total  amount  of  gold  produced  in  the  states,  already  de- 
scribed as  part  of  the  gold  field  of  the  Atlantic  slope  of  the 
United  States,  to  the  close  of  the  fiscal  year  ending  June  30, 
1876,  was  valued  at  $20,769,997.60.  Down  to  the  close  of  the 
fiscal  year  1880,  the  product  of  the  same  section  had  increased 
to  a  value  of  $21,470,614.50,  a  considerable  sum,  when  consid- 
ered by  itself,  but  a  trifle,  in  comparison  with  the  vast  outfit 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  473 

of  the  Rocky  Mountain  mines,  and  but  little  more  than  half 
the  annual  gold  product  of  the  United  States,  for  the  past  few 
years. 

The  northern  portion  of  the  Appalachian  mountain  system, 
covers  all  that  part  of  the  United  States  eastward  of  the  main 
stream  of  the  Ohio  river,  and  northward  from  the  latitude  of 
the  city  of  Washington,  and  beyond  extends  into  the  Domin- 
ion of  Canada.  This  region  includes  the  states  of  Maryland, 
Delaware,  Pennsylvania,  New  York,  Connecticut,  Massachu- 
setts, Rhode  Island,  Vermont,  New  Hampshire  and  Maine, 
with  the  Eastern  and  Maritime  provinces  of  Canada.  The 
whole  of  this  section  of  the  continent  is  one  vast  gold  field, 
the  precious  metal  being  very  generally  distributed  through- 
out its  territories,  in  deposits  and  veins  in  numerous  localities. 
The  gold-bearing  gravels,  clays,  and  ore  veins,  or  lodes  of  free 
gold,  found  in  this  the  north-eastern  Atlantic  coast  gold  field, 
are  widely  eeparated  one  from  another,  and  vary  greatly  in 
their  richness,  from  beds  and  rocks  which  show  mere  traces 
of  gold,  discoverable  only  by  chemical  analysis,  to  mines  and 
washings  which  yield  a  sufficient  return  of  the  metal  for  the 
labor  expended  upon  them,  to  create  a  reliable  and  remunera- 
tive business.  Some  account  of  the  points  where  gold  has 
been  found,  and  of  the  localities  where  the  same  has  been 
worked  for,  in  the  north-eastern  part  of  the  United  Siates, 
will  be  given  in  a  few  of  the  succeeding  paragraphs. 

The  very  small  amount  of  gold  produced  in  the  state  of 
Maryland,  has  already  been  noted  herein  on  page  472,  the 
same  being  included  in  the  general  estimate  made  of  the 
quantity  of  the  metal  deposited  in  the  several  United  States 
mints  and  assay  offices,  from  the  southern  states. 

The  state  of  Delaware,  lying  east  of  Maryland,  and  along 
Delaware  bay,  from  which  body  of  water  the  state  received  its 
name,  presents  a  district  of  small  extent,  marked  in  general  by 
the  same  geologic  features  which  appear  in  the  shore  lands  and 
coast  regions  to  the  southward  of  its  boundaries.  The  only 
important  metallic  product  of  Delaware,  is  iron,  and  this  is 


474  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

made  in  moderate  quantities  from  the  bog  ores  found  at  vari- 
ous places  in  the  state. 

The  great  state  of  Pennsylvania,  extending  from  39  degrees 
43  minutes  to  42  degrees  latitude  North,  and  from  74  degrees 
40  minutes  to  80  degrees  36  minutes  longitude  West  from 
Greenwich,  is  one  of  the  most  important  mineral  regions  of 
the  world,  and  one  of  the  most  interesting  geologic  districts 
of  the  American  continent.  The  greatness  of  the  mineral  and 
metallic  resources  of  this  state,  and  the  vast  development 
already  attained  by  the  numerous  industries  founded  upon 
them,  have  made  the  products  of  the  same  of  incalculable 
commercial  and  economic  importance.  The  most  valuable 
mineral  products  of  Pennsylvania,  are  the  different  anthracite 
and  bituminous  coals.  There  are  about  25,000,000  tons  of 
excellent  anthracite  coal  mined  in  the  state  each  year,  with  a 
constantly-increasing  amount  of  bituminous  coal,  amounting 
at  a  recent  date,  to  some  6,000,000  tons  during  a  similar  pe- 
riod. The  state  contains  no  iron  in  a  native  condition,  but 
has  mines  of  evpry  variety  of  iron  ore,  and  it  is  from  these, 
has  been  made  nearly  one-half  of  all  the  iron  produced  in  the 
United  States.  In  addition  to  the  sources  of  wealth  already 
named,  Pennsylvania  is  the  great  center  of  the  world's  supply 
of  petroleum.  This  article  is  measured  in  barrels  of  40  gal- 
lons each,  and  of  such,  the  production  for  the  last  few  years 
has  been  as  follows:  1875,  8,787,506;  1876,  9,175,906;  1877, 
13,490,171;  1878,  15,165,462;  1879,  19,741,661.  The  state 
also  contains  almost  every  known  mineral,  but  none  of  them 
except  those  already  described,  have  been  found  of  any  con- 
siderable economic  value. 

Gold,  silver,  copper,  tin,  and  native  sulphur,  exist  in  Penn- 
sylvania, in  various  places  and  relations,  but  neither  of  them 
have  as  yet  repaid  the  trouble  of  working  the  deposits.  Ac- 
cording to  estimates  made  by  chemical  experts,  the  peculiar 
clay  which  at  the  delta  of  the  Delaware  and  Schuylkill  rivers 
underlies  the  surface  of  the  county  of  Philadelphia,  contains 
gold  in  dissemination,  valued  at  more  than  $1,000,000,000, 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  475 

beside  an  enormous  amount  contained  in  that  portion  of 
this  claj  already  excavated  and  incorporated  into  brick,  of 
which  most  of  the  vaot  number  of  walls  and  buildings  in  the 
city  of  Philadelphia  are  made.  It  is,  however,  estimated  upon 
the  same  scientific  authority,  that  the  wages  of  men  employed 
in  extracting  gold  from  the  auriferous  Philadelphia  clays,  at 
fifty  cents  a  day,  would  consume  the  entire  amount  of  gold 
which  could  be  obtained  by  their  labor  ;  inasmuch  as  the  to- 
tal amount  of  gold  contained  in  the  material  to  be  operated 
upon,  is  but  the  value  of  three  cents  to  the  cubic  foot.  The 
silver  veins  of  Pennsylvania,  would  it  is  assumed,  afford  a 
better  profit  than  the  gold-bearing  clays,  at  least  in  some  lo- 
calities, but  nowhere  could  they  be  so  managed,  as  to  make 
operations  upon  the  argentiferous  ores  of  the  state  a  safe  and 
profitable  business.  '^ 

The  state  of  New  Jersey,  lies  along  the  Atlantic  coast  east- 
ward of  Delaware  bay  and  river,  and  south  of  the  boundary 
line  of  New  York,  The  southern  part  of  this  state,  is  made 
up  of  tertiary  deposits  and  drift,  with  cretaceous  beds  and  fos- 
sils of  varied  origin;  in  the  middle  section  of  the  state,  sec- 
ondary rocks  appear,  and  in  the  north,  are  gneissoid  and  grani- 
tic strata,  with  highlands  of  moderate  elevation.  The  impor- 
tant mineral  products  of  this  district,  are  iron  and  zinc  ores, 
gold  and  silver  never  having  been  discovered  in  workable 
quantities. 

The  very  irregular  tract  of  country  lying  between  40  de- 
grees 29  minutes  40  seconds  and  45  degrees  0  minutes  42  sec- 
onds latitude  North,  and  71  degrees  51  minutes  and  79  de- 
grees 45  minutes  54  seconds  longitude  West  from  Greenwich, 
is  included  in  the  state  of  New  York.  Across  this  state,  the 
Appalachian  mountain  system  extends  in  ranges  of  different 
names,  presenting  modified  and  varying  geologic  features. 
The  mountains  of  New  York  are  not  lofty,  rising  to  an  eleva- 
tion of  but  1,000  to  1,700  feet  above  the  sea  along  the  banks 
of  the  Hudson  river,  and  to  6,000  feet  above  the  sea  in  the 
northern  central  region  of  the  Adirondack  range.    The  Iligh- 


476  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

lands  of  the  Hudson,  are  derived  from  a  range  of  moderate 
elevations  extending  northward  from  the  territories  of  New 
Jersey ;  the  structure  of  these  Highlands  is  of  gneissoid  and 
granitic  rocks,  distinct  from  the  metamorphic  formations  upon 
either  side  of  them.  The  Adirondack  Mountains  are  of  about 
the  same  geologic  constitution  as  the  Highlands  of  the  Hud- 
son, while  the  Shawangunk  and  Catskill  ranges  of  mountains 
are  geologically  the  true  representatives  of  the  Appalachian 
strata  which  are  outspread  in  Pennsylvania,  and  southward 
thence.  The  state  of  New  York,  presents  peculiar  geologic 
features ;  in  certain  districts,  nearly  every  formation  is  shown, 
from  the  most  ancient  eozoic  rocks,  to  the  most  modern  sedi- 
ments ;  yet  the  entire  carboniferous  strata,  the  upper  devonian, 
the  permian,  and  Jurassic  formations  are  everywhere  wanting. 
Thejower  tertiary  deposits  occur  but  in  very  limited  areas; 
there  are  traces  of  anthracite  coal  in  layers  of  a  few  inches 
deep,  but  no  true  coal  measures ;  the  most  important  mining 
product  of  the  state  is  iron ;  galena,  or  lead  ore,  is  obtained  in 
St.  Lawrence  county  in  large  quantities;  zinc,  copper,  arsenic, 
manganese,  barytes,  strontian,  and  alum,  are  reported  among 
the  minerals  found  in  this  district,  but  none  of  them  have 
been  made  a  source  of  any  notable  profit.  Vast  quantities  of 
salt  have  been  taken  from  the  springs  along  the  line  of  the 
Onondaga  salt  group,  mostly  in  Onondaga  county;  there  is 
also  an  abundance  of  gypsum,  water-lime,  building-stone,  and 
other  economic  materials,  imbedded  in  the  generally  very  fer- 
tile soil  of  this  state,  and  from  the  surface  flow  numerous 
valuable  mineral  springs.  With  the  numerous  and  fruitful 
sources  of  wealth  already  named,  and  a  most  extensive  com- 
merce, the  citizens  of  New  York  make  themselves  content  in 
prosperity,  gold  and  silver  being  unknown  among  the  pro- 
ducts of  the  state,  though  perhaps  existing  in  mere  auriferous 
and  argentiferous  traces  among  the  rocks. 

The  New  England  states  of  Connecticut,  Rhode  Island,  Mas- 
sachusetts, Vermont,  New  Hampshire,  and  Maine,  form  a  geo- 
logic district  especially  marked  by  the  granitic,  gneissoid,  met- 


AMERICAN  AND   OTHER   GOLD.  477 

amorphic,  and  crystaline  formations ;  the  details  of  the  local 
features  of  the  strata  of  this  region  are  not  essential  in  this 
connection ;  moreover,  the  states  have  long  been  settled,  and 
their  geologic  features  have,  in  general,  been  carefully  sur- 
veyed and  well  described,  throughout  their  comparatively 
limited  area. 

No  considerable  amount  of  gold  has  been  found  in  Connec- 
ticut, but  traces  of  the  metal  have  been  reported ;  a  branch  of 
the  oldest  known  copper  mine,  worked  by  English  hands  in 
the  United  States,  was  opened  at  Granby,  in  Connecticut,  and 
from  this  mine  copper  was  obtained  for  a  colonial  coinage,  is- 
sued as  early  as  1736,  as  related  on  pages  172  and  173  of  this 
volume.  The  iron  of  Connecticut  taken  from  the  Salisbury 
mine,  was  used  during  the  American  Eevolution  by  the  Gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States  for  the  manufacture  of  cannon 
found  to  be  of  very  superior  strength  and  endurance ;  of  this 
iron,  the  great  chain  was  made  which  was  stretched  across  the 
Hudson  river  at  West  Point,  and  the  same  metal  was  applied 
to  the  general  purposes  of  the  army  and  navy  during  the  en- 
tire war.  Beside  copper  and  iron,  the  state  of  Connecticut  con- 
tains ores  of  lead  of  an  argentiferous  nature,  but  the  amount 
of  silver  which  may  have  been  obtained  from  them  is  un- 
known, none  appearing  to  have  been  deposited  at  the  United 
States  Mints  and  Assay  Offices. 

The  small  state  of  Rhode  Island,  contains  beds  of  anthracite 
coal,  of  even  greater  extent  than  those  of  Pennsylvania,  but 
the  state  is  not  a  gold-bearing  area.  The  coal  of  Rhode  Island, 
is,  at  the  surface,  of  rather  inferior  quality,  but  improves  very 
much  as  the  mine  is  made  deeper ;  a  considerable  amount  of 
this  coal  is  raised  each  year. 

Gold  was  discovered  a  few  years  since  in  Essex  county, 
Massachusetts,  and  mining  was  begun  in  an  enterprising  man- 
ner ;  the  reports  of  deposits  at  the  United  Mints  and  Assay 
Offices,  make,  however,  no  mention  of  gold  from  Masaachu- 
setts. 

The  talcose  slates  of  Vermont,  contain  numerous  deposits  of 


478  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

hematite  iron  ore,  and  at  Chittenden,  productive  mines  of 
manganese ;  at  Plymouth,  and  several  other  places  in  the  state, 
gold  has  been  found  in  the  same  slate  formation.  Some  gold 
has  been  secured  from  the  auriferous  veins  of  Vermont,  but 
the  mines  have  not,  as  a  whole,  repaid  the  labor  and  expense 
of  working,  and  are  now  unproductive.  Of  gold  from  the 
state  of  Vermont,  there  was  deposited  in  the  United  States 
Mints  and  Assay  Offices,  to  the  close  of  the  fiscal  year  ending 
June  30,  1880,  the  value  of  $10,981.27,  a  small  item,  when 
compared  with  the  worth  of  the  marble  and  slate  which,  since 
184-1:  and  1845,  have  been  taken  from  the  then-discovered 
quarries  at  Rutland  and  Fairhaven,  in  the  same  state. 

The  almost  entirely  inland  state  of  New  Ilampshire,  lying 
to  the  eastward  of  Vermont,  presents  for  some  twenty  to 
thirty  miles  inland  from  its  but  eighteen  miles  of  sea-coast,  a 
low,  level  and  partly  marshy  tract,  but  the  remainder  of  the 
surface  of  the  state,  is  broken  and  mountainous.  The  ranges 
and  peaks  of  this  district,  belong  to  the  Appalachian  system ; 
the  greater  part  of  the  mountains  are  of  eozoic  formation,  or 
of  archiac  rocks ;  the  surface  rocks  of  the  whole  region,  are  in 
general  granite,  gneiss,  mica,  quartz,  etc.,  with  narrow  areas 
of  the  lower  silurian  rocks  along  the  valleys  of  the  Connecti- 
cut and  Merrimac  rivers,  and  near  the  sea-coast,  intersected  by 
tertiary  and  quaternary  deposits.  The  area  of  New  Hamp- 
shire, i.3  occupied  by  an  Appalachian  plateau,  from  800  to  1,500 
feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea,  fn.-m  which,  at  irregular  inter- 
vals, arise  numerous  more  or  less  isolated  summits.  The  av- 
erage elevation  of  the  state,  is  some  1,200  feet  above  the  level 
of  the  sea,  and  the  mountains  included  in  its  territory,  are, 
with  the  single  exception  of  the  Black  Mountains  of  North 
Carolina,  the  highest  of  the  Appalachians,  or  of  any  moun- 
tains in  the  United  States  along  the  Atlantic  coast.  The 
White  Mountains  of  New  Hampshire,  contain  several  lofty 
summits,  and  numerous  peaks,  of  considerable  elevation,  are 
scattered  all  over  the  surface  of  the  state.  Among  these. 
Mount  Washington  rises  to  a  heigh th  of  6,285.4  feet  above  the 


AMERICAN  AND    OTHER   GOLD.  479 

level  of  the  sea,  while,  from  its  summit,  may  be  seen  Mount 
Clay,  Mount  Adams,  Mount  Jefferson,  and  Mount  Madison, 
standing,  respectively,  at  an  elevation  of  5,553,  5,714,  5,794, 
and  5,365  feet  above  the  coast  line.  Other  peaks  elsewhere, 
present  an  almost  equal  average  altitude;  a  number  of  these, 
from  their  detached  position  and  peculiar  form,  appearin«T 
much  higher. 

New  Hampshire  contains  veins  and  beds  of  the  ores  of  im- 
portant metals,  and  of  valuable  minerals,  but  the  metals  pro- 
duced from  them  have  not  been  the  source  of  any  great 
wealth.  Gold  has  been  mined  in  the  state,  by  two  companies, 
whose  works  were  still  carried  on  at  a  recent  date.  The 
gold-bearing  rocks  are  of  quartz,  located  in  the  town  of  Lis- 
bon. The  total  yield  of  gold  from  the  quartz  mills  at  Lisbon, 
and  from  the  entire  state,  since  they  were  first  put  in  opera- 
tion, was  estimated  in  1375,  to  have  been  worth  $30,000,  and 
that  amount  of  the  same  is  said  to  have  been  sold  to  the 
United  States  Mint.  According,  however,  to  the  Official  Re- 
port of  the  Director  of  the  Mint,  for  the  fiscal  year  enJing 
June  80,  1880,  the  total  amount  of  gold  received  from  New 
Hampshire,  by  the  United  States  Mints  and  Assay  Offices,  to 
this  last  date,  was  valued  at  but  $11,020.55.  The  amount  of 
gold  produced  in  the  state  each  year,  for  several  years  past, 
cannot  have  been  worth  more  than  a  few  hundred  dollars. 
The  iron  ores  of  New  Hampshire,  are  not  a  source  of  profit, 
but  its  quarries  produce  an  abundance  of  fine  granite,  and 
other  valuable  minerals  are  obtained  at  various  points. 

The  state  of  Maine,  formerly  a  district  of  Massachusetts,  is 
the  easternmost  portion  of  the  United  States;  the  geologic 
formations  of  this  north-eastern  region,  are  almost  exclusively 
of  the  eozoic  and  silurian  rocks;  the  metamorphic  strata 
found  in  tins  area,  abound  in  minerals  of  very  interesting, 
and,  in  some  instances,  valuable  character.  The  mountains  of 
Maine  are  of  the  Appalachian  system ;  they  are  not  so  lofty  as 
the  summits  noted  in  New  Hampshire,  but  of  considerable  ele- 
vation, standing  in  groups,  with  no  appearance  of  ranges  in 


480  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

regular  order.  There  are  traces  of  gold  in  Maine,  but  the 
precious  metals  are  not  mentioned  in  the  reports  of  the  in- 
dustrial products  of  the  state ;  the  metallic  ores  of  iron,  lead, 
tin,  copper,  zinc,  etc.,  of  that  section,  receive  but  slight  atten- 
tion from  any  one  but  the  geologist ;  the  minerals,  among 
which  are  marbles,  slates,  granites,  limestones,  and  materials 
for  the  manufacture  of  copperas  and  sulphur,  are  quarried 
with  much  success;  the  granite  of  Maine  is  durable,  and  be- 
ing found  in  great  and  perfect  masses,  is  sometimes  moved 
from  the  strata  in  flawless  blocks,  weighing  a  hundred  or 
more  tons  each ;  there  "is  an  abundance  of  excellent  roofing- 
slate  found  in  the  state,  and  the  limestones  of  Thomaston,  sup- 
ply an  enormous  amount  of  the  best  lime,  which  is  an  impor- 
tant article  of  general  export.  The  town  of  Paris,  in  Oxford 
county,  Maine,  is  celebrated  for  the  beautiful  colored  tourma- 
lines, a  kind  of  valuable  silicious  stone  obtained  there.  The 
mineralogical  cabinets  of  Europe,  are  adorned  with  beryls  of 
unequalled  size,  taken  from  among  those  procured  in  the  state 
of  Maine.  These  stones  are  regarded  as  a  sub-species  of  em- 
erald, are  of  a  greenish  hue,  and  often  quite  handsome.  From 
the  north  of  Maine,  the  mountain  wilderness  extends  eastward 
and  northward  into  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  and  it  is  with  a 
rapid  yet  authentic  statement  of  the  sources  of  gold  in  the  vast 
territories  included  in  the  Canadian  domain,  and  the  other 
British  provinces  in  North  America,  this  chapter  upon 
American  And  Other  Gold  is  to  be  concluded. 


COINS  OF  FOREIGN  COUNTRIES. 


ABYSSINIA. 

No  coins  are  minted  in  Abyssinia.  Large  payments  are 
made  in  ingots  of  gold,  which  are  weighed  by  the  "Wakea"  or 
Abyssinian  ounce,  equal  to  400  grains  Troy.  For  small  pay- 
ments, salt  bars  are  used;  about  80  of  which  are  valued  at  a 
Wakea  of  gold.  This  salt  is  as  white  as  snow  and  as  hard  as  a 
rock.  They  dig  it  out  of  the  mountain  "  Softa,"  and  carry  it 
into  the  Emperor's  store-houses,  where  they  shape  it  into  bars, 
which  they  call  "Amovle;"  or  into  half  bars,  which  are  de- 
nominated as  " Courman."  Each  bar  is  required  to  be  at  least 
half  a  Pic  long  (=  13|  inches)  and  one-ninth  of  a  Pic  in  breadth 
and  thickness  (=  3  inches).  Glass  beads,  also,  of  all  coloif*, 
])erfect  and  broken,  pass  for  small  change,  and  are  called  "Bor- 
Jookes/'  of  which  2,760  are  current  for  one  Maria  Theresia 
Thaler  of  1780  =  to  $1.03  cents,  United  States  value. 

The  Abyssinians  not  having  a  coinage  of  their  own,  used  up 
to  within  the  past  twenty  years  the  Venetian  Zecchini  or  Se- 
quins as  gold  currency  (=  to  $2.30  cents,  gold).  Austria  has 
coined  gold  Zecchini  (Sequins)  in  Venice,  for  the  Levant  trade 
especially,  up  to  1823. 

As  silver  currency,  the  Imperial  Maria  Theresia  Thalers  of 
1780  are  still  in  circulation.  These  are  called  by  the  natives 
"Patakas  or  Patahs"  Austria,  up  to  this  day,  has  continued 
to  coin  these  Maria  Theresia  Thalers  with  the  old  stamp  and 
the  year  number,  1780.  Weight:  433.080.  Fineness:  833.333. 
Value:  $1.03.300.  During  the  war  with  King  Theodore  of 
Abyssinia,  and  England,  the  English  Government  was  obliged 
21)  (481) 


482  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

to  have  the  "Maria  Theresia  Thaler"  coined  in  Austria,  to  meet 
her  war  expenses  in  Africa.  At  Massuah  or  Massowah,  the 
principal  port  of  Abyssinia,  Spanish  Dollars  are  also  current. 


ARABIA. 

In  Arabia,  at  the  present  time,  mostly  the  Persian,  Turkish, 
East  India,  and  some  European  coins  are  current;  but  their 
prices  constantly  fluctuate :  they  are  much  higher  during  the 
Monsoon  than  after  it,  as  there  is  less  want  of  specie  when  all 
the  foreign  ships  are  gone.  The  Turkish  coins,  however,  have 
a  fixed  value,  though  the  Arabian  and  foreign  merchants,  in 
their  dealings  with  strangers,  will  generally  rate  them  something 
above  their  legal  value. 

The  monies  coined  now  are:  1.  Commassees,  which  contain 
but  little  silver;  they  are  used  in  small  payments,  and  generally 
pass  at  60  for  a  Spanish  Dollar;  but  their  value  varies  often,  so 
that  sometimes  80,  sometimes  no  more  than  40  of  them  are  given 
for  a  dollar.  2.  The  Carat,  a  small  coin,  the  seventh  part  of  a 
Commassee. 

In  Bussorah,  near  the  Persian  Gulf,  accounts  are  kept  in 
Mamoodis  of  10  Danim-^,  or  100  Flouchcs.  100  Mamoodis 
make  1  Toman  of  Persia  =  ^5.85  cents.  United  States  gold. 
It  mu.st  be  borne  in  minrl,  however,  that  there  are  the  real  and 
the  imaginary  Toman  and  Mamoodi,  the  latter  being  only  about 
three-fourths  of  the  value  of  the  former. 

In  Mocha  accounts  are  kept  in  Piasters  of  80  Caveers.  This 
Piaster  is  also  an  imaginary  coin,  but  most  payments  are  now 
made  in  Spanish  Dollars,  100  of  which  pass  for  121 J  Arabian 
Pia.stres,  which  gives  the  value  of  the  imaginary  Piaster  equal 
to  92  cents,  United  States  gold. 

Large  payments  are  often  made  in  gold  and  silver  ingots,  and 
are  weighed  by  the  Cheki  of  100  Miscals,  or  150  drams;  a  Mis- 
cal  weighs  72  grains  Troy.  A  Miscal  of  the  finest  gold  is  worth 
about  22 J  Mamoodis;  gold  less  fine,  in  proportion.     A  Cheki 


ARABIA. 


4d3 


of  too  Miscals,  or  150  drams  of  fine  silver,  is  worth  180  Ma»- 
mooclis;  hence,  the  Maraoodi  =  3j  grains  of  fine  gold,  or  4D 
grains  of  fine  silver,  or  aboik  10  cents.  United  States  value. 

In  Mocha  they  often  use  the  old  standard  for  weighing  the 
gold  and  silver  ingots,  namely,  by  the  V.akia  weight  of  10 
Coffalas,  or  160  Carats;  24  Carats  make  a  Miseal,  and  li  Va- 
kia,  a  Beak.  100  Spanish  Dollars  weigh  87  Vakias;  thus  the 
Vakia  weighs  1  ounce  Troy  weight  nearly. 

In  former  years  the  "Larin"  was  used  as  currency:  this  was 
a  silver  wire,  about  an  inch  in  length,  doubled  up  and  flattened 
on  the  inner  side  to  receive  the  impression  of  some  Arabic 
characters;  it  has  of  late  become  very  scarce  as  circulating  me- 
dium, but  is  still  used  as  money  of  account. 


RIJKSDAALER   OF  THE   NETHERLANDS,    1813. 

The  Dutch  Rijksdaaler  of  1813  is  called  by  the  Arabs 
"Abukesb,"  and  is  much  current  among  (hem;  the  impression 
of  the  lion  being  so  very  bad,  that  they  take  it  for  a  dog,  and 
so  call  it  Abukesb,  being  dog  in  their  language. 

Payments  in  wheat  and  barley  is  considered  current,  ahd 
eagerly  accepted;  but  if  in  Tambak,  an  inferior  sort  of  tobaccos- 
much  dissatisfaction  is  expressed.  In  tiie  interior  the  trade  i« 
carried  on  chiefly  in  barter,  and  at  the  seaports  and  the  principal 
cities,  by  cash  payments.  Credit  is  obtained  with  difficulty; 
hence,  no  Arabian  merchant  can  contract  debts  which  he  is  un- 
able to  pay,  and  consequently  there  are  no  mercantile  failures- 


4»4  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

in  speculations  such  as  daily  occur  among  other  nations.  The 
old  Arabian  coins  are  devoid  of  effigies,  and  bear  only  inscrip- 
tions in  Taleek. 


ARGENTINE  REPUBLIC. 

The  Argentine  Republic,  a  confederation  of  several  South 
American  States,  has  produced,  since  1545,  the  time  of  its  dis- 
covery, over  two  thousand  million  dollars  worth  of  silver  bul- 
lion. 

Formerly  the  province  of  Potosi  was  included  within  its 
limits,  and  it  was  from  this  silver-producing  district  that  it  first 
acquired  the  appellation  of  "  La  Plata,"  and  afterward  that  of 
the  "Argentine  Republic."  August  11th,  1825, ;  separation  of 
several  States,  under  the  leadership  of  General  Simon  Bolivar, 
took  place;  and  with  it  went  the  province  and  the  famous  Mint 
of  Potosi. 

The  princi|)al  Mint  of  the  Republic  is  now  located  at  Rioja, 
capital  of  the  State  of  Rioja,  The  Mint  marie  is,  therefore,  now 
"R.  A.,"  and  sometimes  only  the  initial  "  R."  Some  of  the 
coins  prior  to  1825  bear  the  Mint  mark  of  Potosi;  namely: 
"P.,"  "P.  S.,"  and  often  a  monogram  of  "P.  T.  S.,"  artisti- 
cally entwined. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  THE  ARGENTINE  REPUBLIC. 

'  I.  Doubloon,  of  1828.  Obverse:  a  Sun,  the  Argentine 
mountain  of  Potosi.  Legend :  "  provincias  de  rio  de  la 
PLATA"  {Provinces  of  the  river  Plata).  Exergue:  "1828." 
Reverse :  The  arms  of  the  Confederacy,  with  martial  emblems. 
Weight:  418  grains.     Fineness:  815.     Value:  $15.51. 

2.  Doubloon,  of  1830;  also  called  Onza  de  Oro  (one  ounce 
of  gold),  of  8  Escudos  or  26  Piastei-s.     Obverse:  Sun,  full  face. 


ARGENTINE  REPUBLIC.  485 

with  32  rays  radiating.     Legend :  "  PROVINCIAS  DEL  aio  DE 
LA  PLATA."     Exergue :  a  star. 


DOUBLOON   OF    1830. 

Reverse:  The  arras  of  the  Confederacy  with  martial  em- 
blems, saltier  wise ;  beneath,  a  drum.  Legend:  "en  union  Y 
LiBERTAD,  R.  A.  (the  Mint  mark  of  Rioja),  P.  8  s."  (8  Escu- 
dos.)  Exergue:  "1830."  Weight:  418  grains.  Fineness: 
815.     Value:  $15.51. 

3.  In  1836,  General  Rosas,  Governor  of  Buenos  Ay  res,  or- 
dered some  "Rosas  Doubloons"  to  be  struck  at  the  branch 
Mint  of  Buenos  Ayres.  Device  similar  to  the  two  previous 
ones,  only  with  the  addition  of  "  rosas  "  on  the  Obverse  and 
"POR  LA  LIGA  LITORAL  SERA  FELIZ,  1836."  {For  this  liUoi'cU 
league,  meaning  Buenos  Ayres,  be  prosperous.) 

4.  The  Quarter  Onza  de  Oro  of  2  Elscudos,  same  device  «6 
No.  1  and  2,  only  reduced  in  proportion  to  size.  Weight: 
104.168  grains.     Fineness :  870.     Value:  $4.01. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  THE  ARGENTINE  REPUBLIC. 

1.  Peso,  Piaster  or  Dollar  of  the  Potosi  Mint.  Obverse:  A 
sun  with  32  rays.  Legend :  "  provincias  del  rio  de  la 
PLATA."  Exergue :  A  star.  Reverse :  The  arms  of  the  Con- 
federation, with  martial  emblems,  saltier  wise.  Legend:  "EN 
union  y  LIBERTAD.  {In  Union  and  Liberty.)  P.  T.  s."  in  a 
monogram.  (The  Mint  mark  of  Potosi.)  Exergue:  "1813." 
Weight:  416.009  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.00. 


486 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


2.  Peso,  Piaster  or  Dollar  of  the   Ric^a   Mint.     Obverse; 
Same  as  No.  1. 


PESO  OR  PIASTER. 

Beverse :  The  arms  of  the  Confederation,  surrounded  by  a 
wreath.  Left,  "8."  Right,  "R."  Legend:  "en  union  y 
J.1BERTAD,  RA.  P."  Exerguc :  "1832."  Weight:  416.009 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.00. 

3.  Peso,  Piaster  or  Dollar  of  the  Rioja  Mint.  Obverse: 
Same  as  No.  1  and  2. 

Reverse :  Same  as  No.  1 ,  except  beneath  the  martial  arms, 
saltier  wise,  three  cannon  balls,  instead  of  the  drum,  as  in  the 


PESO  OR  piaster. 

No.  2  silver  coins.  Weight:  416,009  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $1.00. 

4.  The  Half  Dollar  of  the  Potosi  and  Rioja  Mints.  Ob- 
verse: Same  as  the  Dollar  of  the  Potosi  Mint. 

Reverse :  Same,  with  the  exception  of  "  4 "  to  the  left,  and 


ARGENTINE  REPUBLIC. 


487 


HALF   DOLLAKS   OF  THE   POTOSI   AND   RIOJA   MINTS. 


"  R  "  to  the  right.  Weight :  206.792  grains.  Fineness  :  900. 
Value :  47  cents. 

5.  The  Half  Dollar  of  "Rosas"  of  the  Buenos  Ayres  branch 
Mint.     Obverse:  Same  as  No.  1. 

Reverse:  The  arms  of  the  Confederacy  with  martial  emblems, 
saltier  wise.  Legend  :  "  eterno  look  al  restaurad.  Ro- 
sas." {Eternal  Glory  to  tJie  Restorer  Rosas.)  Exergue:  A 
star. 


HALF    dollar   OF   BOSAS. 


TWO   REAL   PIECES. 

6.  The  Two  Real    pieces  of  the  Rioja  and  Buenos  Ayres 
Mints  are  similar  in  devices  and  legends  as  .the  Peso. 


Am       '  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

The  Buenos  Ay  res  Mint  bears  the  letter  *'B"  as  mark. 
Weight:  103.396  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.23.500. 

In  1827,  the  National  Bank  of  Buenos  Ay  res  issued  a  Ten 
Decim.  silver  token.  Obverse:  A  phoenix  encircled  by  a  band. 
Keverse:  "10  Decim."  inscribed  upon  a  shield,  inclosed  by  a 
laurel  wreath.  Legend  :  "bancx)  nacional"  ....  "buenos 
AYEES."     Exergue:  "1827."     Value,  nominal,  8  cents. 


EMPIRE  OF  AUSTRIA. 

When  the  French  Revolution  (1789)  began  to  convulse  Eu- 
rope, the  reigning  monarch,  Francis  II.,  who  ruled  over  what 


AUSTRIAN    MONEY. 


is  now  known  as  the  Empire  of  Austria,  was  the  titular  Em- 
peror of  Germany;  and  his  dominion  comprised  the  Archduchy 


AUSTRIA.  489 

of  Austria  and  its  dependent  provinces,  the  Kingdom  of  Hun- 
gary, tlie  Duchy  of  Milan  or  Lombardy,  and  the  Low  Countries, 
now  known  as  Belgium. 

Austria  receives  its  title  from  its  position  in  Europe,  namely, 
"Oester,"  meaning  Eastern,  and  "Reich," country — the  Eastern 
Country  or  "  Oesterreich." 

For  each  of  these  four  regions  there  was  a  distinct  coinage. 
The  Austrian  was  known  by  its  double-headed  eagle;  the  Hun- 
garian by  the  images  of  the  Virgin  and  Child ;  the  Lotnbard- 
Venico  by  its  shield,  quartered  with  eagles  and  serpents;  and 
the  Belgian  by  the  X  shaped  St.  Andrew's  cross,  profusely  or- 
namented. In  1789  the  Austrians  were  momentarily  expelled 
from  the  Low  Countries  or  Belgium;  but  in  1790  their  rule 
was  again  restored.  November  1st,  1792,  the  French  entered 
Belgium,  and  September  30th,  1795,  the  Low  Countries  were 
annexed  to  France;  and  the  coinage  of  Belgium  under  Austrian 
rule  ceased.  Near  the  same  time  Lombardy  also  passed  into 
other  hands,  and  a  second  class  of  the  imperial  Austrian  coin 
was  for  a  time  suspended. 

In  1804  the  ancient  German  Empire  was  dissolved.  Francis 
II.,  Emperor  of  Germany,  became  Francis  L,  Emperor  of 
Austria,  and  the  stately  Legend  of  "ii.  i.  s.  a."  {Romanorum 
Imperator,  Semper  Augustus,  meaning,  Roman  Emperor,  Ever 
August),  gave  place  to  "Emperor  of  Anstria." 

At  the  pacification  of  Europe  in  1815,  Lombardy,  with 
Venice  annexed,  reverted  to  Austria;  and  soon  after  a  new 
monetary  system  was  decreed  for  that  country.  In  1859,  at 
the  peace  of  Villa-Franca,  Austria  ceded  Lombardy  to  Sardinia, 
and  in  1866,  Venice  to  France,  which  in  turn  incorporated  the 
same  with  Italy. 

The  coins  of  Austria  of  the  present  day,  therefore,  bear  only 
the  inscription  :  "d.  g.  austriae  imperator.  hungar.  bohem. 
GAL.  LOD.  ILL.  REX."  {Dei  Gratia  Austni:e  Imperator,  Hun- 
garian, Bohemiae,  Galizia,  Ladomh-ia,  Illiria  Rex,  meaning:  By 
the  grace  of  God,  Emperor  of  Aiistria,  King  of  Hungary,  Bohe- 
mia, Gallicia,  Ladomiria,  and  Illyria.) 


490  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  AUSTRIA. 
1.  Quadruple   Ducat   or   Piece  of  four   Ducats.     Obverse: 


QUADRUPLE   DUCAf   OF   FERDINAND   I. 

Laurcated  bust  of  Ferdinand  I.  legend :  "  ferd.  r.  D.  o. 
AUSTR.  IMP.  HUNG.  BOH.  R.  H.  N.  V."  {Ferdinand  /.,  Dei. 
Gratiae.  Ausbnae.  Imperatoi\  Hunf/ariae.  Bohemiae.  Rex. 
Heivuriae.  Napoli.  Veniiiae,  meaning:  Fei'dinand  L,  by  the  grace 
of  God,  Emperor  of  Auatria,  King  of  Hungary  and  Bohemia, 
Tuscany,  Naples,  Venice.) 
Reverse:  Imperial  double-headed  eagle  of  Austria.     Legend: 

REX.  LOMB.  ET.  VEN.  DALM.  GAL.  LCD.  ILL.  A.  A.  1840.      (Rex 

Lombardi  et  Veniiiae,  Dabnatiae,  Galiciae,  Ladomirae,  lUyriae, 
Archidux  Austria£;  meaning :  King  of  Lombardy  and  Venice, 
Dalmatia,  Galicia,  Ladomira,  Illyria,  Archduke  of  Austria.) 
Exergue:  "c  4  o;"  meaning:  4  Ducats.  Weight:  215.450 
grains.     Fineness:  986.111.     Value:  $9.14.5019. 

2.  Quadruple  Ducat  of  Francis  J(»seph  I.  Obverse:  Lau- 
reated  bust  of  Francis  Joseph  I.,  dresi>od  in  ermine,  and  be- 
decked with  four  order  ciiains  and  the  golden  fleece.  Legend  : 
"franc.  JOS.  I.  D.  G.  AVSTRiAE  iMPERATOR."  {Frands  Joseph 
I.,  by  the  grace  of  God,  Emperor  of  Austria.) 

Reverse:  Double-headed  Austrian  eagle,  crowned  with  three 
crowns,  in  the  dexter  talon  sword  and  sceptre;  and  in  the  sin- 
ister tilon,  imperial  globe  surmounted  by  the  Coptic  cross.  Le- 
<rc;i'.l  :    "nVNGAR.    BOHEM.   GAL.    LOD.    ILL.    REX.  A.  A.  1871." 


AUSTRIA.  491 

{Hungariae.  Bohemiae.  Galiciae.  Ladomirae.  lUyriae.  Rex. 
Archidux.  Austriae;  meaning:  King  of  Hungai-y,  Bohemia, 
Gaiiciay  Ladomira,  lUyria,  Archduke  of  Austria.)     Exergue : 


QUADRUPLE   DUCAT   OF    PRAN'CIS   JOSEPH   I. 

"4,"  meaning,  4  Ducats.  Weight:  215.450  grains.  Fineness: 
986.111.     Value:  $9.14.5019. 

3.  The  old  Brabant  Sovereign.  Obverse :  Head  of  Charles 
VI.  Legend  :  "carolus  vi.,  d.  g.  r.  imp.  s.  a.  ge.  hie.  hv. 
BO.  REX."  [Carolus  VI.,  Dei  Gratiae,  Romanus  Impen'oior, 
Semper  Augustus,  Germaniae,  Hierosolymae,  Hungariae,  Bohe- 
miae, Rex;  meaning:  Charles  VI.,  by  the  grace  of  God,  Rovian 
Emperor,  eve)'  August,  King  of  Germany,  Jerusalem,  Hungary 
and  Bohemia. 

Reverse :  The  arms  of  Austria  on  a  St.  Andrew's  Cross. 
Legend :  "arch.  aus.  dux.  burg.  brab.  c.  fl."    {Archidux 


bbabant  sovereign  of  1783. 

Austriae,    Dux    Burgimdiae,    Brabantiae,    Comes    Flandriae; 
meaning :   Archduke  of  Austria,  Duke  of  Burgundy,  Brabant, 


492 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJ^'DIA. 


Count  of  Flanders)     Exergue:    Date  of  the  year  of   issue. 
Weight:  171.468  grains.     Fineness  :  916.667.     Value  :  $6.76, 

4.  Old  Brabant  Sovereign  of  Joseph  II.  Obverse :  Head 
of  Joseph  II.,  with  inscription  of  Obverse  of  coin  No.  3. 

Reverse:  Same  as  the  previous  one,  with  the  exception  of  the 
Exergue,  "1766."  Weight:  171.468  grains.  Fineness:  916.667. 
Vahie:  $6.76. 

5.  Sovereign  of  Ferdinand  I.  Obverse :  Head  laureated  of 
Ferdinand  I.     Legend  :  "  ferd  i.,  d.  g.  avstriae  imp.  hun. 

BOH.  R.  H.  N.  V." 


SOVEREIGN    OF    FERDINAND   I. 

Reverse :  Austrian  double  eagle.  Legend :  "  rex  lomb.  et 
VEN.  DALM.  GAL.  IX)D.  ILL.  A.  A.,  1838."  Weight:  171.468 
grains.     Fineness:  916.667.     Value:  $6.76. 

6.  Double  Ducat  of  Hungary.  Obverse:  Full  length  figure 
of  Maria  Theresia,  crowned.  The  imperial  globe  in  the  left 
hand;  the  initial  "K"  {Kremnitz)  at  one  side,  and  "B"  {Bohe- 
mia) at  the  other.  Legend  :  "  M.  ther.  d.  g.  r.  i.  g.  h.  b.  r. 
A.  A.  D.  B.  c.  T."  {Maria  Theresia,  Dei  Gratiae,  Regina  Illy- 
riaefGaIicia£,  Bohemia£,  Hagusa,  Amhiducissa  Austriae^  Ducissa 


DOUBLE  DUCAT  OF   HUNGARY. 


Burgwndiae,  Cornea  Tyrolae;   meaning:  Maria  Theresia  by  the 
gra^e  of  God,  Queen  of  Illyria,  Galida,  Hungary,  Boliemia, 


AUSTRIA.  493 

Ragusa,  Archduchess  of  Auslrvi,  Duchess  of  Burgundy ^  Countess 
of  Tyrol.)     Exergue:  "2"  (meaning:  2  Ducats.) 

lleverse :  Virgin  and  Child  in  the  centre  of  rays ;  beneath  a 
small  shield  crowned.  Legend:  "  hungariae,  1765.  pa- 
TRONA  REGNI."  {Reigning  Patron  of  Hungar-y.)  Weight: 
107.716  grains.     Fineness  ;  989.583.     Value :  $4.59.2758. 

7.  Half  Sovereigns.     Obverse:  Same  as  the  Sovereigns. 
Reverse :  Same  as  the  Sovereigns,  with  the  exception  of  the 

Exergues,  with  their  respective  dates  of  issue.     Weight:  87.439 
grains  each.     Fineness :  900.     Value:  $3.38.6172. 

8.  Ducat  of  Joseph  II.  Obverse  :  Same  as  coin  No.  4,  with 
inscription  of  Obverse  coin  No.  3  ;  proportionate  to  size. 

Reverse:  Double-headed  eagle.  Legend:  "ar.  au.  dux.  bu. 
M.  P.  TRAN.  CO.  TYR.,  1776."  {Archidux  Avstriae,  Dux.  Bur- 
gundiae,  Moraviae,  Poloniae,  Transylvaniae,  Comes  Tyrol;  mean- 
ing :  Archduke  of  Austria,  Duke  of  Burgundy,  Moravia,  Po- 


DUCAT  OF  JOSEPH   II. 


land,  Ti-ansylmnia,  Count  of  Tyrol.)     Weight :  53.858  grains. 
Fineness:  986.111.     Value:  82.29.1310. 

9.  Hungarian    Ducat,    or   Ducat   of   Kremnitz.     Obverse: 
Laureated  head  of  Francis  I.     Legend  :  "  franciscus  I.,  D.  G. 


DUCAT   OF   KREMNITZ. 

AVSTRIAE  IMPERATOR."     {Frands  I.,  by  the  grace  of  God,  Em- 
peror of  Austria.) 

Reverse:  Virgin  and  Child  in  the  centre  of  rays.     Legend: 


494  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

"s.  MARIA,  MATER  DEI,  PATRONA  HVXG,  1835."  {Saint  Marta^ 
Mother  of  God,  Patron  of  Hungaria.)  Weight :  53.858  grains. 
Fineness:  986.111.     Value:  $2.29.1310. 

10.  Four  Florins  piece.  Obverse:  Laureated  head  of  Francis 
Joseph  I.  Legend  :  "  franciscus  josephus  i.,  d.  q.  impeb- 
ATOR  ET  rex."     Exergue :  A  Rosette. 


POUR  florins  or  ten   francs  op   FRANCIS  JOSEPH  I. 

Reverse:  Double-headed  imperial  eagle  of  Austria,  crowned 
with  three  crowns.  Legend:  "imperivm  austriacvm."  Left 
of  the  double  eagle  "4  FL."  (4  Florins.)  Right:  "10  fr."  (10 
Francs.)  Date  below.  Weight:  49.765.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $1.93. 

11.  Crown  or  "Krone"  of  Francis  Joseph  I.,  of  1859.  Ob- 
verse: Laureated  head  of  Francis  Joseph  I.     Legend:  "franz 

JOSEPH  I.,  V.  G.  G.  KAISER  VON  OESTERREICH."      {Fronz  Joseph 

/.,  Von  Gotten  Gnaden  Kaiser  Von  Oesterrdch ;  meaning: 
Francis  Joseph  I.,  by  the  grace  of  God,  Emperor  of  Aiistria.) 
Reverse:  "1  KRONE,  1859,"  in  three  lines;  (1  Crown,  1859), 
surrounded  by  a  wreath  of  oak  leaves.  Legend:  "vereins 
MUNZE."  [Convention  money.)  Exergue:  "50  EIN  PFUND." 
{50  to  make  one  pound.)  Weight:  171.468  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $6.64.5814. 

12.  Half  Crown  of  Francis  Joseph  I.,  1858.  Obverse: 
Same  as  No.  11.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  11,  with  exception  of 
Exergue:  "100  EiN  pfund."  {One  hundred  to  make  one 
pound.)  Weight:  85.734  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$3.32.2907. 

13.  Ducat  of  Francis  Joseph  T.,  1860.  Obverse:  Laureated 
head  of  Francis  Joseph  I.  Legend  :  "FRANCIS  JOSEPH  l.,  D.  G. 
AUSTRFAE  IMPERATOR."  {Froncis  Joseph  I.,  by  Hie  grace  of 
God,  Emperor  of  Austria.)  Reverse:  "huno.  BOH.  lomb.  et. 
VEN.    ii.L.    GAL.   LOD.   REX,  1860."     {Hungariac.    Bohemiae. 


AUSTRIA.  495 

Lombardiae.  et  Venitiae.  Illiriae.Galiclae.  Lodomiriae.)  "Weight: 
53.858  grains.     Fineness:  986.111.     Value:  $2.28.6241. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  AUSTRIA. 

Tlie  Silver  Coinage,  prior  to  the  "Convention  of  the  German 
Powers,"  1857,  embraced  six  denominations:  1.  The  Reichs- 
thaler.  2.  The  Gulden  (Florin)  or  half  the  Reichsthaler,  and 
consisted  of  60  Kreutzers;  (meaning.  Crosses,  from  "Kreutz" 
Cross.)  3.  The  piece  of  Twenty  Kreutzers,  which  is  one-third 
of  the  "Gulden"  or  Florin;  and  4th,  5th  and  6th  the  pieces  of 
Ten,  Five  and  Three  Kreutzers.  These  two  first  ones  were 
coined  according  to  the  standard  adopted  in  1753,  known  as  the 
"Convention"  rate;  namely:  833.333  fine  silver ;  the  balance 
only  583  fine  or  "Billon." 

On  the  24th  of  January,  1857,  a  Convention  was  concluded 
between  the  principal  German  States,  by  which  a  new  coinage 
was  established.  It  was  agreed  that  the  half  of  one  Kilo- 
gramme, or  500  Grammes,  equal  to  7717.5  Troy  grains,  should 
serve  as  the  standard  Pfund  (pound)  to  be  called  "Zollpfund" 
at  the  Mints  of  all  the  States,  who  were  parties  to  the  Conven- 
tion. Of  the  current  silver  coins  there  were  to  be  five  denomi- 
nations: 1.  The  pieces  of  two  Gulden  or  Florins.  2.  The 
Gulden  or  one  Florin  piece;  both  to  be  900  fine;  the  former  to 
be  coined  at  the  rate  of  20\,  and  the  latter  at  40^  pieces  to  the 
"Zollpfund  "  of  standard  silver.  3.  The  Quarter  Florin,  520 
fine,  93  ,"5  pieces  to  the  "  Zollpfund."  4.  The  Ten  New  Kreut- 
zers Piece,  500  fine,  250  pieces  to  the  "Zollpfund."  5.  The 
Five  New  Kreutzers  Piece,  375  fine,  and  375  pieces  to  the 
"Zollpfund." 

1.  Maria  Theresia  Kronen  Thaler  {Orovm  Dollar  of  Maria 
Theresia.)  Obverse:  Bust  of  Empress  and  Queen  Maria 
Theresia.  Legend:  "ma:  theresia.  d:  g:  reg:  hun:  bo:" 
{Maria  Theresia,  Dei  Gratiae,  Regina,  Hungariae,  Bohemiae; 
meaning  :  3 f aria  Theresia,  by  the  grace  of  God,  Queen  of  Hun- 
gary and  Bohemia.) 

Reverse:  Full  length  figure  of  Virgin  and  Child,  sceptre  in 


496 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


dexter,  surrounded  by  numerous  rays,     "k"  on  the  left  of  Vir- 
gin (meaning:  Kremnitz  for  Hungary)^  and  "b"  on  the  right 


MABIA  THERESIA   CROWN   DOLLAR. 

(meaning:  Bohemia.)  Legend:  "s.  maria,  mater  dei  pa- 
TRONA,  HUNG.,  1742."  {Saint  Maria,  Mother  of  God,  Patron 
of  Hungary.)  Weight:  454.899  grains.  Fineness:  868.056. 
Vahie:  $1.11.7825. 

2.  Crown  Dollar  of  Francis  I.,  1747.  Obverse:  Bust  of 
Francis  I.  Legend:  "francisd.  gratia.  ROMAN,  imperat. 
s.  A."  {Francis,  by  the  grace  of  God,  Reman  Emperor  ever 
August.) 

Reverse:  Double-lieaded  imperial  Austrian  eagle,  a  shield 
upon  his  breast,  surmounted  by'  a  small  crown,  a  larger  one 


CROWN   DOLLAR   OF    FRANCIS   I. 

above  the  two  heads  of  the  eagle ;    dexter  talon,  a  sword ; 
sinister,  a  sceptre.    Legend :  "  in.  te.  domine.  speravi.  Pisis 


AUSTRIA. 


497 


1747."  {In  Thee!  God,  we  trust.)  This  coin  is  out  of  circula- 
tion, no  exact  weight,  fineness  or  value  can  be  given. 

3.  Convention  Thaler  of  Joseph  II.  Obverse :  A  crowned 
shield,  supported  by  two  angels;  beneath,  a  palm  and  olive 
branch  crossed.  Legend  :  "  JOS.  ir.  n.  g.  r.  imp.  s.  a.  g.  h.  b. 
REX.  A.  A.  D.  B.  &  L."  (Josephus  II.,  Dei  Gratiae,  Romanorxim 
Imperator,  semjier  Augustus  Germaniae,  Hungariae,  Bohemiae, 
Rex  Archidux  Austriae,  Dux  Bxirgundiae  and  Lotharingiae  ; 
meaning:  Joseph  II.,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  Rovian  Emperoi- 
evei'  August,  King  of  Germany,  Hungary,  Bohemia,  Archduke 
of  Austria,  Duke  of  Burgundy  and  Lorraine.) 

Reverse:  "ad  normam  convent,  17G6."  Legend:  "archid 
AUST.  D.  BURG.  MARGGR.  BURGOViAE."  {Archduke  of  Austria, 
Duke  of  Burgundy,  Margrave  of  Burgovia.)  Around  the  outer 
edge  of  the  coin  :  "  VIRTUTE  ET  EXEMPLO."  {By  virtue  and 
example.)     This  coin   being  long  ago  out  of  circulation,  the 


CXDNVENTION   DOLLAR. 

weight  and  fineness  cannot  be  given  with  exactness.  The  in- 
trinsic value  is  estimated  at  from  97  cents  to  $1.00,  but  it  com- 
mands a  high  premium  among  numismatists. 

4.  Crown  Thaler  of  Francis  I.  Obverse:  Double-headed 
eagle  of  Austria,  surrounded  by  the  order  chain  of  the 
Golden  Fleece.  Sceptre,  in  dexter  talon,  and  imperial  globe 
in  sinister.  Legend  :  '•'  fkanci.s  d.  guatia.  roman.  imperat. 
s.  A."  {Francis,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  Roman  Einperor  ever 
AugvM.) 

2E 


'498  DYETS  CODS  ENCTCLOPMDIA. 

Revise:  St.  Andrew's  Opon,  sormoiinted  hf  an  impemi 
crovn,  with  crown  in  eadi  u^^  right  and  left;  beneath,  the 
f?»klen  fleece.  Legend :  **  germ,  jzaou  rex.  latth.  bulr.  mag. 
HET.  Dcx.  1756."  Oot  of  dnsnklion  for  over  fifty  jears. 
Intrinsic  ^aloe  csdmaled  at  $1X12.  At  m  high  premiom  with 
nanusnafBls. 

&  Brabant  Crown  Thakr  of  Joseph  IL  Obverse:  HcmI 
lanreated.  Legend:  "job.  n.  Du  6.  r.  i.  &  a.  ge.  hu.  bo.  rex." 
{Jomfh  LLf  iy  Ihe  Oraee  of  Cfod^  lUmam.  Brnforar  ecer  Amgmd, 
Xmg  of  Gtrmaauf,  Hamgary,  Bohmia. 

Bevefse:  DooUe-headed  Aostrian  e^;le,  qnartared  shield 
npon  its  breast^  sonnoanted  fay  a  large  crown.  licgend: 
"arch,  aidst.  hdx.  burg.  om.  tlasjk  1768."  {Ardkdmkt 
«f  AwArio,  Dmht  of  BmrgmmAf,  Ommt  rf  JFIoMfera.)  Tntrinric 
Taloe:  $1j02L 


BKAKASt  OF  JOSEPH  II. 

6.  Maria  Tbefcn  Thakr,  also  called  the  "Levant  Thaler 
or  Dollar."  Tliis  coin,  although  nearly  one  hundred  yeais 
vAA,  k  still  issned  fay  the  Aostrian  Gkyvemment,  with  the  date 
"1780,"  lor  die  African  tiade.  It  is  the  famoos  Pataka  or 
Filak  of  Afayseiiua,  described  on  page  481.  Daring  the  Afays- 
anian  war  between  England  and  King  Theodor,  of  Afayaania, 
t^  Britkh  Gkyvemnent,  nnaUe  to  pass  its  gdd  coins  in  Africa, 
where  gold  is  onty  nsed  as  ornament,  was  obliged  to  have 
to  die  MialB  of  Aiatria,  far  the  coinage  of  the  Karia 
Thakiu 


AUSTRIA.  499 

Obverse :  Bust  of  Maria  Theresia,  rather  full  face,  and  quite 
in  contrast  with  cat  <«  page  496.     A  veil  is  thrown  over  the 


MARIA  THERESIA  THALER,  OR  DOLLAR  OP  1780  AND  SINCB. 

back  part  of  her  hair,  which  is  fastened  by  a  tiara.  Legend : 
**  M.  THERisiA.  D.  G.  R.  IMP.  HU.  BO.  REG."  {Maria  Th^egidy 
by  the  Grcux  of  Gbdj  Empress  of  Austria,  Queen  of  Hungary 
and  Bohemia.) 

Reverse:  Double-headed  eagle  of  Austria,  with  one  large 
crown  above.  Legend :  "archid.  aust.  dux  bcrguxdy.  co. 
TYROL-  1780x  ."  {Archduchess  of  Austria,  Duchess  of  Bur- 
gundy, Oou7itess  of  Tyrol,  1780x.)  Weight:  433.080  grains. 
Fineness:  833.333.     A^alue:  §1.03. 

7.  Crown,  or  Kronen    Thaler  of   Francis   IL    Obveree: 


CROWN  THALER  OF  FRANCIS  H. 
Head  of  Francis  II.     Legend :  "  FRANC,  n.  D.  Q.  B.  I.  a.  A. 

GER.  HIE.  HVN.  BOH.  REX." 


500 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


Reverse :  St.  Andrew's  Cross,  with  three  crowns  in  the  three 
respective  angles.  The  order  of  the  Golden  Fleece  suspended 
from  the  middle  of  cross.  Legend  :  "arch.  aust.  dux.  bvrg. 
LOTH.  BRAB.  COM.  FLAN.  1795."  Weight:  454.899  grains. 
Fineness:  868.056.     Value:  $1.11.7824. 

8.  Species  or  Conventions-Thaler  of  1839.  Obverse :  Lau- 
reated  head  of  Ferdinand  I.     Legend :  "  ferd.  i.  d.  g.  avst. 

DIP.  HVNG.  BOH.  K.  H.  N.  V." 


SPECIES  THALER   OF   FERDINAND   I. 

Reverse:  Double-headed  Austrian  imperial  eagle,  with  three 
crowns.  A  shield  upon  its  breast,  the  order  of  the  Golden 
Fleece  suspended  around  it;  dexter  talon,  a  sword  and  scej)tre; 
left  talon,  the  imperial  globe,  surmounted  by  the  Coptic  cross. 
Legend :  "  rex.  lomb.  et.  yen.  dalm.  gal.  lod.  ill.  a.  a. 
1839."  Weight:  433.080  grains.  Fineness:  833.333.  Value: 
$1.02.1458. 


crown   thaler   of    LEOPOLD   II. 

9.  Crown,  or  Kronen   Thaler  of  Leopold  IL      Obverse: 


AUSTRIA. 


601 


Laureated  head  of  Leopold  II.     Legend :  "  Leopold  ii.  d.  o. 

R.  I.  S.  A.  QER.  HIE.  HVN.  BOH.  REX." 

Reverse :  Double-headed  Austrian  Eagle.     Legend  :  "arch. 

AUST.    DUX.    BURG.     BRAB.    COM.     FLAND.     1790."        Weight: 

454.899  grains.     Fineness :  868.056.     Value:  $1.11.7824. 

10.  Thaler  of  Josei>h  II.,  1781.     Obverse:  Laureated  bust 
of  Joseph  II.    Legend :  "  Joseph  ii.  d.  g.  r.  imp.  s.  aug.  g.  h. 

ET.  B.  REX.  a.  a." 


thaler  op   JOSEPH  II. 

Reverse :  Crowned  and  quartered  shield  of  Lorabardy,  two 
eagles  and  two  serpents,  one  in  each  corner,  surrounded  by 
palm  and  laurel  branches^  crossed.  Legend:  "mediolani  et 
MANTUA  DUX."  {Duke  of  Milan  and  Mantua,  1782.)  Intrinsic 
value  about  89  cents,  but  being  out  of  circulation,  has  a  greater 
value  with  numismatists. 

11.  Two  Gulden  or  Florins  piece  of  the  Archduke  Johann, 
of  Austria. 

During  the  troubles  of  1848,  in  Europe,  and  after  the  flight 
of  the  Emperor  of  Austriij  from  Vienna,  a  National  Assembly 
met  at  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  in  May,  1848,  and  determine<l 
upon  the  reorganization  of  Germany  into  one  integral  empire, 
excluding  the  German  possessions  of  Austria,  and  offering  the 
imperial  crown  to  Frederic  William  IV.,  the  then  King  of 
Prussia.  This  movement  was  set  on  foot  and  headed  by  the 
Austrian  Archduke,  Johann,  who  was,  in  consequence,  made 
the  Administrator,  bv  the  Assembly. 


502  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

This  coin  of  the  Archduke  Johann,  of  Austria,  bears  the 
following  inscriptions.  Obverse:  " erzherzog  johann  von 
OESTERREICH,"  inscribed  in  four  lines.  Beneath  is  a  palm  and 
laurel  branch,  crossed.  Legend:  "erwaiilt  zum  reichs- 
VERWESER  uber  deutschi^and  d.  29  JUNi,  1848."  {Electa 
as  Administrator  over  Germany  the  29ih  of  June,  1848.) 


ERZHERZOG% 
JOHANN       '^] 


'^OESTERREI  CH^57 


TWO  FLORINS  OP  ARCHDUKE   JOHANN,  OP  AUSTRIA. 
Reverse :  Double-headed  Austrian  eagle.     Legend  :  "  CON- 

STITUIRENDE  VERSAMMLUNQ    I.  D.    p.  STADT   FRANKFURT,    18 

MAI,  1848."  {Constitutional  Assembly  in  the  free  city  of  Frank- 
fort, the  18th  May,  1848.)  Around  the  edge:  "zwei 
GULDEN."  {Tim  Guld^  or  Florins.)  Weight :  327.335  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  ^0.83.3894. 

12.  Two  Gulden  Piece  of  Francis  Joseph  I.,  1859.  Ob- 
verse :  Laureated  head  of  F'rancis  Joseph  I.  Legend : 
*'  FRANC.  JOS.  I.  D.  G.  AVSTRIAE  IMPERATOR."  Reverse : 
Double-headed  Austrian  eagle.  Legend :  "  hung.  boh.  lomb. 
ET.  VEN.  GAL.  LOD.  ILL.  REX.  A.  A.  1859."  Exergue :  "2 
PL."  {ixoo  flonns.)  Weight:  381.04  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.91.0766. 

13.  Vereins-Thaler  of  IJ  Gulden  or  Florin  of  Francis 
Joseph  I.,  1858.  Obverse:  Laureated  head  of  Francis 
Joseph  I.  Legend :  "  franz  Joseph  i.  v.  g.  g.  kaiser  von 
OESTERREICH."  Reverse :  Double-headed  Austrian  eagle. 
Legend :  "  bin  vereins  thaler,  xxx  ein  pfund  fein." 
{One  Convention  Thaler  or  Dollar ^  thirty  to  Tnake  one  pound  fine 


AUSTRIA.  503 

silver.)     Exergue:  "1858."     Weight:  285.776  grains.     Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $0.72.7441. 

14.  Half  Reichs  Thaler  of  Joseph  II.  Obverse:  Laureated 
head  of  Joseph  II.  Legend  :  "  jos.  ii.  d.  g.  r.  i.  s.  a.  ge.  hu. 
BO.  REX."  {Joseph  II.,  by  the  Grace,  of  God,  Roman  Emoeror 
ever  August,  King  of  Germany,  Hungai-y,  Bohemia.) 


HALF   REICHS  THALER  OF  JOSEPH   IL 

Reverse  :  Double-headed  Austrian  eagle.  Legend :  "  AR- 
CHID.  AUST.  DUX.  BURG.  CO.  TYR.  1774."  {Archduke  of 
Austria,  Duke  of  Burgundy,  Count  of  Tyrol.)  Weight: 
216.540  grains.     Fineness :  833.333.     Value:  §0.50.6927. 

15.  Half  Reichs  Thaler  of  Joseph  II.  Obverse:  Laureated 
head  of  Joseph  II. 


HALF   REICHS   THALER  OF  JOSEPH   IL 

Reverse:    A   crowned    shield,   two   angels  supporting    the 
crown  ;  a  palm  and  laurel  branch,  crossed  beneath.     Legend  : 

"  JOS.   II.    D.  G.  R.  IMP.  S.   A.   G.    H.    B.  BEX.    A.   A.    D.    B.  &  L." 

(Joseph  II.,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  Roman  Emperor  ever  August, 


504 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


King  of  Germany,  Hungary  and  Bohemia,  Archduke  of  Aus- 
tria, Duke  of  Burgundy  and  Lorraine.)  Weight:  216.540 
grains.     Fineness;  833.333.     Value:  $0.o0.6927. 

16.  Half  Crown  of  Maria  Theresia.    Obvei*se:  St.  Andrew's 
Cross,  with  crown  in  each  of  the  four  angles.     Legend:  "mar. 

THERESIA.  D.  G.  R.  IMP.  GER.>f .  HUXG.  BOH.  REG.   X."      {Maria 

Theresia,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  Roman  Empress,  Queen  of  Ger- 
many, Hungary,  Bohemia.) 


&ALF  CROWN   OF   MARIA   THERESIA. 

Reverse:  Austrian  eagle.  Legend:  "arch.  aust.  duc. 
BURG.  brab.  com.  pland."  Weight :  227.449  grains.  Fine- 
ness :  868.056.     Value:  ^0.55. 7625. 

17.  Quarter  Crown  of  Leopold  II.  Obverse:  Bust  lau- 
reated  head  of  Leopold  II.     Legend  :  "  leop.  d.  g.  R.  i.  s.  a. 

GER.  HIE.  HUN.  BOH.  REX." 


ARTER   CROWN   OF   LEOPOLD   II. 


Reverse :  St.  Andrew's  Cross,  with  the  badge  of  the  Golden 
Fleece  suspended  from  the  centre.  A  large  crown  above  and 
a  smaller  one  in  the  left  and  right  angle  of  the  cross.     Legend: 


AUSTRIA. 


505 


"arch.  avst.  dux.  bvrg.  loth.  brab.  com.  flan.  1790." 
Weight:   127  grains.     Fineness :  875.     Value:  $0.26.750. 

18.  Gulden,  or  Florin  of  Francis  Joseph  I.,  1859.  Obverse: 
Laureated  head  of  Francis  Joseph  I.  Legend :  franc,  jos.  I. 
D.  G.  AVSTRLiE.  IMPERATOR."  Reverse :  Double-headed 
Austrian  eagle.  Legend  :  "  hung.  boh.  lomb.  et.  ven.  gal. 
LOD.  ILL.  rex.  a.  a.  1859."  Exergue  :  "  1  fl."  (1  florin.) 
Weight:  190.52  grains.     Fineness:  900.  Value :  $0.48.6h50. 

19.  Gulden  of  Hungary.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Joseph  II. 
Lpgond  :  "  JOS.  ii.  d.  g.  r.  imp.  s.  A.  G.  H.  B.  rex.  a.  a." 


GULDEN,  OR   FLORIN   OF   JOSEPH   II. 

Reverse:  Virgin  and  Child.  Legend:  "s.  maria  mater 
DEI  PATRONA  HUNG.  1786  X."  Weight:  227.449  grains. 
Fineness:  868.056.     Value:  §0.55.7625. 

20.    Hungarian   Florin,  since  1869.     Obverse:    Laureated 


HUNGARIAN   FI.ORIN. 


head  of  Francis  Joseph  I.     Legend  :"ferencz  jozsef  a. 
CSARZAR."     {Francis  Joseph  L,  Austrian  Emperor.) 

Reverse :    Shield  of  Hungary,  two  cherubiras  supporting  a 


506  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 

crown;  beneath  the  shield,  laurel  branches  crossed.  Legend: 
"  MAGYAR  ORSZAO.  AP.  KIRALYA.  1869."  {Hungarian  Chief, 
crowned  King.)  Exergue:  "1  FL."  (1  Florin.)  Weight: 
190.56.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.48.60. 

21.  Lombardo-Venetia  Austrian   Lira.     Obverse:    Laure- 
ated  head  of  Ferdinand  I.     Legend:  " ferd.  I.  D.  G.  austriab 

IMPERATOR." 


LOMBARDO-VENETIA  AUSTRIAN   LIRA. 

Reverse:  Double-headed  Austrian  eagle  with  three  crowns, 
upon  his  breast  the  Austrian  Lorabardo- Venetian  shield.  Dex- 
ter talon:  Sword.  Sinister  talon:  Imperial  globe.  Legend: 
"LOME.  ET.  YEN.  REX.  A.  A."  {King  of  Lombardy  and  Venice, 
Archduke  of  Austria.  1839.)  Exergue:  "lira  austriaca." 
{Austrian  Lira.)  Weight:  66.820  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  30.17.2354. 

22.  Half  Austrian  Lira  of  Lombardy  and  Venice.  Ob- 
verse: Laureated  head  of  Francis  I,  Legend:  "franciscus 
I.  D.  G.  AUSTRIAE  IMPERATOR."  Reverse:  Shield  of  Austria, 
Lombardy  and  Venice  surmounted  by  a  large  imperial  crown. 
Legend:  "lomb.  et.  yen.  rex.  a.  a.  1824."  Exergue:  "^ 
LIRA."  Weight:  33.410  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
^0.08.6177. 


quarter  liua  of  lombardy. 

23.  Quarter  Lira  of  Lombardy.     Obverse:  Bust  of  Francis 
I.     Legend :  "  franciscus  i.  d.  g.  aystriae  imperator." 


AUSTRIA.  50T' 

•  Reverse:  Shield  quartered,  surmounted  by  an  imperial  crown. 
Legend:  "lomb.  et.  ven.  rex.  a.  a.  1822."  Weight:  16.705 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.04.308a 

BILLON  MONEY  OF  AUSTRIA. 

I.  Zwanziger  of  Francis  I.  (20  Kreutzers  or  |  Florin.) 
Obverse:  Head  of  Francis  I.  Legend:  "franc,  i.  d.  g.  r.  i. 
s.  A.  germ.  hv.  bo.  rex." 


ZWANZIGER   OF   FRANCIS   I. 

Reverse :  Austrian  imperial  shield,  surmounted  by  a  crown. 
Legend:  "arch.  aus.  dux.  burg.  brab.  c.  f.  l."  Exergue: 
"1751."  Weight:  103.118  grains.  Fineness :  583.333.  Value: 
$0.17.2354. 

2.  Zwanziger  of  Tyrol,  1809.  Issued  during  the  struggle 
of  Andreas  Hofer,  the  Tyrolian  patriot,  against  Napoleon  I. 
Obverse :  Single-headed  eagle,  facing  to  the  left,  a  crown  upon 
its  head,  encircled  by  a  laurel  chaplet.  Legend:  "gefurst- 
LiCHE  GRAFSCHAFT  TIROL."  {Princely  earldom  of  Tyrol.) 
Reverse:  "20  kreutzer"  inscribed  in  two  lines;  underneath 
a  laurel  and  olive  branch.  Legend:  "nach  dem.  conven- 
tions FUSS."  [In  conformity  with  the  conventional  money  rate.) 
Exergue:  "1809"  between  two  rosettes.  Weight:  103.118 
grains.     Fineness:  583.333.     Value:  $0.17.2354. 

3.  Zwanziger  of  Leopold  II.  Obverse:  Double-headed 
eagle,  upon  its  breast  the  imperial  globe  surmounted  by  a  large 
cross  and  a  crown.     Legend :  "  Leopold  d.  g.  bom.  imp.  semp. 

AUG." 


\ 


508  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Reverse:  Virgin  and  child.     Legend:    "s.  MARIA.  MATER 


ZWANZIGER   OF   LEOPOLD   H. 

DEI  PATRONA  HVNGARIAE.  1791."    Weight:  103.118.    Fine- 
ness: 583.333.     Value:  $0.17.2354. 

4.  Zwanziger  of  Francis  II.  Obverse:  Double-headed  im- 
perial Austrian  eagle.  Right  talon  :  Sceptre.  Left  talon : 
Sword;  underneath  "1797."  Legend  :  "franciscus  il.  D.  G. 
ROM.  IMP.  8EMP.  AUGUST." 


ZWANZIGER   OF   FRANCIS   II. 

Reverse:  A  shield  quartered,  a  shield  of  smaller  size  upon 
it,  both  crowned.  Legend:  "arch.  aus.  dux.  burg.  brab. 
c.  F."  Weight:  103.118..  Fineness:  583.333.  Value: 
$0.17.2354. 

5.  Zwanziger  of  Francis  I.  Obverse:  Laureated  head  of 
Francis  II. ,  surrounded  by  branches  of  laurel  leaves,  tied  with 
a  riblx)n  in  a  bow.  Legend:  "franciscus  i.  d.  g.  aust.  im- 
PERATOR."  Reverse:  Austrian  double-headed  imperial  eagle. 
Dexter  talon :  Sword  and  sceptre.  Sinister  talon  :  Imperial 
glol)e.  Legend:  "hun.  boh.  lomb.  ven.  gal.  ill.  rex. 
1811."     Exergue:    "20"  in  a  scroll;  left  an  olive  branch; 


right  a  palm  branch.     Weight: 
583.333.     Value:  §0.17.2354. 

6.  Zvvanziger  of  Ferdinand  I. 
head  of  Ferdinand  I.  Legend  : 
HVNG.  BOH.  REX.  H.  N.  V." 


AUSTRIA.  509 

103.118  grains.     Fineness: 


1840.    Obverse:  Laureat^d 

"feed.  I.  D.  G.  AVSTB.  IMP. 


ZWANZIGER  OP   FERDINAND  I. 

Reverse :  Double-headed  eagle,  crowned  with  three  crowns. 
Dexter  talon  :  Sword  and  sceptre.  Sinister :  Imperial  globe. 
Legend:  "rex.  lomb.  et.  ven.  dalm.  gal.  lod.  ill.  a.  a. 
1840."  Weight:  103.118  grains.  Fineness:  583.333.  Value: 
$0.17.2354. 

7.  Zwanziger  of  Francis  I.  Obverse :  Head  of  Francis  I. 
Legend:  "feanciscus  i.  d.  g.  avstr.  imperator." 


zwanziger   of   FRANCIS   1. 

Reverse:  Virgin  and  child.  Legend:  "s.  maria  mater 
DEI  patrona  hvng.  1834."  Exergue:  "20."  Weight: 
103.118  grains.     Fineness:  583.333.     Value:  ^0.17.2354. 

8.  Zehner  of  Maria  Theresia.  (10  Kreutzer  or  \  Florin.) 
Obverse:  Head  of  Maria  Theresia,  surrounded  by  a  laurel  and 
palm  branch,  crossed  at  the  end  and  tied  with  a  ribbon  in  a  bow. 
Legend  :  "  M.  theresta.  d.  g.  r.  imp.  ge.  iiu.  bo.  reg."  Re- 
verse :  Virgin  and  child  surrounded  by  rays  of  glory ;  at  her 


(510  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJSDIA. 

•feet  an  altar,  upon  it  the  figure  "10;"  left  a  laurel  branch, 
right  a  palm  branch.     Legend  :  "patron,  regki.  hungaria 
1765."     Weight:    60.155    grains.     Fineness:    600.     Value, 
^0.08.6177. 

9.  2yehner  of  Joseph  II.     Obverse:   Head  of  Joseph  II. 
Legend  :  "  JOe.  Ii.  D.  G.  R.  I.  s.  A." 


ZEHNER  OP  JOSEPH  H. 

Reverse :  Austrian  double-headed  eagle.  Legend :  "  VIRTUTE. 
ET  EXEMPLO.  1768."  Exergue :  "10"  in  a  scroll.  Weight: 
60.155  grains.     Fineness:  500.     Value,  $0.08.6177. 

10.  Ten  Neu-Kreutzer,  or  Ten  New  Kreutzer  Piece.  Ob- 
verse :  Head  of  Francis  Joseph  I.  Legend  :  "  franz  Joseph  i., 
v.  G.  G.,  KAISER  VON  OESTERREicH."  Reverse :  A  large 
figure  "10,"  surmounted  by  an  imperial  crown.  Legend: 
"SCHEIDE — MUNZE."  {Subsidiary  coin.)  Exergue:  A  laurel 
and  palm  branch,  above  the  same  "1859."  Weight:  30.864 
grains.     Fineness:  500.     Value:  $0.04.3088. 

11.  Six  Kreutzer  Piece  of  Francis  Joseph  I.  Obverse: 
Shield,  upon  it  a  double-headed  Austrian  eagle ;  a  crown  sur- 
mounting it.     Legend  :  "  k.  k.  oesterreichische  scheide- 

,  MUNZE."  (Kaiserliche  Koaiigliche  Oesterreichische  Schdde- 
munze;  meaning:  Imperial  Royal  Austrian  Subsidiary  coin.) 
Reverse:  "6"  "Kreutzer  — . — ,  1859,"  inscribed  in  four 
lines.  Weight:  29.46  grains.  Fineness:  437.500.  Value: 
$0.03.5485. 

12.  Five  Kreutzer  Piece  of  Ferdinand  I.  Obverse:  Head 
Ferdinand  I.  Legend:  "ferd.  i.,  d.  G.,  AVSTR.  imp.  hvng. 
BOH.  R.  H.  N.  V." 


AUSTRIA.  611 

Reverse:   Double-headed   Austrian  eagle.     Legend:  "rex 

LOM.,  ET.  VKN.  DALM.  GAL.  LOD,  ILL.  A.  A.,  1839."      ExergUC: 


FIVE  KREUTZERS   OF  FERDINANB  I. 

"  5."     Weight :  34.367  grains.     Fineness  :  437.500.     Value : 
$0.04.3088. 

13.  Five  Neu-Kreutzer,  or  Five  New  Kreutzer  Piece. 
Obverse :  Head  of  Francis  Joseph  I.  Legend :  "  franz 
JOSEPH  I.,  V.  G.  G.,  kaiser  VON  OESTERREiCH."  Reverse : 
a  large  figure  5  surmounted  by  a  crown.  Legend:  "scheide 
— MUNZE."  Exergue  :  Laurel  and  palm  branch,  crossed  and 
tied  with  a  ribbon  in  a  bow;  above  it,  "a,  1859."  Weight: 
20.570  grains.     Fineness:  375.     Value:  $0.02.0277. 

14.  Three  Kreutzer  Piece  of  Ferdinand  I.  Obverse  :  Head 
of  Ferdinand  I.  Legend :  "  ferd.  i.,  d.  g.,  avstr.,  imp. 
HVNG.  BOH.  R.  H.  N.  V."  Reverse:  Double-headed  eagle, 
crowned  with  three  crowns.  Dexter  talon  :  Sword  and  sceptre. 
Sinister  talon :  Imperial  globe.  A  large  figure  "  3 "  in  a 
shield  upon  the  breast  of  the  eagle.  Legend  :  "  rex,  lomb.,  et. 
VEN.  DALM.  GAL.  LOD.  ILL.  A.  A.,  1840."  Weight:  22.25 
grains.     Fineness:  343.75.     Value:  $0.02.2812. 

BRONZE  COINS  OF  AUSTRIA. 

The  Bronze  Coins  of  Austria  consist  of  95  per  cent,  of  copper 
and  5  per  cent.  tin.  They  are  of  the  new  standard  rate ;  dividing 
the  Gulden  or  Florin  into  100  equal  parts. 

1.  The  Four  Kreutzer  Piece,  bearing  the  inscription:  "4" 
"kreutzer"  in  two  lines.  Weight:  201.59  grains.  Value: 
$0.01.600. 

2.  The  Three  Kreutzer  Piece,  inscription  "3"  "kreut- 
zer."    Weight:  151.17  grains.     Value:  $0.01.200. 


512  DYirS  COIN  ENCYCLOPji^DIA. 

3.  The  Two  Kreutzer  Piece,  inscription  "  2  "  "  kreutzer." 
Weight:  100.78  grains.     Vahie:  §0.00.800. 

4.  The  One  Kreutzer  Piece,  inscription  "  1 "  "KREUTZER." 
Weight:  50.39  grains.     Value:  |0.00.400. 

5.  The  Half  Kreutzer  Piece,  inscription  "  ^  "  "  kreutzer." 
Weight:  25.195  grains.     Va4ue:  $0.00.200. 

6.  The  Quarter  Kreutzer  Piece,  inscription  "J"  "kreut- 
zer."    Weight:  12.597  grains.     Value:  $0.00.100. 


BELGIUM. 

This  country  was  anciently  the  territory  of  the  Belgas,  who 
were  conquered  by  Julius  Cajsar,  47  B.  C,  and  in  modern 
times  was  formerly  known  as  Flanders.  In  1598,  Philip  II., 
of  Spain,  ceded  it  to  Austria.  In  1621,  it  fell  hack  into  the 
hands  of  Philip  IV.,  King  of  Spain,  where  it  remained  subject 
to  Spanish  rule,  till  1713.  By  t\\e  treaty  of  Utrecht,  it  was 
apportioned  to  Austria.  In  1785  it  was  incorporated  with 
France.  In  1815  it  became  part  of  Holland.  In  May,  1830, 
disregarding  six  hundred  and  forty  petitions,  the  government 
of  Holland  enacted  a  new  law  of  the  press.  Officials  holding 
Belgic  opinions  were  dismissed.  The  public  mind  was  in  a 
state  of  excitement,  which  was  raised  to  its  highest  pitch  of 
intensity  by  the  revolution  of  July,  1830,  in  Paris.  At  length, 
on  August  25th,  1830,  during  the  performance  of  Auber's 
"Massaniello,"  at  the  Grand  Opera  House  of  Brussels,  the 
insurrectionary  spirit  was  aroused  into  action  by  the  music. 
The  theatre  was  rapidly  emptied,  the  office  of  the  National 
newspaper,  the  Dutch  government  organ,  was  sacked,  the 
armorers'  shops  broken  open,  and  barricades  were  erected.  On 
August  28th,  1830,  a  Congress  of  citizens  assembled  in  the 
Hotel  de  Ville,  at  Brussels,  asking  for  reform.  The  King  of 
Holland,  William  I.,  received  them  at  the  Hague,  but 
refused  to  pledge  himself  to  anything  while  under  menace  of 
force;  yet   promised  an   early   consideration   of    the   matter. 


BELGIUM. 


513 


This  answer  gave  still  greater  dissatisfaction.  On  January 
31st,  1831,  the  independence  of  Belgium  was  acknowledged, 
and  the  nation  was  established  as  a  Kingdom  under  Leo- 
pold I. 

The  coinage  of  Belgium,  since  1598,  is  mostly  Austrian, 
bearing  the  names  and  titles  of  the  sovereigns,  as  Archdukes 
of  Austria  and  Dukes  of  Burgundy,  Lorraine,  Brabant  and 
Counts  of  Flanders,  and  is  fully  described  under  the  head  of 
Austria,  from  page  495  to  page  508  of  this  work.  No  coins  were 
issued  by  Belgium  after  its  conquest  by  the  French,  1795  to 
1815.  From  1815  to  1831,  the  Belgian  coins  were  issued  under 
the  coinage  laws  of  Holland.  In  1831,  the  first  of  the  present 
series  of  Belgium  appeared  with  the  head  and  Legend  of 
"  LEOPOLD,  PREMIER  Roi  DES  BELOEs"  {Leopold  /.,  King  of  the 
BeJ^ians),  and  "l'union  fait  la  force."  {In  Union  there  is 
Strength)  The  coinage  from  1749  to  1795  included  the  gold 
"Sovereign"  or  Sovereign  of  171.468  grains,  and  916.667 
fineness.  The  silver  crown,  known  as  the  Brabant  Crown  of 
456  grains  and  872  fine.  The  Kronen  Thaler,  or  Crown 
Dollar  of  454.899  grains  and  868.056  fine. 

In  1790,  a  new  coinage  of  gold  and  silver  pieces,  called 
"  Lions,"  was  projected  by  a  Congress  of  Belgian  Provinces ; 
but  was  only  partially  carried  into  eifect.  The  gold  pieces  were 
917  fine,  and  the  silver  ones  of  875  fineness.  Of  the  "Silver 
Lions"  several  pieces  were  struck  and  circulated,  but  recalled 
soon  after.  The  "Gold  Lions  "  were  mere  pattern  pieces,  found 
in  the  Museums  of  Europe,  and  of  interest  only  to  the  numis- 
matists. 

The  standard  of  Belgium  has  been  and  still  is  double,  name- 
ly, Gold  and  Silver.  The  weight  of  pure  metal  in  the  gold 
coins,  as  compared  with  that  in  the  silver  legal  tender  coins,  of 
the  same  denomination,  is  fixed  by  law  at  1  to  15|,  making  the 
legal  value  of  the  gold  coins  15J  times  that  of  the  silver  coins 
of  the  same  weight  and  fineness.  The  legal  tender  gold  and 
silver  coinages  have  the  same  degree  of  fineness;  that  is,  nine- 
tenths,  or  900  of  pure  metal  to  one-tenth  or  100  of  alloy. 
2F 


514  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

In  addition  to  the  legal  tender  coins  of  gold  and  silver,  there 
was  established  on  the  23d  of  December,  1865,  between  France, 
Italy,  Switzerland  and  Belgium,  by  the  "Quadripartite  Conven- 
tion," a  subsidiary  silver  coinage  of  less  intrinsic  value  than  the 
legal  tender  silver  coinage  of  the  like  denomination.  In  this 
new  subsidiary  coinage  the  weight  of  the  pieces  was  left  the 
same  as  that  of  the  corresponding  legal  tender  silver  coinage; 
but  the  fineness  was  reduced  to  835  pure  metal  and  165  of  alloy. 
The  legal  weight  of  pure  metal  in  the  subsidiary  silver  coins  is 
thus  fixed  at  about  14|  times  the  weight  of  pure  metal  in  the 
gold  coins  of  like  denomination.  In  this  "Quadripartite  Con- 
vention of  1865,"  a  provision  for  an  interchange  of  subsidiary 
coin  to  a  limited  extent  is  fixed  upon  the  following  basis:  "To 
the  citizens  of  the  country  issuing  it,  this  silver  coin  is  a  legal- 
tender  for  50  francs  ($9.65),  and  for  taxes  up  to  100  francs 
($19.30),  in  Belgium,  France,  Italy  and  Switzerland." 

The  Franc  of  Belgium,  both  gold  and  silver,  is  divided  into 
100  Centimes. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  BELGIUM. 
1.  The  Souverain,  or  Sovereign  of  1749  and  1766. 


SOUVERAINS  ISSUED   UNDER  AUSTRIAN   RULE. 

For  weight,  fineness  and  value,  see  page  491. 

2.  Half  Souverain  of  1750,  1752  and  1797. 
For  weight,  fineness  and  value,  see  page  493. 

3.  The  Gold  Lion  of  the  Belgian  Revolution  of  1790.  Ob- 
verse: A  Lion,  rampant,  supporting  a  shield,  with  the  word 
*'  LiBERTAS  "  (Liberty)  upon  it.     legend  :  "  domini  est  reo- 


BELGIUM. 


515 


num"  (meaning:  The  Kingdom  is  the  Lord's).    Exergue:  1790. 
Reverse:   A  Sun,  surrounded  by  eleven  shields,  bearing  the 


HALF  SOUVERAINS  ISSUED  UNDER  AUSTRIAN  RULE. 

arms  of  the  different  Belgian  provinces.  Legend  :  "  et  ipse 
DOMiNABiTUR  GENiTUM "  (meaning:  mid  He  Himself  shall 
Reign  over  the  Nations). 

This  coin  having  never  circulated  as  money,  its  exact  weight 
and  fineness  cannot  be  given  with  precision.  The  pattern  pieces 
were  struck  of  916.667  fineness,  although  generally  understood 
to  be  917  fine.  Value  entirely  nominal  at  about  $6.50.  Among 
numismatists,  this  coin  brings  a  very  high  premium. 

4.  Ducat  of  the  Belgian  Provinces,  under  Holland's  rule. 
Obverse:  a  full  length  figure  of  a  knight  in  armor;  dexter  hand, 
a  drawn  sword ;  in  the  other,  a  bunch  of  arrows  tied  with  a  rib- 
bon, the  ends  loosely  floating.  At  the  left  of  the  Knight,  "  18," 
and  right,  "  15,"  changing  this  date  with  every  new  year's  issue. 
Legend:  ♦'concordia  res  parvae.  crescunt."  {Small  things 
increase  by  concord.)  Reverse :  "  mo.  ord.  provin.  foedeb. 
belg.  ad.  leg.  imperii."  {Moneta  ordinarea  provinciarum  foet- 


DUCAT  of  the  BELGIANS  OF   1825. 


derafarum  Belgicarum  ad  legem  Imperii;  meaning:  the  ordinary 
coin  of  the  Confederated  Belgic  Provinces,  according  to  the  Ioa* 
of  the  Empire;  referring  to  the  German  Empire,  standard  of  69 


610  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Dncats  to  the  Mark,  fine  gold  of  Cologne.)     Weight :  53.92 
grains.     Fineness:  983.     Value:  $2.28.3706. 

5.  Ducat  of  the  Belgians  of  1825.  Obverse :  Same  as  No.  4, 
changing  only  the  date  of  issue  to  "1825."     Legend:  "b.  con- 

OORDIA  RES  PARVAE  CRESCUNT    X  ." 

Reverse:  Similar  to  No.  4.  Weight:  53.92  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 983.     Value:  $2.28.3706. 

6.  Forty  Francs  Piece  of  Leopold  L  Obverse:  Laureated 
head  of  Leopold  I.  Legend :  "  Leopold  premier  roi  des 
BELGES,"  [Leopold  the  first  King  of  tJie  Belgians^  Reverse : 
"40  FRANCS,  1835,"  inscribed  in  three  lines,  the  whole  enclosed 
in  a  heavy  wreath  of  oak.  Around  the  edge:  "dieu  protege 
lA  belgique."  (God  j9ro<ect<»  Belgium.)  Weight:  199.1235 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $7.72. 

7.  Twenty-five  Francs  Piece  of  Leopold  I.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Leopold  I.   Legend :  "leopoi>d  premier  roi  des  belges." 

Reverse:  The  Coat  of  Arms  of  Belgium,  above  it  the  Legend : 
"Li^union  fait  la  force."  (/n  Union  there  is  Strength.)  Un- 
derneath:  "7.915,"  "900  m"  (meaning:  7.915  grammes  in 
weight,  and  900-1000  fine).  Exergue:  "1848."  Weight: 
122.146  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $4.82|. 

In  1848,  there  appeared,  also,  another  Twenty-five  Francs 
Piece.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  7.  The  Reverse,  bearing  the 
Coat  of  Arms  of  Belgium  ;  but  the  Legend  above:  "l'  union 
fait  la  force"  removed,  and  "  25  francs,"  inserted  instead. 
To  the  left  of  the  shield  as  Legend:  "900  M,"  and  to  the  right: 
«G.  7.915."  Exergue:  "1848."  Weight:  122.146  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $4,821. 

8.  Twenty  Francs  Piece  of  Leopold  I.  Obverse:  Laureated 
head  of  Leopold  I.  Legend :  "Leopold  premier  roi  des 
BELGES."  Reverse:  "20  francs,  1835,"  inscribed  in  three 
lines,  enclosed  by  a  heavy  wreath  of  oak  leaves.  Weight: 
99.561  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value:  $3.86. 

9.  Twenty  Francs  Piece  of  Leopold  I.  Obverse :  Head  of 
Leopold  I.  Legend :  "  Leopold  premier  roi  des  belges." 
Reverse:  "  20  francs,  1862."    Branches  of  oak  leaves  surround 


BELGIUM.  517 

the  inscription.      Weight:    99.561    grains.      Fineness:    90a 
Value:  §3.86. 

10.  Twenty  Francs  Piece  of  Leopold  II.     Obverse :  Head 
of  Leopold  II.    Legend :  '<  Leopold  ii.  eoi  des  belges." 


TWENTY  FRANCS  OF  LEOPOLD  TI. 

Reverse:  Coat  of  Arms  of  Belgium.  Legend:  ''jJvsjots 
FAIT  LA  FORCE."  Exergue :  "20  fk."  Weight:  99.561 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.86. 

11.  Ten  Francs  Piece  of  Leopold  I.  Obverse:  Head  of  Leo- 
pold I.  Legend  :  "  LEOPOLD  PREMIER  ROi  DES  BELGES."  Re- 
Verse  :  Coat  of  Arras  of  Belgium.  Legend  :  "  l'union  PATT 
LA  FORCE."  Exergue:  "1849."  At  the  left  side  of  coat  of 
arms:  "10,"  and  at  the  right:  " f,"  underneath :  "g.  3.166," 
and  "900  M."  Weight:  48.858  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $1.93. 

12.  Ten  Francs  Piece  of  Leopold  II.,  same  as  No.  11,  with 
the  exception  of  Obverse  having  the  head  of  Leopold  II.,  in- 
stead of  his  father,  Leopold  I.  Weight:  48.858  grains.  Flat- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $1.93. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  BELGIUM. 

1.  Belgae-Austrian  Reichs  Thaler  of  1618.  Obverse:  Busts 
of  Albertus  and  Elisabet.     Legend :  "albebtvs  et  elisabet. 

DEL  GRATIA.  16-18." 

Reverse:  Two  lions  supporting  a  shield,  the  crown  resting 
upon  their  bowed  heads ;  badge  of  the  golden  fleece  beneath. 
Legend :  "arch.  avst.  duces,  bvrg.  brab.  z."  Intrinsic  value 
about  $1.05 ;  but  being  out  of  circulation  for  nearly  two  hun- 


51« 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


dred  years,  this  coin  commands  a  very  high  premium  among 
collectors  of  coins. 


BELGAE-AUSTRIAN  RIX   DOLLAR  OF   1018. 

2.  Kronen  Thalers  of  Belgium,  under  Austrian  GJovernment, 
For  description,  weight,  fineness  and  value,  see  page  498. 


CROWN  DOLLARS  OP  BELGIUM,  1756  TO  1795. 

3.  Silver  Lion  of  the  Belgian  Revolution  of  1790.  Obverse: 
A  lion  rampant,  supporting  a  shield,  with  "  libertas,"  upon 
it.  Legend:  "domini  est  regnum."  {The  Kingdom  is  the 
Lord: 8.)     Exergue:  "1790." 

Reverse :  A  sun,  with  eleven  escutcheons  of  the  Belgic  Pro- 
vinces round  it.  Legend  :  "  et  ipse  dominabitvr  gentivm." 
{And  He  Himself  shall  reign  over  the  NatioTis.)     Around  the 


BELGIUM.  510 

outer  edge :  "quid  fortius  leone."  ( What  is  stranger  than  the 


SILVER  LION  OF  THE   BELGIAN  REVOLUTION,  1790. 


lAon?)     Intriusic  value  abqut  ^1.05;  but  out  of  circulation 
for  many  years,  it  brings  a  high  premium. 


FIVE   FRANCS  OF   LEOPOLD   t 

4.  Five  Francs  Piece  of  Leopold  I.,  of  1835.  Obverse :  Lau- 
reated  head  of  Leopold  I.  Legend :  "  Leopold  premier  roi 
DES  belges." 

Reverse:  "5"  "Francs"  "1835"  inscribed  upon  tlie  field 
in  three  lines,  surrounded  by  a  lieavy  wreath  of  oak  loaves. 
Around  the  edge  "dieu  protege  la  belgiQue."  {God  Pro- 
teds  Belgium.)  Weight:  385.808  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.96|. 

6.  Five  Francs  Piece  of  1 849.     Obverse :  Head  of  Leopold 


520 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


I.  Legend  :  "Leopold  premier  roi  des  belges."  Reverse: 
Crowned  shield,  with  a  lion  rampant  upon  the  same.  Left  of 
shield  "5"  and  to  the  right  "F"  (meaning:  five  francs),  sur- 
rounded by  two  branches  of  laurel  leaves,  crossed  and  tied  at 
the  ends  with  a  ribbon  in  a  bow.  Legend  :  "  l'union  fait  la 
FORCE."  Exergue:  "1849."  Weight:  385.808  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $0.96 1. 

6.    Five  Francs  Piece  of  Leopold  II.     Obverse :    Head  of 
Leopold   II.,  full   beard.     Legend:  "Leopold   ii.  roi  des 

BELGES." 


FIVE  FRANCS  OF   LEOPOLD  II. 


Reverse :  Same  as  No.  5,  with  the  exception  of  the  Exergue: 
«1869."  Weight:  385.808  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.96|. 

7.  Two  and  a  half  Francs  Piece  of  Leopold  I.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Leopold  I.    Legend :  "  Leopold  premier  roi  des 

BELGES." 


TWO   AND  A    HALF   FRANCS   OF   LEOPOLD   I. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  a  lion  rampant  upon  the  same; 


BELGIUM.  521 

left  of  it  "21,"  and  to  the  right  «F,"  surrounded  by  two 
branches  of  oalc  leaves,  crossed  at  the  end  and  tied  with  a 
ribbon  in  a  bow.  Legend :  "l'union  fait  la  force."  Ex- 
ergue: "1848."  Around  the  edge:  "  dieu  protege  la  bel- 
GiQUE."  Weight:  192.904  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.48J. 

8.  Two  Francs  Piece  of  I.«opold  I.,  of  1834.  Obverse: 
Laureated  head  of  Leopold  I.  Legend:  "Leopold  premier 
ROi  DES  BELGE3."  Reverse:  "2"  "Francs"  "1834,"  inscribed 
upon  the  field  in  three  lines,  surrounded  by  a  heavy  wreath 
of  oak  leaves.  Weight:  154.323  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.38.6. 

9.  Two  Francs  Piece  of  Leopold  I.,  of  1849.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Leopold  I.  Legend:  "Leopold  premier  roi  des 
BELGES."  Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  a  lion  rampant  upon  the 
same;  to  the  left  of  it  "2,"  and  to  the  right  "F,"  surrounded 
by  two  branches  of  oak  leaves,  crossed  at  the  ends  and  tied  with 
a  ribbon  in  a  bow.  Legend  :  "l'union  fait  la  force."  Ex- 
ergue: "1849."  Weight:  154.323  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.38.6. 

10.  Two  Francs  Piece  of  Leopold  IL,  of  1869.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Leopold  II.  Legend :  "  Leopold  ii.  roi  des  bel- 
6E8."  Reverse:  Crowned  shield  with  lion  rampant;  rest  same 
as  No.  9,  with  the  exception  of  the  Exergue  changed  to  "  1869," 
and  ever  since  with  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight : 
154.323  grains.     Fineness:  835.     Value  :  ^0.36. 

11.  Franc  of  Leopold  I.,  of  1835.  Obverse:  Laureated 
head  of  Leopold  I.  Legend  :  "  Leopold  premier  roi  des 
BELGES."  Reverse:  "1"  "franc"  "1835,"  inscribed  upon 
the  field  in  three  lines,  and  surrounded  by  a  heavy  wreath  of 
oak  leaves.  Weight:  77.161  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.19.3. 

12.  Franc  of  Leopold  I., of  1849.  Obverse:  Head  of  Leo- 
pold I.  Legend:  "Leopold  premier  roi  des  belges." 
Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  a  lion  rampant  upon  the  same ;  to 
the  left  of  it  "  1  "  and  to  the  right  "  F."     legend  :  "  l'union 


622  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

FAIT  LA  FORCE."   Exergue :  "  1849."    Weight :  77.161  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value  :  §0.19.3. 

13.  Franc  of  Leopold  II.  Obverse:  Head  of  Leopold  II. 
Legend :  "  Leopold  il,  roi  des  belges."  Reverse :  Crowned 
shield,  a  lion  rampant  upon  the  same;  left  of  it  "1,"  and  to 
the  right  "F,"  surrounded  by  branches  of  laurel  leaves, 
crossed  at  the  end  and  tied  with  a  ribbon  in  a  bow.  Legrend : 
"l'un-ion  fait  la  force."  Exergue:  "1869,"  and  ever 
since  changed  to  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  77.161 
grains.     Fineness:  835.     Value:  18  cents. 

14.  Half  Franc  of  Leopold  I.,  of  1835.  Obverse :  Laureated 
head  of  Leopold  I.  Legend :  "  Leopold  premier  roi  des 
belges." 


half   franc   of   LEOPOLD   I. 

Reverse:  "J"  "franc"  "1835."  Wreath  of  oak  leaves 
surrounding  the  same.  Weight:  38.580  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $0.09.65. 

15.  Half  Franc  of  Leopold  I.  of  1849.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Leopold  I.  Legend :  "  Leopold  premier  roi  des 
BELGES."  Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  a  lion  rampant  upon  the 
same;  to  the  left  of  it  "^,"  to  the  right  "  F,"  surrounded  by 
two  branches  of  laurel  leaves,  crossed  and  tied  at  the  ends  with 
a  ribbon  in  a  bow.  Legend:  "  l'union  fait  la  force." 
Exergue :  "  1849."  Weight :  38.580  grains.  Fineness :  900. 
Value:  $0.09.65. 

16.  Half  Franc  of  Leopold  II.  of  1869.  Same  as  the  above 
with  the  exception  of  Ijcopold  II.  substituted  for  "Leopold 
Premier."  Weight :  38.580  grains.  Fineness:  835.  Value: 
$0.09. 

17.  Quarter  Franc  of  Leopold  I.  of  1835.  Same  as  the 
Half  Franc  piece  No.  14,  with  the  exception  of  "  ^  "  is  sub- 


BELGIUM.  623 

stituted  for  the  "^"  on  the  Reverse.     Weight:  19.29  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.04.825. 

18.  Quarter  Franc  of  Leopold  I.  of  1849.  Same  as  the 
Half  Franc  piece  No.  15,  with  the  exception  of  "J  "  is  substi- 
tuted for  the  "  I  "  on  the  Reverse.  Weight:  19.29  grains. 
Fineness:  900.  Value:  $0.04.825.  The  above  two  Quarter 
Franc  pieces,  by  act  of  Legislature  in  1853,  were  withdrawn 
from  circulation,  and  have  become  very  scarce,  and  in  demand 
with  collectors  of  coin,  commanding  a  high  premium. 

19.  Twenty  Centimes  of  Leopold  I.  of  1853.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Leopold  I.  Legend  :  "  Leopold  premier  roi  des 
BELGES."  Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  a  lion  rampant  upon  the 
same ;  left  of  it  "  20,"  and  to  the  right  "  C,"  surrounded  by 
branches  of  laurel  leaves,  crossed  and  tied  at  the  ends. 
Exergue:  "1853."  Weight:  15.432  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.03.86. 

This  Twenty  Centimes  Piece  is  no  longer  coined  in  silver, 
and  is  melted  as  fast  as  it  returns  into  the  Treasury ;  in  a  few 
years  it  will  be  out  of  circulation  entirely. 

COPPER  COINS  OF  BELGIUM. 

The  Copper  Coins  of  Belgium  are  no  longer  ooinal,  and 
those  still  remaining  in  circulation  are  of  the  reign  of  Leo- 
pold I.,  the  father  of  the  present  reigning  King  of  the  Bel- 
gians. 

1.  The  Ten  Centimes  Piece.  Obvcr^^e :  A  large  ornamental 
"L,"  surmounted  by  a  Crown.  Legend:  "10  centimes." 
Reverse:  a  Lion  seated,  holding  a  tablet,  with  the  inscription, 
"constitution  belge,  1831."  Legend:  "l'unionfait  la 
FORCE."     Weight:  154.320  grains.     Value:  $0.01.93. 

2.  The  Five  Centimes  Piece.  Same  as  !fo.  1,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  Legend:  "5  centimes."  Weight:  77.160 
grains.     Value:  $0.00.965. 

3.  The  Two  Centimes  Piece.  Same  as  No.  1,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  Legend:  "2  centimes."  Weight:  30.864. 
Value:  $0.00.386. 


524  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

4.  The  One  Centime  Piece.  Same  as  No.  1,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  the  Legend:  "1  centime."  Weight:  15.432.  Value: 
$0.00.193. 

NICKEL  COINS  OF  BELGIUM. 

1.  Twenty  Centimes  Piece  of  Leopold  I.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Leopold  I.,  facing  to  the  right ;  a  raised  circle  around  it. 
Legend:  "Leopold  i.,  KOi  des  belges."  Exergue:  "1861" 
between  two  stars. 


TMETTTY   CENTIMES   OP   LEOPOLD   I. 

Reverse:  A  Lion,  rampant,  surrounded  by  a  raised  circle. 
Legend:  "l'uniox  fait  la  force."  Exergue:  "20  C."  be- 
tween two  stars.  Weight:  108.026  grains.  Value :  $0.03.86. 
Composition,  25  parts  Nickel  and  75  parts  Copper. 

2.  Twenty  Centimes  of  Leopold  II.  Same  as  No.^  1,  with 
the  exception  of  the  head  of  Leopold  II.  and  the  Legend: 
"LEOPOLD  II.  EOi  DES  BELGES."  Weight  and  value  the  same 
as  No.  1. 

3.  Ten  Centimes  of  Leopold  I.  Obverse:  A  large  "10" 
inscribed  upon  the  field,  which  has  sunken  figures;  under- 
neath "centimes  "  also  in  sunken  letters  ;  beneath  is  a  star  sunk 
in  the  field,  M'hich  has  a  grained  surface.  Legend  :  "LEOPOLD 
premier  roi  des  BELGES."     Excrgue :  A  Rosette. 


TEN   CENTIMES   OF   LEOPOLD   I. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1  and  No.  2,  only  the  field  is  grained 


BELGIUM.  526 

and  the  Exergue  is  changed  to  the  date  of  issue.     Weight  • 
69.445.     Value:  $0.01.93. 

4.  The  Ten  Centimes  of  Leopold  II.,  issued  now,  have  the 
same  devices  as  No.  3.     Weight:   69.445.     Value:  $0.01.93. 

5.  The  Five  Centimes  of  Leopold  I.     Same  devices  as  No. 
3,  with  the  exception  of  the  inscription  on  the  Obverse,  a  "  5  " 


FIVE   CENTIMES   OP   LEOPOLD  I. 

takes  the  place  of  the  figure  "10."     Weight:  46.297  grains. 
Value:  $0.00.965. 

6.  The  Five  Centimes  of  Leopold  II.     Same  devices  as  No. 
6.     Weight:  46.297  grains.     Value  $0.00.965. 


BOLIVIA 

Belonged  formerly  to  Spain  and  afterwards  to  Peru ;  de- 
clared its  Independence,  August  6tli,  and  took  the  name  of 
Republic  of  Bolivia,  in  honor  of  General  Simon  Bolivar,  its 
Liberator,  August  11th,  1825. 

Prior  to  1826,  Spanish  and  Peruvian  money  was  in  general 
circulation ;  although  not  banished  by  laws,  very  little  of  for- 
eign money  finds  its  way  into  Bolivia  now,  owing  to  its  sub- 
sidiary coins  having  been  debased  to  the  standard  of  Billon,  or 
666  fine. 

Under  the  first  issue  of  1827,  the  gold  coins  were  870  fine, 
and  have  continued  so;  although  but  sparingly  coined. 

The  silver  coinage  was  started  at  900  fine,  and  continued  so 
until  1851;  when  up  to  1859,  the  standard  "Peso  de  Plata" 
was  902.778  fine.  In  1860  and  1861  some  of  the  "  Pesos  de 
Plata,"  notwithstanding  the  mint  mark  of  "  10  DS.,  20  GS.," 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

were  foiind  upon  assay  to  be  only  898  fine,  instead  of  902.778, 
as  implied  by  10  Denaros,  20  Granos.  Besides  the  variation 
in  fineness,  the  Peso  de  Plata  underwent  a  reduction  in  weight 
from  417  grains  Troy  down  to  306  grains  Troy;  and  have 
continued  ever  since  to  vary  in  fineness  and  weight  to  such  a 
marked  degree  that  their  true  value  cannot  be  given  with  pre- 
cision. The  money  of  account  of  Bolivia  is  the  "Peso  Corri- 
ente,"  or  current  Dollar,  divided  into  "  8  Reales  Corrientes," 
or  8  current  Reals.  The  "  Peso  de  Plata,"  or  Silver  Dollar,  is 
also  divided  into  "  8  Reales  de  Plata,"  or  silver ;  but  of  late 
years  both  Reals  have  been  abandoned,  and  the  "  Peso  Corri- 
ente,"  as  well  as  the  "  Peso  de  Plata,"  are  divided  into  100 
Centesimos. 

The  "  Peso  de  Plata  "  is  always  at  a  premium ;  usually  "  16 
Pesos  de  Plata  "  are  equal  to  "  17  Pesos  Corrientes."  Outside  of 
Bolivia  these  coins  find  but  little  currency,  being  issued  by  the 
Bolivian  mint  below  the  legal  standard ;  their  home  circulation 
is  thus  maintained.  The  Bolivian  "Escudo,  or  Scudo,"  ia 
equal  to  two  "  Pesos  de  Plata." 

GOLD  COINS  OF  BOLIVIA. 
1.  Onza  de  Oro,  or  Doblon  (Doubloon)  of  8  Escudos,  of  16 
Pesos  de  Plata,  or  17  Pesos  Corrientes.     Obverse:  Bust  of  Bol- 
ivar, in   military  uniform,  with  his  name  inscribed  beneath. 


ONZA   DE  ORO,   OR  DOUBLOON   OP  BOLIVIA. 

Legend  :  "  libre  por  la  cxdnstitucion."  {Free  by  or  through 
the  Cdneiitution.) 


^ 


BOLIVIA.  527 

Reverse :  The  mountain  of  Potosi,  above  which  the  sun  is 
rising;  at  the  left  of  the  mountain,  and  at  the  foot  of  it  a  Llama, 
and  to  the  right  a  sheaf  of  wheat,  from  behind  which  three  leaves 
are  protruding ;  beneath  the  whole,  six  stars.  Legend  :  "  re- 
PUBLiCA  boliviana"  {Bolivian  Republic).  Exergue :  Monogram 
of  the  Mint-mark  of  Potosi;  an  involution  of  the  letters:  "p. 
T.  s."  "8  s"  (meaning:  8  Eseudos  or  16  Dollars),  the  date  of 
the  year  of  issue,  and  the  initials  of  the  master  of  the  Mint;  as 
in  the  above  cut,  "  L.  M.,"  which  of  course  vary  frequently. 
Weight:  416.503  grains.    Fineness:  870.   Value:  $16.33.5722. 

2.  Half  Doubloon  of  Four  Eseudos.  Devices  on  the  Obverse 
and  Reverse,  similar  to  No.  1,  only  in  proportion  to  size.  On 
the  Exergue  of  Reverse,  instead  of  8  Eseudos  is  "  4  s."  Weight : 
208.2515.     Fineness:  870.     Value:  $8.16.7861. 

3.  One-fourth  of  a  Doubloon  of  Two  Eseudos.  Devices 
similar  to  No.  1,  only  Exergue  on  Reverse:  "  2  s.,"  instead  of 
"8  s."  Weight:  104.1257.  Fineness :  870.  Value:  $4.08- 
.3930. 

4.  One-eighth  of  a  Doubloon  of  One  Rscudo.  Devices  sim- 
ilar to  No.  1. 


ONE-EIGHTH   OF   A    DOUBLOON   OF   BOLIVIA. 

Exergue  on  Reverse :  "  1  s.,"  instead  of  "  8  s.,"  as  in  No.  1. 
Weight:  52.0628.     Fineness:  870.     Value:  $2.04.1965. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  BOLIVIA. 
1.  Peso  or  Piaster  of  1838.     Obverse:  Laureated  bust  of 
General  Bolivar,  facing  to  the  right,  in  military  uniform,  with 
his  name  inscribed  beneath.     Legend  :  "  libre  fob  la  con- 

STITUCION." 

Reverse :  A  tree,  beneath  which  are  reposing  two  Llamas : 
above  are  six  stars  in  an  arch.     Legend  :  "  republica  boli- 


DYirS  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 
VIAN A."     Exergue :  Monogram  of  Mint-mark  of  Potosi.     "  8 

f 


PESO  OR  PIASTER  OP   BOLIVIA. 

s,"  "1838."     "l.  m.,"  the   Mint-master's   initials.     Weight: 
417  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value:  $1.00.21. 

2.  Peso  or  Piaster  of  1851,  called  also  the  Peso  of  8  Reales 
de  Plata.  Obverse :  Head  of  Bolivar  facing  to  the  left,  with 
his  name  inscribed  beneath.  Legend :  "  libre  por  la  con- 
8TITUCION."  Reverse:  A  tree,  beneath  which  are  reposing  two 
Llamas,  left  of  tree,  "10;"  meaning:  "10"  Denaros,  and  to 
the  right  "20;"  meaning:  "20"  Granos  in  fineness.  Above 
the  tree  nine  stars  in  an  arch.  Legend  :  "  republica  bolivi- 
ANA."  Exergue :  The  monogram  of  Mint-mark  of  Potosi, 
"  1851,"  and  the  initials  of  the  Mint-master,  "f.  m."  Weight: 
416.503  grains.     Fineness:  902.778.     Value:  $1.06.4634. 

3.  Peso  or  Piaster  of  1859.  Obverse:  Laureated  head  of 
Bolivar,  facing  to  the  left,  with  his  name  inscribed  beneath. 
Legend  :  "  libre  por  la  constitucion."  Exergue :  "  peso 
^400  GS."  {Piaster  of  400  granus  or  grains.)  The  grains  men- 
tioned on  this  piaster  are  understood  to  be  Spanish  grains,  not 
grains  Troy.  Their  equivalent  in  Troy  weight  is  308  grains; 
but  upon  carefully  submitting  this  Peso  to  test,  it  is  found  to  be 
only  of  306  grains.  Reverse:  A  tree,  beneath  which  are  two 
Llamas;  nine  stars  in  an  arch  above  the  tree.  Legend:  "  re- 
publica bolivi  ana."  Exergue:  Mint-mark  of  Potosi.  "10 
D.  20  GS.,"  and  the  date  of  issue.  Here  again  the  fineness  is 
expressed  by  10  Denaros  and  20  Granos,  equal  to  902.778  fine, 


BOLIVIA.  529 

while  in  reality  the  coin  is  only  of  10  Denaros,  18|  Granos, 
equal  to  898  fine.  Considering  the  above,  we  must  give  the 
true*weight  of  306  grains,  and  the  fineness :*898.  Value: 
$0.78.0529. 

4.  lu  1861,  a  new  Peso  was  struck ;  it  varies  only  in  the  de- 
vice on  the  Eeverse,  where  the  "  10  ds.  20  gs."  are  removed 
from  the  Exergue,  and  placed  to  the  left  and  right  of  the  re- 
posing Llamas.  Weight :  306  grains.  Fineness :  898.  Value: 
10.78.0529. 

5.  In  1872,  a  new  Peso  made  its  appearance,  the  device  sann 
as  No.  2,  only  "10  D  20  GS,"  is  omitted  from  the  Reverse,  and 
the  date  changed  to  the  year  of  issue.  This  new  Peso,  or  Dolla? 
is  claimed  to  be  of  the  same  weight  and  fineness  as  the  Fiv<i 
Francs  Piece  of  France,  and  the  coin  tested  was  found  to  l)e  of 
385.750  grains  and  900  fine,  and  its  value :  $0.96.5.  But  even 
this  is  no  guarantee,  for  the  Mint  of  Potosi  is  only  too  famous 
for  variations. 

BILLOX  MONEY  OF   BOLIVIA. 

1.  The  Half  Peso,  or  Piaster  of  Four  Reales  Plata,  at  first 
coined  of  full  weight  and  fineness,  but  of  this  coin  no  traces  are 
left.  The  present  Half  Peso  de  Plata  (meaning:  true  silve)-)  is 
nothing  more  than  Billon  of  QG6  silver  and  334  parts  of  alloy; 
mostly  copper.  Obverse:  Bust  of  General  Bolivar  in  military 
uniform,  facing  to  the  right.  Legend:  "a  su  libertadok 
SIMON  BOLIVAR." 


HALF  PESO  OF  FOUR  REALS. 

Reverse:    Same  as   the   Peso   No.  1.     Exergue:   "1827." 
2G 


890  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Weight:  208.012  grains.  Fineness:  666.  Value  nominal, 
four  Reals  or  fifty  Centesimos;  actual  intrinsic  value:  $0.39- 
.0382.  •• 

2.  Half  Peso  of  1830,  as  called,  of  Four  Reals  de  Plata;  but 
with  no  more  right  than  the  afore-mentioned.  Obverse :  Lau- 
reated  bust  of  Bolivar.     Legend:  "libre  por  la  constitu- 

<XON." 


HALF   PESO  OP   1830. 

Reverse :  Same  as  the  Peso  No.  1,  only  in  proportion  to  size. 
Weight:  208  grains.  Fineness:  666.  Forced  value  fifty  Cen- 
tesimos or  four  Reals;  intrinsic  value:  $0.39.0354. 

3.  Half  Peso  of  1846.  Obverse:  Laureated  head  of  Bolivar, 
facing  to  the  left.  Legend:  "libre  por  la  coxstitucion." 
Reverse :  A  tree,  Llamas  beneath  ;  nine  stars  in  an  arch  above. 
Legend  :  "  republica  boliviana."  Exergue :  Monogram  of 
Mint  of  Potosi,  date  of  issue,  and  Mint-master's  initials. 
Weight:  208.012  grains.  Fineness:  666.  Value:  $0.39.0382, 
intrinsic;  forced  value,  fifty  Centesimos. 

4.  Half  Peso  of  1850.     Obverse:  Bust  of  Belzu.     Legend: 

"M.  Y.  belzu  PRESIDENTE   CONSTITUCIO:   de  BOLIVIA."      {M. 

Y.  Belzu,  Constitutional  President  of  Bolivia.)  Exergue :  "  1 850." 
Reverse:  Hercules,  with  his  club,  treading  upon  a  hydra-headed 
dragon.  Legend  :  "  LA  fuerza  national  triumfo  de  la 
anarquia"  {The  NaMonal  Force  Triumphs  over  Anarchy). 
The  weight  and  fineness  of  this  piece,  which  was  coined  for 
about  six  years,  varies  so  much  that  we  omit  the  same,  and  give 
only  the  average  value  of  assayed  coins  at  34|  cents. 

5.  In  1856,  the  coinage  of  the  old  Bolivar  Half  Peso  was 


BOLIVIA.  531 

again  resumed,  and  although  Lenares,  Cordova  and  De  Acha 
have  struck  coins  similar  to  the  above  described  No,  4,  we  rauat 
omit  them,  for  they  were,  after  all,  mere  tokens  or^edals  having 
a  fictitious  value  and  forced  circulation.  The  Half  Peso  of 
1856,  and  after,  bear  again  the  well-known  head  of  Bolivar; 
and  the  Reverse,  the  tree.  Llamas  and  nine  stars.  Exergue: 
changing  the  date  of  issue  and  the  Mint-master's  initials. 
Weight:  208.012  grains.  Fineness:  666.  Value:  $0.39.0382. 
6.  The  Quarter  Peso  of  two  Reales  de  Plata,  but  in  reality, 
Billon.  Obverse :  Laureated  bust  of  Bolivar,  facing  to  the  right. 
Legend :  "  libre  por  la  constitucion." 


QUARTER  PESO  OF  TWO  REALES. 

Reverse:  Same  as  Peso  No.  1,  only  in  proportion  to  size. 

Weight:  103.983  grains.  Fineness:  666.  Value  forcefl, 
two  Reals  of  twenty-five  Centesimos.  Intrinsic  value:  $0.19- 
.6166. 

7.  The  Eighth  of  a  Peso,  or  One  Real.  Obverse :  Bust  of 
Bolivar,  in  military  uniform,  facing  to  the  right  I-egend; 
"  LIBRE  POR  LA  CONSTITUCION." 


ONE-EIGHTH   OF  A  PESO  OR  ONE  REAL. 


Reverse:  Same  as  Peso  No.  1,  only  in  proportion  to  siee. 
Weight:  51.991  grains.  Fineness:  666.  Value  forced,  one 
Real  or  12i  Centesimos.     Intrinsic  value:  $0.09.7583. 


532 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


8.  One-sixteenth  of  a  Peso.  Obverse  and  Reverse:  Same  as 
the  Peso  No.  1,  only  in  proportion  to  size.  Weight:  25.463 
grains.  Fineness:  666.  Forced  value,  6 J  Centesimos.  In- 
trinsic value :  $0.04.8156. 


BRAZIL. 


IMPERIAL   MINT  AT  RIO  JANEIRO. 

Brazil  was  discovered  by  Alvarez  de  Cabral,  a  Portuguese, 
who  was  driven  upon  its  coast  by  a  tem|)est  in  1500.  He  called 
it  the  Land  of  the  Holy  Cross;  but  it  was  sulxsequently  named 
Brazil  on  account  of  its  red  wood.  From  1500  to  1821  it  was 
a  province  of  Portugal,  and  its  coins  those  of  Portugal.  In 
1807  the  French,  under  Napoleon  I.,  having  seized  Portugal, 
the  royal  family  and  most  of  the  nobles  fled  to  Brazil.  All  the 
Portuguese  coins  from  1807  to  1821  were  coined  in  Brazil. 


BRAZIL.  533 

In  1821  King  Joannes  VI.,  of  Portugal,  returned  to  Lisbon, 
leaving  his  son  Dom  Pedro  as  regent.  At  the  breaking  out  of 
the  revolution  in  1822  Dom  Pedro  threw  himself  into  the  ranks 
(if  the  "Independent  Party,"  and  was  soon  proclaimed  Emperor 
of  Brazil,  taking  the  title  of  Petrus  I.,  by  the  Grace  of  God  Con- 
stitutional Emperor  and  jierpetual  Defender  of  Brazil. 

In  1831  Dom  Pedro  abdicated  in  favor  of  his  son  Dora 
Pedro,  then  in  his  sixth  year,  who  ascended  the  throne  as  Dora 
Pedro  II.,  but  was  not  crowned  till  1841,  when  he  became  of 

The  Rei  is  an  imaginary  unit,  simply  money  of  account;  no 
coin  of  so  small  a  denomination  is  coined.  20  Reis  make  1 
Vintem ;  80  Reis  =  1  Tostao  or  Testoon ;  320  Reis  =  1  Pa- 
taca ;  400  Reis  =  1  Crusado ;  480  Reis  =  1  Sello  or  Nono 
Crusado;  1000  Reis  =  1  Milreis,  and  written  1  1|  000;  thcbe 
parallel  lines  are  one  of  several  different  symbols  to  indicate  the 
place  of  thousands ;  1000  Milreis  =  1  Conto  de  Reis,  and  written 
1  :  000  ]|  000,  tlie  colon  indicating  the  place  of  millions;  1000 
Contos  =  1  Conto  de  Conto,  and  written  1.000  :  000  ||  000.  the 
full  point  taking  the  place  of  thousands  of  millions.  For  ex- 
ample: 75,562,374,982  Reis  are  written  in  accounts  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner :  75.562  :  374  \l  982  Reis.  Gold  is  now  the  legal 
tender  as  payment  in  all  amounts.  Silver  is  subsidiary,  and  is 
not  required  to  be  received  in  payment  for  any  greater  amount 
than  10  II  000  Reis,  equal  to  $5.45. 

Besides  the  usual  gold  coins  of  the  Empire,  gold  bars  of  ,'5 
fine,  stamped  with  the  imperial  arms,  are  taken  in  payment  on 
home  accounts.  They  are  the  product  of  the  gold  dust  found 
in  the  beds  of  various  streams.  This  gold  dust,  when  found,  is 
a  common  right,  but  when  taken  out,  is  by  law  bound  to  he 
carried  to  the  imperial  smelting  houses  {Cazas  de  Ftmdicns)  es- 
tablished in  various  districts,  where,  one-fifth  of  it  being  retained, 
in  natura,  for  the  Imperial  Quinfo,  a  bar  is  made  of  the  re- 
mainder, which  is  weighed,  assayed,  numbered,  stamped  and  re- 
turned to  the  owner,  accompanied  by  a  certificate,  signed  by  the 
proper  officers,  showing  the  value  at  \l  fine.     These  bars  serve 


534  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

its  a  circulating  medium,  but  it  is  prohibited  to  export  them. 
They  are  ultimately  carried  to  the  Imperial  Mint  at  Rio  Janeiro, 
where  they  are  received  at  their  nominal  value,  and  paid  for  in 
gold  coin  valued  6|  per  cent,  above  their  nominal  value  of  pure 
gold,  the  Emperor  thus  retaining  the  difference  as  Seignorage. 

The  Mint  at  Rio  Janeiro  was  erected  by  the  present  Emperor, 
Dom  Pedro  II.,  aud  is  a  most  substantial  as  well  as  ornamental 
building. 

Prior  to  the  reign  of  Dora  Pedro  II.  the  export  of  gold  was 
prohibited;  at  the  present  time  it  has  been  so  modified  that  gold 
belonging  to  the  English  mines  can  be  exported  by  paying  an 
export  duty,  which  varies  frequently. 

PORTUGUESE-BRAZILIAN  GOLD  COIN. 
1.  Moeda  D'Ouro  of  4  ||  000  Reis,  coined  by  Joannes  VI. 
during  his  temporary  sojourn  in  Brazil.  Obverse:  A  crowned 
shield  with  the  arms  of  Portugal.  Legend:  " Joannes  D.  G. 
PORT.  ET  ALG.  P.  REGENS."  {Joannes  Dei  Gratiae  Portugal  Et 
AJgarviarum  Pro  Regejis;  meaning:  Joannes  by  the  grace  of  God 
as  Regent  of  Portugal  and  Algarvae.)  In  1797,  the  Queen, 
Maria  I.,  became  mentally  deranged;  her  son,  Joannes  Maria, 
began  to  administer  the  government  as  regent  of  Portugal,  Al- 
garvae and  Brazil.     In  1804,  the  name  of  the  Queen,  Maria, 


MOEDA   d'oURO  OF   4  ||  000   REIS,    1816. 


was  removed  from  the  coins,  and  that  of  the  Regent  substituted. 
In  1816,  when  in  Brazil,  he  became  King  Joannes  VI.  The 
above  coin  was  struck  in  1816,  prior  to  his  majority,  and  within 
a  few  months  of  his  being  declared  King.  Left  of  the  shield, 
lengthwise,  "  4000,"  to  the  right,  three  rosettes. 


BRAZIL.  535 

Reverse :  A  cross  potent,  surrounded  by  four  connected  senji- 
circles,  between  each  semi-circle  a  rosette,  and  a  complete  circle 
around  the  whole.  Legend:  "et  braziliae  dominus  anno, 
1816,"  between  two  rosettes.  {And  Lord  of  Brazil,  year  1816.) 
This  coin,  notwithstanding  being  marked  4  ||  000  Reis,  was,  by 
order  of  a  decree  issued  in  1747,  current  in  Brazil  at  4  ||  400 
Reis,  or  one-tenth  more  than  current  in  Portugal ;  by  the  same 
arbitrary  measure  it  was  afterwards  increased  to  9  ||  000  Reis, 
retaining  the  nominal  4  ||  000  Reis  upon  its  Obverse;  and  al- 
though afterwards  current  for  9  ||  000  Reis,  the  weight  and  fine- 
ness of  the  coin  remained  unchanged,  retaining  the  old  standard 
in  intrinsic  value  of  the  ancient  4  I|  000  Portuguese  Reis.  The 
Milreis  of  Portugal  has  varied  from  $1.04.50  to  $1.08.72,  while 
the  Milreis  of  Brazil  in  1816  was  only  worth  $0.97.848.  It  has 
since  been  reduced  in  value  to  $0.54.5.  The  weight  of  the 
MoedaD'Ouro  is  124.400  grains.  Fineness:  916.667.  Value: 
$4.90.9588. 

2.  Moeda  D'Ouro  of  4  Ij  000  Reis,  with  a  forced  circulation 
at  4  II  400  Reis  at  first;  but  soon  afterward  increased  to  9  |I  000 
Reis.  Obverse :  A  belted  globe,  with  arms  of  Portugal  upon 
it,  surrounded  by  a  crown,  around  it  laurel  branches.  Exergue: 
"4000." 


MOEDA    d'oURO   OF   4  ||  000    REIS   OF    1821 


Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight :  124.400  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $4.90.9588. 

Prior  to  the  reign  of  Dom  Pedro  I.,  1822,  there  circulatetl 
in  Brazil :  The  Dobra,  a  gold  coin  of  12  jj  800  Reis  of  Portugal. 
Value:  $17.47.  The  Meia  Dobra,  or  Joannes,  the  famous. 
Half  Joe  of  6  |1400  Reis  of  Portugal.     Value:  $8.73.     It  is 


636 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


this  gold  coin  which  had  an  extensive  circulation  in  the  Amer^ 
ican  Colonies,  now  the  United  States,  and  when  our  frugal  an- 
cestors wished  to  criticise  the  high  price  of  an  article  of  food, 
they  said  that  to  eat  it  was  "  like  swallowing  half-joes." 

PORTUGUESE-BRAZILIAN  SILVER  COINS. 
1.  The  Three  Patacas,  or  Double  Sello,  or  Nouo  Crusado 
Piece  of  1816,  of  Joannes  as  Regent.  Obverse:  Crowned 
shield,  with  the  arms  of  Portugal ;  above  the  shield  and  left 
of  the  surmounting  crown  "18,"  and  to  the  right  "16."  To 
the  left  of  the  shield,  lengthwise,  "960;"  to  the  right  three 
rosettes,  one  above  the  other.     Legend :  "  Joannes  d.  g.  port. 

p.  REGENS.  ET.  BRAS.  D." 


THREE  PATACAS,  OR  DOUBLE  SELLO,  OR  NOUO  CRUSADO,  OF 

1816. 

Reverse:  A  cross  potent,  upon  which  is  a  globe  encircled  by 
a  belt,  and  upon  the  globe  the  coat  of  arms  of  Portugal.  Le- 
gend: "SUBQ.  SIGN.  NATA.  STAB."  {Subquo  Signo  Ncda 
Stabili;  meaning:  Born  under  a  steady  sign.)  Although  of 
960  Reis,  Portuguese  value,  it  passed  current  in  Brazil  at 
111056  Reis.  Weight:  413  grains.  Fineness :  900.  Value: 
$1.01.3300. 

2.  The  Three  Patacas,  or  Double  Sello,  or  Nouo  Crusado  of 
King  Joannes  VI.  Obverse :  A  crown,  beneath  which  is  in- 
8cribe<l  "960,"  "1821,"  and  "r."  (the  Mint-mark  of  Rio  de 
Janeiro)  in  three  lines,  between  branches  of  olives  crossed  at 


BRAZIL. 


537 


the  end  and  tied.     Legend:  " Joannes  vi.  d.  g.  port  bras 
ET.  ALG.  REX."     [Joannes  VL,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  King  0/ 


Portugal,  Brazil,  and  the  Algarves.) 


THREE   PATACAS,  OR   DOUBLE  SELLO,   OR   NOUO  ORUSADO,   OP 

1821. 

Reverse:  A  cross  potent  upon  which  a  globe  encircled  by  a 
belt.  Legend:  "nata.  stab.  subq.  sign."  Weight:  413 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.01.3300. 


TWO  PATACAS  OP   1808. 

The  Two  Patacas  Piece  of  1808.  Obverse:  Same  as  the 
Three  Patacas  No.  1,  with  exception  of  the  date  above  the 
shield,  and  "640"  instead  of  "960  "  lengthwise. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  275  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  ^0.67.6868. 

4.  The  Four  Vintems  Piece  of  1808.  Obverse  and  Reverse 
same  as  No.  3,  with  the  exception  of  the  figures  "  80,"  which 


538  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPyEDIA. 

are  substituted  for  "640."     Weight:  46  grains.     Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $0.11.2811. 

PORTUGUESE-BRAZILIAN  COPPER  COINS. 

1.  The  Testoon  or  Piece  of  80  Reis.  Obverse :  "  Lxxx," 
between  each  letter  a  rosette,  surmounted  by  a  large  crown, 
beneath  "  1820,"  and  still  lower  "  B."  (meaning:  having  been 
coined  in  Brazil ;)  the  whole  is  surrounded  by  a  circle  of  dots. 
Legend:  " Joannes  vi.,  d.  g.  port.  et.  bras.  et.  alo.  rex." 
{Joannes  VI.,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  King  of  Portugal,  and 
Brazil,  and  Algarvae.)  Reverse :  The  arms  of  Portugal  upon 
a  globe,  enclosed  in  a  tressure  of  arches.  Legend  :  "  pecunia 
TOTUM  CIRCU3IIT.  ORBEM."     Nominal  value:  ^0.08.640. 

2.  The  Half  Testoon  of  40  Reis.  Obverse:  «  xl.,"  ro- 
settes between  each*  letter;  the  rest  same  as  Testoon  No.  l,only 
in  proportion  to  size.     Nominal  value  :  $0.04.320. 

3.  The  Vintem  of  20  Reis.  Obverse :  "  xx,"  rosettes  be- 
tween each  letter;  the  rest  same  as  Testoon  No.  1,  only  in  pro- 
portion to  size.     Nominal  value  :  $0.02.160. 

4.  The  Half  Vintem  of  10  Reis.  Obverse:  "x,"  between 
two  rosettes;  the  rest  same  as  Testoon  No.  1,  only  in  propor- 
tion to  size.     Nominal  value:  $0.01.080. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  BRAZIL. 

The  two  following  gold  coins  of  Brazil  were  issued  prior  to 
the  decree  of  October,  1833.  They  bear  upon  the  Reverse,  on 
the  Exergue:  "6400  "and  "4000"  respectively.  By  decree, 
October,  1833,  the  government  of  Brazil  raised  the  first  coin 
from  "6400"  to  16  ||000  Reis,  without  increase  in  the  precious 
metal,  and  the  second  from  "4000"  to  lOyOOO  Reis  of  the 
new  Brazilian  currency. 

1.  Moeda  D'Ouroof  4  ||  000  Reis  of  Dom  Pedro  I.,  of  1824, 
afterwards  increased  nominally  to  9  j|  000  Reis.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Dom  Pedro  I.,  in  military  uniform,  facing  to  the  left. 
Legend  :  "  petrus  i.,  d.  g.  const,  imp.  et.  perp.  bras,  def." 
[Pelrus  L,  Dei  GrctiiaCf  Constitutional  Imperator  Et  Perpetual 


BRAZIL.  539 

BrazUkd  Defensor;  meaning :  Petnis  /.,  by  the  Grace  of  God, 
Constitutional  Emperor  and  Perpetual  Defender  of  Brazil ).  Ex- 
ergue  :  "  1824,"  "  r."  (Mint-mark  of  Rio  Janeiro).  Reverse : 
A  crowned  shield  bearing  the  arms  of  Brazil ;  surrounded  by 
hranch&s  of  tobacco  leaves,  coffee  leaves  and  berries.  Legend  : 
"in  hoc  signo  vinces."  Exergue:  "4000."  Weight: 
123.905  grains.     Fineness:  916.667.     Value:  $4.88.6777. 

2.  Half  Dobra  of  6  H  400  Reis  of  Dom  Pedro  II.,  afterward 
nominally  increased  to  16  1|  000  Reis.  01)verse  :  Head  of  Dom 
Pedro,  when  seven  years  old,  facing  to  the  right.     Legend  : 

"  PETRUS  II.,  d:  G.,  const.  IMP.  ET.  PERP.  BRAS.  DEF."    ExergUe  : 

"1822."  Reverse:  A  crowned  shield,  with  the  arms  of 
Brazil  upon  it,  surrounded  by  branches  of  tobacco  and  laurel 
leaves.  Legend :  "  in  hoc  signo  vinces."  Exergue : 
"6400."  Weight:  221.346  grains.  Fineness:  916.667. 
Value:  $8.73.4349. 

3.  The  Twenty  Mi  I  reis  of  Dom  Pedro  II.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Dora   Pedro  II.,  full  beard,  facing  to  the  left.     Legend  : 

"  PETRUS  II.,  D.  G.,  C.  IMP.  ET.  PERP.    BRAS.  DEF."      ExCfgue  : 

The  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Reverse :  A  crowned  shield, 
with  the  coat  of  arms  of  Brazil  upon  it,  surrounded  by  branches 
of  tobacco  leaves,  coffee  leaves  and  berries,  crossed  at  the  ends 
and  tied  in  a  bow  with  a  ribbon.  Weight:  276.701  grains. 
Fineness:  916.667.     Value:  $10.92.4274. 

4.  The  10  Milreis  of  Dom  Pedro  II.  Obverse  and  Reverse 
same  as  the  20  Milreis,  No.  3,  only  smaller  in  proportion  to 
size.  Weight:  138.350  grains.  Fineness:  916.667.  Value: 
$5.46.2137. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  BRAZIL. 

The  first  two  coins,  the  Three  Patacas  and  the  Two  Patacas 
Pieces,  bear  upon  the  Reverse  the  denominations  of  960  and 
640  Reis  respectively,  and  passed  current  for  that  amount  up 
to  October,  1833,  when,  by  an  imperial  decree  of  Dom  Pedro 
II.,  they  were  raise<l  from  960  to  1  ||  920  Reis  and  the  640  Reis 
to  1 II  280  Reis,  and  have  passed  current  ever  since  at  the  in- 
creased rate. 


640 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


1 .  The  Three  Patacas  of  960  Rcis  of  Dom  Pedro  I. ;  increased 
afterward  by  Dom  Pedro  II.,  to  1  ||  920  Reis.  Obverse: 
Crowned  shield  with  coat  of  arms  of  Brazil  upon  it,  surrounded 
by  branches  of  tobacco  leaves,  coffee  leaves  and  berries,  crossed 
at   the  ends  and  tied   with   a    ribbon   in   a  bow.       Legend: 

"  IN  HOC  SIGNO  VINCES." 


THE   TiiKEE   PATACAS   OF   DOM   PEDRO   I. 

Reverse:  "960"  in  the  middle  of  the  field  encircled  by  a 
wreath.  Legend :  "  petrus  i.,  d.  g.  const,  imp.  et.  perp. 
BRAS.  DBF."  Exergue:  "1826,"  "r"  (Mint-mark  of  Rio 
Janeiro.)  Weight :  413.9865  grains.  Fineness:  905.  Value: 
$1.05.9476. 

2.  The  two  Patacas  of  640  Reis  of  Dom  Petlro  I.;  increased 
afterwards  by  Dom  Pedro  II.,  to  1  ||  280  Reis.  Obverse:  Same 
as  upon  the  coin  No.  1.  Reverse:  "640"  in  the  middle  of 
the  field,  the  rest  same  as  upon  No.  1.  Weight:  275.991 
grains.     Fineness  :  905.     Value  :  $0.70.7064. 

In  1833,  by  decree  of  the  Emperor,  Dom  Pedro  II.,  a  new 
coinage  was  ordered.  The  legal  fineness  of  916.667,  claimed 
for  the  coins  previous  to  1833,  was  reduced  to  891  fine. 

3.  The  1  II  200  Reis  of  Dom  Pedro  11. ;  coined  from  1834  to 
1850.  Obverse :  Crowned  shield  with  the  coat  of  arms  of 
Brazil.     Legend  :  "  IN  HOC  s.  ViNCES." 

Reverse:  "1200"  in  the  middle  of  the  field  surrounded  by 
a  heavy  wreath.  Legend:  "petrus  ii.  d.  g,  const,  imp. 
ET.    PERP.    BRAS.    DEF."       Exergue :     Date    of    the    year 


BRAZIL.  541 

of   issue.   Weight:    414   grains.      Fineness:    891.      Value- 
$1.00.4267. 


1  II  200  REIS  OP  DOM  PEDRO,  1834-1850. 

4.  The  800  Reisof  Dom  Pedro  II.;  coinage  of  1834-1850. 
Obverse :  Same  as  No.  3.  Reverse :  "  800  "  in  the  middle  of 
the  field,  surrounded  by  a  heavy  wreath.  Legend  and  Ex- 
ergue: Same  as  No.  3.  Weight:  276  grains.  Fineness:  891. 
Value:  $0.66.9847. 

5.  The  400  Reis  of  1834-1850.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  3. 
Reverse:  "400,"  rest  same  as  No.  2.  Weight:  138  grains. 
Fineness:  891.     Value:  $0.33.4923. 

6.  The  200  Reis  of  1834-1850.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  3. 
Reverse:  "200,"  rest  same  as  No.  3.  Weight:  69  grains. 
Fineness:  891.     Value:  $0.16.4044. 

7.  The  100  Reis  of  1834-1850.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  3. 
Reverse :  "  100,"  rest  same  as  No.  3.  Weight :  39.500  grains. 
Fineness:  891.     Value:  $0.08.2022. 

In  1850,  by  decree  of  the  Em])eror  Dom  Pedro,  the  coinage 
was  changed  again,  the  intrinsic  value  of  the  Milreis  was  reduced 
to  the  present  standard,  $0.54.5,  and  a  new  coinage  ordt  red,  to 
correspond.  The  fineness  of  891  w-as  restored  to  916.667,  and 
coins  were  made  of  2000,  1000  and  500  Reis.  The  device  was 
only  changed  on  the  Obverse,  by  introducing  a  fancy  dash  above 
and  below  the  figures  in  the  middle  of  the  field. 

8.  The  2000  Reis  since  1850.     Obverse:   Crowned  shield 


M2 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


with  the  coat  of  arms  of  Brazil  upon  it.     Legend :  "  in  HOC 

8IGNO  VINCES." 


2000  REIS  OP  DOM   PEDRO  II.,  SINCE   1850. 


Reverse:  "2000"  in  the  middle  of  the  field;  above  and  be- 
low, a  fancy  — o —  dash.  Legend:  "petrus  ii.  d.  g.  imp.  et. 
PERP.  BRAS.  DEF."  Exergue:  Date  of  year  of  issue.  Weight: 
393.624  grains.  Fineness:  916.667.  Value,  nominal,  in 
Brazil,  $1.09.     Intrinsic  value:  $1.02.9058. 


1000   REIS   OP  DOM   PEDRO,   SINCE   1850. 

9.  The  1000  Reis,  since  1850.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  8. 
Reverse:  "1000"  in  the  middle  of  the  field,  the  rest  same  as 
No.  8.  Weight:  196.762  grains.  Fineness:  916.667.  Value 
nominal,  in  Brazil :  $0.54.500.     Intrinsic  value:  $0.51.4529. 

10.  The  500  Reis,  since  1850.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  8. 
Reveree :  "  500  "  in  the  middle  of  the  field,  rest  same  as  No.  8. 
Weight:  98.381.  Fineness:  916.667.  Value  nominal,  in 
Brazil:  $0.27.250.     Intrinsic  value :  $0.25.7264. 

1 1 .  The  200  Reis  since  1 850.     Obverse :  Head  of  Dom  Pedro 


BRAZIL.  543 

II.  Legend:  "petrus  ii.  d.  g.  c.  imp.  et.  perp.  bras,  def." 
Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Reverse :  Crowned  shield 
bearing  arras  of  Brazil,  surrounded  by  branches  of  the  coffee 
and  tobacco  plant.  No  Legend.  Exergue:  "200  reis." 
Weight:  39.352  grains.  Fineness:  916.667.  Value:  $0.10- 
.900. 

COPPER  COINAGE  OF  DOM  PEDRO  L,  OF 
BRAZIL. 

1.  The  80  Reis  of  Dom  Pedro  I.  Obverse:  Crowned  shield, 
with  the  coat  of  arms  of  Brazil  upon  it,  surrounded  by  a  branch 
of  the  tobacco  and  coffee  plant.  Legend:  "in  hoc  signo 
VINCES."  Reverse :  "  80  "  in  the  middle  of  the  field,  surrounded 
by  eight  rosettes,  the  whole  encircled  by  a  laurel  wreath.  Le- 
gend :  "  PETRUS  I.  D.  G.  CONST.  IMP.  ET.  PERP.  BRAS.  DEF." 
Exergue:  The  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  from  1822  to  1831. 
Value,  about  9J  cents,  nominally. 

2.  The  40  Reis  of  Dom  Pedro  I.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  1. 
Reverse:  "40"  in  the  middle  of  the  field.  Value,  about  4^ 
cents,  nominally. 

3.  The  20  Reis  of  Dom  Pedro  I.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  1. 
Reverse  :  "  20"  in  the  middle  of  the  field,  rest  same  as  No.  1. 
Value,  about  2  cents,  nominally. 

COPPER  COINAGE  OF  DOM  PEDRO  II.,  OF 
BRAZIL. 

1.  The  40  Reis  of  Dom  Pedro  of  1865-1869.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Dom  Pedro  IT.,  facing  to  the  right.  Legend :  "  pe- 
TRUS  II.  D.  G.  c.  IMP.  ET.  PERP.  BRAS.  DEF."  Exerguo :  Date 
of  the  year  of  issue.  Reverse:  Crowned  shield  with  the  coat  of 
arms  of  Brazil  upon  it,  surrounded  by  branches  of  the  tobacco 
and  coffee  plant;  at  the  left  of  the  shield,  "40,"  and  to  the  right, 
"es."     Value,  entirely  nominal,  at  2 J  cents. 

2.  The  20  Reis  of  Dom  Pedro  of  1865-1869.  Obverse: 
Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse :  "20"  at  the  left  of  shield,  rest  same 
as  No.  1.     Value,  entirely  nominal,  at  1  ,'g  cents. 


644 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


NICKEL  COINAGE  OF  BRAZIL. 

By  an  imperial  decree  of  September  30th,  1870,  the  nickel 
coinage  was  adopted. 

1.  The  200  Reis.  Obvei-se:  Crowned  shield  with  the  coat 
of  arms  of  Brazil.  Legend :  "  imperio  do  brazil."  Exergue : 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 


200  REIS  IN  NICKEL,  OP  DOM   PEDRO  H. 


Reverse :  "  200  rets,"  in  two  lines,  surrounded  by  a  double 
circle.  Legend:  "decreto  no.  1817.  de  3  de  setembrO  de 
1870"  {Decree,  No.  1817,  of  the  third  of  September,  1870). 
Weight:  150  grains.  Composition:  75  parts  copper  and  25 
parts  nickel.     Value,  nominally,  $0.10.900. 

2.  The  100  Reis.     Obverse:  Same  as  No.  1. 


100  REIS   IX   NICKEL,   OP   DOM   PEDRO    II. 

Reverse:  "100,"  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  75  grains. 
Composition,  same  as  No.  1.  Value  entirely  nominal,  at 
$0.05.450. 

3.  The  50  Reis.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse: 
"50,"  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  37.50  grains.  Composi- 
tion, same  as  No.  1.     Value  entirely  nominal,  at  $0.02.775. 


CENTRAL  AMERICA.  646 

CENTRAL  AMERICA. 

Central  America  at  the  present  day  consists  of  Costa  Rica, 
Guatemala,  Honduras,  Nicaragua,  and  San  Salvador.  Prior 
to  1821,  these  republics  were  dependencies  of  Spain.  During 
1822  and  part  of  1823  they  were  annexed  to  Mexico;  but 
since  1824  have  been  independent,  having  a  government  of 
their  own,  and  are  known  as  the  Republics  of  Central 
America. 

Their  coinage  is  faulty  and  very  irregular,  their  silver  coins 
especially  very  crude,  almost  as  rough  as  the  "Cob  Money"  of 
Mexico. 

The  mints  of  Central  America  are  located  in  Costa  Rica, 
Mint-mark  "c.  B.,"  and  in  New  Guatemala,  Mint-mark 
"N.G." 

GOLD  COINS  OF  CENTRAL  AMERICA. 
Coinage  from  1824  to  1850. 
1.  Doblon,  or  Onza  {Doubloon),  of  "8  Escudos."     Obverse: 
A  tree ;  and  the  denomination  "  8  "  at  the  left  of  the  trunk, 


DOBLON  OR  ONZA  (doubloon)  OF  1824-1850. 


and  "e."  at  the  right  (meaning:  8  Eseudos  or  16  Dollars;) 
enclosed  by  a  circular,  raised  line.  Legend:  "libre  cresca 
FECIJNDO,"  {In  freedom  may  it  be  fruitful.)  Exergue:  "c.  R." 
(Mint-mark  of  Costa  Rica;)  "  F.,"  the  Mint-master's  initial, 
and  "21  q',"  (21  Quilates ;  meaning:  Equal  to  21  Carats; 
2H 


M6  DYFS  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA: 

when  in  reality,  upon  assays  at  different  mints  in  the  United 
States  and  Europe,  these  coins  have  been  found  only  833  fine, 
equal  to  20  Carats. 

Reverse :  Five  mountains,  sun  fully  risen  above.  (The  de- 
vice of  the  reverse  of  the  gold  coins  differs  from  that  of  the 
silver  pieces.  On  the  gold  coins  the  sun  has  fully  risen  above 
the  mountains;  on  the  silver  pieces  it  is  just  rising,  at  the  left 
hand  of  the  first  mountain,  as  will  be  seen  illustrated  among 
the  silver  coinage  of  Central  America  on  page  551.)     Legend  : 

"  REPUBLICA    DEL  CENTRO  DE  AMERICA."      Excrgue  :    Date  of 

the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  416.673  grains.  Fineness  (as  in- 
dicated by  "21  Q*"  21  Quilates,  or  Carats,  upon  the  coin:) 
875,  while  in  reality  it  is  only  833.  Value:  $14.90.3656,  in- 
stead of  16  Dollars,  as  indicated  by  "8  e"  (8  Escudos;  mean- 
ing :  16  Dollars),  upon  the  Obverse  of  the  coin.  (See  cut.  Re- 
verse Quarter  Doblon,  No.  3.) 

2.  Half  Doblon,  or  Half  Onza,  of  "4  Escudos."  Obverse: 
A  tree ;  at  the  left  "  4,"  at  the  right  "  E."  Legend  :  "  libre 
cresca  fecundo."  Exergue:  "c.  r."  (Costa  Rica  Mint- 
mark  ;)  "  E.,"  or  some  other  Mint-master's  initial,  "  21  Q* " 
(21  Quilates,  or  Carats),  which,  upon  assay,  has  been  found  to 
be  correct. 


HAI^  DOBLON  OR  HALF  ONZA  OF   1824-1850. 

Reverse:  Five  mountains,  sun  fully  risen  above  them,  enclosed 
in  a  circular,  raised  line.  Legend  :  "  republtca  del  centro 
AMERICA."  Exergue :  Date  of  year  of  issue.  Weight:  206.021 
grains,  instead  of  208.3366  grains,  as  might  be  inferred,  or 
that  of  the  full  half  ounce  {"Half  Onza,")  implied  by  the 
name   of   this  coin.     Fineness:    875.      Value:    $7.76.6022. 


CENTRAL  AMERICA.  $47 

The  deficiency  in  weight  reduces  this  Half  Doubloon  to  the 
above  value,  instead  of  8  Dollars,  as  indicated  by  "4  b"  (4 
Escudos;  meaning:  8  Dollars),  upon  the  Obverse.  (See  cut, 
Reverse  of  Quarter  Doblon,  No.  3.) 

•  3.  Quarter  Doblon,  or  Quarter  Onza,  of  "  2  Escudos."  Ob- 
verse :  A  tree;  at  the  left  "  2,"  at  the  right  "e."  Rest  same 
as  No.  2. 


QUARTEU   DOBLON,  OR  QUARTER   ONZA,  1824-1850. 

Reverse :  Five  mountains,  sun  fully  risen  above  them,  ^Kk^ 
closed  in  a  circular,  raised  line.  Legend :  "  republica  del 
CENTRO  DE  AMERICA."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  97  grains,  instead  of  104.125  grains,  or  that  of  the 
quarter  ounce  (^'Quai'ter  Onza,")  implied  by  the  name  of  the 
coin.  Fineness:  865  instead  of  875,  as  indicated  by  "21  Q*" 
(21  Quilates  or  Carats),  upon  the  Obverse.  Value :  S3.6 1 .4388, 
instead  of  4  Dollars,  as  indicated  by  "2  e"  (2  Escudos),  upon 
the  Obverse. 

4.  Eighth  Doblon,  or  Eighth  Onza,  of  "  1  Escudo."  Ob- 
verse: A  tree;  at  the  left  "  1,"  at  the  right  "e."  Rest  sam« 
as  No.  2. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  3.  Weight:  48  grains,  instead  of 
52.625  grains,  or  that  of  the  eighth  of  an  ounce  ("  Eighth 
Onza,,")  implied  by  the  name  of  the  coin.  Fineness  :  809,  in- 
stead of  875,  as  indicated  by  "21  q""  (21  Quilates  or  Carats), 
upon  the  obverse.  Value :  $1.67.2856,  instead  of  2  DoUar6  as 
indicated  by  "1  E  "  (1  Esciido),  upon  the  Obverse. 

5.  The  Sixteenth  Doblon  or  Sixteenth  Onza  of  "^  Escudo." 
Obverse:  A  tree;  at  the  left  "|,"  at  the  right  «E."  Rest 
same  as  No.  2. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  2.     Weight:  24  grains,  instead  of 


548  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

26.3125  grains,  or  that  of  the  sixteenth  of  an  ounce  {"Sixteenth 
Onza"),  implied  by  the  name  of  the  coin.     Fineness:  809, 


THE  SIXTEENTH  DOBLON  OR  SIXTEENTH  ONZA. 

instead  of  875,  as  indicated  by  "21  q^"  (21  Quilates,  or  Carats), 
upon  the  Obverse.  Value :  $0.83.6428,  instead  of  1  Dollar, 
as  indicated  by  "  J  e"  (|  Escudo),  upon  the  Obverse. 

GOLD  COINAGE  FROM  1850  TO   1865. 

6.  Half  Doblon,  or  Half  Onza,  of  Costa  Rica,  of  "4  Escu- 
dos."     Obverse:  Indian,  full  length,  leaning  upon  a  pedestal, 


HALF   ONZA,   OR    HALF   DOBLON. 

upon  which  is  inscribed  "is  de  set.  de  1821"  (meaning:  In 
memory  of  the  21st  day  of  September,  1821.  The  day  of  inde- 
pendence from  Spanish  rule.)  Legend :  "  America  cen- 
tral." Exergue:  "21  q""  (21  Quilates  or  Carats),  "|  oz." 
{Half  ounce  or  Half  Doubloon),  and  "  J.  B.,"  the  Mint-master's 
initials. 

.  Reverse:  Coat  of  arms  of  Costa  Rica,  in  a  shield,  represent- 
ing three  mountains,  sun  just  rising,  and  five  stars  above  in  a 
straight  line.  Legend:  "republica  de  Costarica."  Ex- 
ergue: Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  194  grains, 
instead  of  the  proper  208.250  grains,  or  that  of  the  full  half 
QWac^.{" Half  Onaa"),  implied  by  the  name  of  this  coin.     Fine- 


CENTRAL  AMERICA.  549 

ness  :  845,  instead  of  875,  as  implied  by  "21  q'"  (21  Quilatee 
or  Carats),  upon  the  Obverse.  Value :  $7.05.6425,  instead  of 
8  Dollars,  as  implied  by  "i  oz."  or  (4  Escudos),  upon  the  Ob- 
verse.    (See  cut,  Reverse  Quarter  Doblon,  No.  7.) 

7.  Quarter  Doblon,  or  Quarter  Onza  of  "2  Escudos." 
Obverse:  Same  as  No.  6,  except  Exergue,  "2  e"  instead  of 
i  oz. 


QUARTER  ONZA,    OR   QUARTER  DOBLON. 

Reverse :  Same  as  No.  6.  Weight :  97  grains,  instead  of 
the  proper  104.125  grains,  or  that  of  the  full  quarter  of  kn 
ounce  {"Quarter  Onza"),  implied  by  the  name  of  this  coin. 
Fineness:  845,  instead  of  875,  as  implied  by  "21  q'"  (21 
Quilates  or  Carats),  upon  the  Obverse.  Value:  $3.52.8712, 
instead  of  4  Dollars,  as  implied  by  "  2  E."  (2  Escudos),  upon 
the  Obverse. 

8.  Eighth  Doblon  or  Eighth  Onza  of  "1  Escudo"  of  the 
new  coinage.  Obverse :  Same  as  No.  6  ;  except  Exergue  :  **■! 
E."  instead  of  |  oz.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  6.  Weight: 
48.5  grains,  instead  of  the  proper  52.625  grains,  or  that  of  the 
full  eighth  of  an  ounce  {"Eighth  Onza"),  implied  by  the  name 
of  this  coin*  Fineness:  845,  instead  of  875,  as  implied  by 
"21  Q^"  (21  Quilates  or  Carats),  upon  the  Obverse.  Value: 
$1.76.4356;  instead  of  2  Dollars,  as  implied  by  "1  e"  (1 
Escudo),  upon  the  Obverse. 

9.  The  Gold  Peso  since  1860.  Obverse:  Head  of  Rafael 
Carrera,  President,  facing  to  the  right.  Legend  :  "pre  de  la 
BEDE  GUATEMALA."  Reverse:  "1  peso"  (1  Dollar),  and  the 
date  of  the  year  of  issue  in  three  lines;  surrounded  by 
two  palm  branches.  Exergue:  "21  qV  Weight:  24 
grains.     Fineness :    900,  instead  of  875,  as  implied   by  "  21 


560  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

<j*"   (21     Quilates  or  Carats),  upon   the   Obverse.      Value : 
$0.93.2748. 

GOLD  COINAGE  SINCE   1865. 

10.  Doblon  of  1865.  Obverse:  Head  of  Rafael  Carrera 
feeing  right.  Legend  :  "  rafael  carrera  pte  de  ijv.  r  de 
GUATEMALA."  {Rafael  Carrera,  Presidente  de  la  Republioa  de 
Chmtemala ;  meaning :  Rafael  CaiTera,  President  of  the  Re- 
public of  Guatemala.)  Reverse :  A  shield ;  upon  it,  three 
mountains ;  at  the  left  of  shield  "  16;"  right  "p^,"  the  whole  sur- 
rounded by  palm  branches.  Legend:  "guata  ra  s  d 
protne"  {Chwiemala  Republica  Sub  Dominio  Protedione; 
meaning:  Republic  of  Guatemala  under  the  Protection  of  the 
D&minimi).  Exergue:  "1865"  "21  q»"  (21  Quilates  or 
Carats).  AVeight:  417.707  grains.  Fineness:  875.  Value: 
115.73.5016. 

11.  Diez  Pesos  (Ten  Doaars),  of  1870.  Obverse:  A  shield ; 
upon  it  five  mountains,  sun  rising,  laurel  branches  partly  sur- 
rounding the  shield.  Legend  :  "  republica  de  costa  rica." 
Exergue:  "1870."  Reverse:  "diez  pesos"  {Ten  Dollars), 
in  two  lines,  surrounded  by  laurel  branches,  crossed  and  tied 
with  a  ribbon  in  a  bow.  Legend :  "  America  central." 
Pxergue:  "21  Q'"  (21  Quilates,  or  Carats).  Weight: 
260.186.     Fineness:  875.     Value:  $9.75.3272. 

12.  Cinco  Pesos  {Five  Dollars),  of  1873.  Obverse :  Same  as 
No.  11.  Reverse:  "Cinco  Pesos"  {Five  Dollars),  in  two 
lines;  rest  same  a.s  No.  11,  Weight:  130.093.  Fineness: 
875.    Value:  |4.87.6636. 

SILVER  COINAGE  OF  CENTRAL  AMERICA. 

1.  The  Peso  or  Dollar  of  1829  of  8  Reales.  Obverse:  A  tree ; 
at  the  left  of  it,  "8,"  at  the  right  "r"  (8  Reales).  Legend  : 
"  LIBRE  CRESCA  FECUNDO."  Exergue:  "n.  g."  (Mint-mark  of 
New  Guatemala),  "10  DS  20  Gs"  (10  Denaros  20  Granos  or 
902.778  fineness),  but  found  upon  assay  to  be  only  896  fine. 

Reverse:  Five  mountains,  sun  just  rising  from  left,  which 


CENTRAL  AMERICA.  651 

device  is  on  the  reverse  of  all  silver  coins  from  1824  to  1870. 
Legend :  "repubuca  del  ce»tko  db  America."    Exergtw : 


PESO  OR  DOLLAR  OF  8  REALES  1829. 


"1829."      Weight:    415   grains.      Fineness:    896.      Value: 
11.05.1868. 


2  REAL  PIECE  1808.     2  REAL  PIECE  1812.    2  REAL  PIECE  1815. 


2.  Three  2  Real  Pieces  of  Guatemala,  when  under  Spanish 
rule.  They  are  rudely  coined,  and  of  irregular  weight,  fineness 
and  value. 

These  pieces  pass  current  in  Central  America  for  about 
twenty-five  cents. 

3.  The  Two  Real  Piece  of  1831.  Obverse:  A  tree;  at  the 
left  of  it,  "2,"  at  the  right,  "r"  (2  iJeoZs).  Rest,  except  "t. 
F."  (Mint-master's  mark),  same  as  No.  1. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  111.112  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 902.  Value:  $0.28.3879.  The  small  silver  coins  of 
Central  America  prior  to  1850  have  been  of  a  better  standard 
than  the  Peso  or  Dollar.     This  is  an  exception  to  the  general 


652 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


rule  that  the  fractional  coins  of  the  Dollar,  of  various  countries, 
are  of  inferior  fineness.     Four  Two  Real  Pieces  are  worth 


TWO  KEAL  PIECE   1831. 

$1.13.5616,  while   the   Peso  or  Dollar  of  8  Reals  is  worth 
$1.05.1868. 

4.  The  One  Real  Piece  of  1830.  Obverse:  A  tree;  at  the 
left  of  it,  "1,"  at  the  right,  "r"  (1  Real).  Rest  same  as 
No.  1. 


ONE  REAL  PIECE  OF   1830. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  52.469  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $0.13.4332. 

6.  Half  Real  Piece  of  1831.  Obverse:  A  tree;  at  the  left 
of  it,  "I,"  at  the  right,  "r"  (|  Beat).     Rest  same  as  No.  1. 


HALF   REAL  PIECE  OF   1831. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.     Weight:  26.234  grains.     Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $0.06.5899. 

6.  The  Peso  of  Rafael  Carrera.     Obverse :  Head  of  Rafael 


CENTRAL  AMERICA.  663 

Carrera.  Legend :  "rapael  carrera  pte  de  la  ra  Guate- 
mala." Reverse :  A  shield  ;  upon  it,  coat  of  arms  of  Guate- 
mala, the  sun  risen  above,  two  flags  left  and  two  flags  at  the 
right,  saltier  wise,  partly  behind  the  shield;  oak  and  laurel 
branches  crossed  at  the  ends.     A  band  entwines  the  whole, 

upon  it:    "GUATEMALA    REPUBLICA    SUB.  DOM.  PROTECTION E." 

Exergue  :  '^0  Ds  2U  GS  UN  peso,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of 
issue.  Weight:  385.808  grains.  Fineness:  900,  instead  of 
902.778  as  implied  by  "  10  ds  20  gs."     Value:  $0.98.3436. 

7.  The  Two  Real  Piece  of  1873.  Obverse:  A  shield;  upon 
it,  "15  de  Seta,  de  1821"  {Ibih  of  September,  1821),  inscribed 
in  five  lines  one  above  the  other.  Legend:  "repa  de  guate- 
3fALA."  Exergue:  "0.900.1873."  Reverse:  "2  reals"  sur- 
rounded by  palm  branches.  Weight:  104.168  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $0.24.3325. 


rivSO   OF   GUATEMALA,    1872. 

NICKEL  COINS  OF  CENTRAL  AMERICA. 

1.  The  One  Real  Piece  of  1869.  Obverse:  Arms  of  Hon- 
duras, four  flags  to  the  left  and  four  to  the  right,  saltier  wise, 
and  partly  below  the  shield.  Legend:  "republica  de  Hon- 
duras."    Exergue:  "central  America." 

Reverse:  "1  real,  1869"  in  three  lines,  surrounded  by 
laurel  branches,  crossed  and  tied  at  the  ends.  Exergue:  "a" 
(Mint-mark  of  the  Paris  Mint,  France,  where  the  coins  were 
struck).     Weight:  185.184  grains.     Composition:  50  parts  of 


654 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


copper,  30  parts  zinc  and  20  parts  nickel.     Value  entirely  nom- 
inal, 12^  cents. 


ONE  REAL  PIECE  OF   1869. 


2.  Half  Real  Piece  of  1869.     Obverse :  Same  as  No.  X. 
Reverse:  "J  real,  1869."     Rest  same  as  No.  1.     Weight: 

92.592  grains.     Composition  same  as  No.  1.     Value:  Entirely 
nominal,  Q\  cents. 

3.  Quarter  Real  Piece  of  1869.     Obverse:  Same  as  No.  1. 


QUARTER  REAL  PIECE  OP   1869. 

Reverse:  "\  real,  1869."  Rest  same  as  No.  1.  Weight: 
46.296  grains.  Composition  same  as  No.  1.  Value:  Entirely 
nominal,  3^  cents. 

4.  One-eighth  Real  Piece  of  1869.    Obverse:  Sameaa  No,  1. 


ONE-EIGHTH   REAL   PIECE  OP    1869. 

Reverse:  "J  real,  1869."    Rest  same  as  No.  1.     Weight: 


CENTRAL  AMERICA.  056 

23.148  grains.  Composition  same  as  No.  1.  Value:  Entirely 
nominal,  l^^  cents. 

These  coins,  having  only  a  forced  value,  have  found  no  favor 
in  Central  America,  and  have  not  been  coined  since  1875.  They 
still  circulate,  but  are  refused  outside  of  Honduras. 

5.  The  Centavo  of  Costa  Rica.  Obverse :  A  shield ;  upon 
it  coat  of  arras  of  Republic  of  Costa  Rica.  Legend  above: 
"COSTARICA."     Exergue:  "1867." 

Reverse:  "un  centavo,"  surrounded  by  laurel  branches, 
crossed  and  tied  at  the  end.  Weight :  57.972  grains.  Compo- 
sition :  15  parts  nickel,  80  parts  copper  and  5  parts  zinc. 
Value :  Entirely  nominal,  at  1  cent. 


TWO  REAI^  SILVER  OP  SAN  SALVADOR, 


COPPER  COINS  OF  CENTRAL  AMERICA. 

1.  The  Eight  Centavos  of  Central  America.  Obverse :  A 
triangle;  in  it,  a  mountain;  above  it,  a  sun  with  rays;  at  each 
side,  and  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  two  towers ;  in  a  circle 
surrounding  it,  "moneda  provisional  del  estado  de  Hon- 
duras." Above,  two  horns  of  plenty,  and  a  crown  in  which 
four  arrows  are  inserted.  Reverse:  A  tree;  at  the  left  of  it, 
"  8  c."  Legend  :  "  libre  cresca  fecundo."  Value :  Nom- 
inal, 8  cents. 

2.  The  Four  Centavos.  Devices  same  as  No.  1,  only  "4" 
instead  of  "8,"  on  the  Reverse.     Value:  Nominal,  4  cents. 

3.  The  Two  Centavos.  Devices  same  as  No.  1,  only  "2" 
instead  of  "  8,"  on  the  Reverse.     Value :  Nominal,  2  cents. 

4.  The  One  Centavo.  Devices  same  as  No.  1,  only  "1"  in- 
stead of  "  8,"  on  Reverse.     Value :  1  cent. 


556  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

REPUBLIC  OF  CHILL 

This  country,  although  in  territory  smaller  than  some  of  her 
sister  South  American  countries,  has  an  extraordinary  length  of 
sea-coast,  now  stretching  southward  to  Cape  Plorn.  Since  her 
success  in  the  contest  with  Peru,  she  has  ranked  first  in  the 
sisterhood  of  Republics  in  the  continent,  and  co-equal  with  the 
Empire  of  Brazil  as  a  nation. 

Chili  was  discovered  by  Diego  de  Almagro,  one  of  the  con- 
querors of  Peru,  in  1535.  Almagro  crossed  the  Cordilleras,  and 
the  natives  regai'ding  the  Spaniards  on  their  first  visit  as  allied 
to  the  Divinity,  collected  for  them  gold  and  silver,  amounting 
to  661,200  dollars,  a  present  which  led  to  the  subsequent  cruelties 
and  rapacity  of  the  invaders.  Chili  was  partly  subdued  in  1546. 
The  Chilians  fought  for  liberty  at  different  times  and  with  varied 
success  until  1817,  when,  after  the  decisive  victory  gained  by 
San  Martin  over  the  Spanish  forces,  February  12th,  of  that  year, 
they  were  declared  independent. 

From  1817  to  1850  the  money  coined  was  according  to  the 
Spanish  standard  and  values.     The  gold  coins  from   1818  to 

1837  were  alloyed  with  silver,  and  are  of  a  pale  hue.     Since 

1838  they  are  mostly  alloyed  with  copper,  and  show  a  brighter 
and  richer  color  to  the  eye.  In  1850  the  decimal  standard  was 
adof)ted,  and  the  Peso  Corriente  or  Plata  is  now  divided  in  100 
Centavos  Corrientes  or  Plata.  The  Doblon  or  Doubloon  is  of 
16  Pesos  de  Plata,  or  17 J  Pesos  Corrientes. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  CHILI. 

1.  The  Doblon  or  Onza  de  Oro  of  8  Escudos,  or  16  Pesos  de 
Plata,  or  17;^  Pesos  Corrientes.  Obverse  :  A  pillar,  crossed  by 
two  standards  in  saltiere,  and  surmounted  by  a  globe  and  a  star, 
the  whole  enclosed  in  a  laurel  wreath.  Legend  :  "POR  la  ra- 
ZON  o  LA  fuerza"  (By  Reason  or  Force),  "s"  (Mint-mark 
of  Santiago).  "8  e"  (8  Escudos).  "i.  j."  Exergue:  Date  of 
the  year  of  issue  from  1818  to  1834. 


REPUBLIC  OF  CHILI. 


567 


Reverse :  Two  smoking  volcanoes  and  a  sun  above ;  below, 
the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.     Legend :  "el  ESTADO  D.  chile 


DOBLON  OB  ONZA  DE  ORO  OF  CHILL 

CONSTIT.  INDEPENDIENTE "  {The  State  of  Chili  QmstitiUional 
and  Independent).  Weight:  417.707  grains.  Fineness:  875. 
Value:  $15.74.0084. 

2.  The  Doblon  or  Onza  de  Oro  of  1836.  Obverse:  A  hand 
resting  upon  a  book,  on  the  back  of  which  is  inscribed  "CON- 
8TITUCION."  Above  are  the  diverging  rays  of  the  sun.  Le- 
gend :  "iGUALDAD  ANTE  LA  LEI "  [Equal  Bights  before  Uie 
Law).  "8  e"  "l  j."  (Mint-master's  initials).  Exergue:  "21 
Q»"  (21  Qailaie8  or  Carats). 


DOBLON  OR  ONZA  DE  ORO  OP  1836. 


Reverse:  A  shield  bearing  the  arms  of  Chili  (a  star  argent), 
surmounted  by  plumes,  and  supported  by  a  horse  rampani  and 
a  condor,  each  crowned.     Legend  :  "  republica  de  chile." 


S58  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

"S'*  (Mint-mark  Santiago).  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of 
issue.  Weight:  417.707  grains.  Fineness:  875.  Valu« : 
$15.74.0084. 

3.  The  Doblon,  or  Onza  de  Oro,  from  1839  to  1859.  Ob- 
verse: A  statue  of  liberty  clad  in  mail,  with  her  hand  resting 
upon  the  "  coNSTiTUcroN,"  and  supporting  with  her  left  the 
fasces;  a  cornucopia  in  the  background,  and  to  the  left  at  her 
feet.  Legend  :  "  igualdad  ante  la  lei."  "8  E "  "  I.  J." 
Exergue:  "21  q'"  (21  Quilates,  or  Carats). 


DOBLON,  OR  ONZA  DE  ORO  OF  CHILI. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  2.  Weight:  417.707  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 875.     Value:  $15.74.0084. 

4.  Half  Doblon,  or  Half  Onza  de  Oro,  from  1839  to  1859. 
Obverse :  Same  as  No.  3,  except  size  in  proportion,  and  the 
"8  e"  in  Legend  changed  to  "4  E."  Reverse:  Same  as  No. 
2.  Weight:  208.8535  grains.  Fineness:  875.  Value: 
$7.87. 

6.  Quarter  Dobloo,  or  Quarter  Onza  de  Oro,  from  1839  to 


QUARTER  DOBLON,  OR  QUARTER  ONZA  DE  ORO. 
1859.     Obverse :  Shield  bearing  the  arras  of  Chili,  surmounted 
by  plumes,  and  supported  by  a  horse  ran^Ktnt  and  a  condor, 


REPUBLIC  OF  CHILL  559 

each  crowned.  Legend:  "republica  de  chile."  Exergue: 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

Reverse :  Same  as  No.  1,  only  in  proportion  to  size.  "Weight : 
104.4267  grains.     Fineness:  875.     Value:  $3.93^. 

5.  A  Quarter  Doblon,  or  Quarter  Onza  de  Oro.  Obverse : 
A  pillar  crossed  by  two  standards  in  saltiere,  and  surmounted 
by  a  globe  and  a  star,  the  whole  enclosed  in  a  laurel  wreath. 
Legend :  "  por  la  razon  o  la  fuerza."  Exergue :  Date  ot 
the  year  of  issue. 


Reverse :  A  hand  resting  upon  a  book,  on  the  back  of 
which  is  inscribed  "  constitucion  ; "  above  are  the  diverging 
rays  of  the  sun.  Legend  :  "igualdad  ante  la  lei."  Ex- 
ergue: "21  Q^"(21  Quilates).  Weight:  104.4267  grains. 
Fineness:  875.     Value:  $3.93i. 

6.  Eighth  Doblon,  or  Eighth  Onza  de  Oro,  from  1839  to 
1859.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  1,  except  "8  e"  changed  to 
"1  E." 


EIGHTH    DOBLON,    OR   EIGHTH   ONZA   OF   CHILL 

Reverse:  A  hand  resting  upon  a  book,  on  the  back  of  which 
is  inscribed  "constitucion;"  above  are  the  diverging  rays  of 
the  sun.  Legend:  "igualdad  ante  la  lel"  Exergue: 
"21  Q""  (21  Quilates).  Weight:  62.2134  grains.  Fineness: 
875.     Value:  $1.96|. 


560  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

GOLD  COINAGE  SINCE   1859. 

7.  Condor  of  10  Pesos  or  10  Dollars.  Obverse :  A  statue 
of  liberty  clad  in  mail,  with  her  hand  resting  upon  a  column 
upon  which  is  inscribed  " constitucion."  Legend:  "igual- 
DAD  ANTE  LA  LEI."  Exergue:  "10  p"  (10  Pesos  or-lO  Dol- 
lars). Reverse:  Shield  bearing  the  arms  of  Chili,  surmounted 
by  plumes,  and  supported  by  a  horse  rampant  and  a  condor, 
each  crowned.  Legend:  "republica  de  chile."  Exergue: 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  235.358  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $9.12.4687. 

8.  Half  Condor  of  5  Pesos  or  5  Dollars.  Obverse :  Same 
as  No.  7,  with  the  exception  of  Exergue,  which  has  "5  p" 
upon  it.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  7.  Weight:  117.679  grains. 
Finene&s:  900.     Value:  §4.56.2343. 

9.  One-Fifth  of  a  Condor,  or  2  Pesos,  or  2  Dollars.  Ob- 
verse: Same  as  No.  7,  with  the  exception  of  Exergue,  which 
has  "2  p"  upon  it.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  7.  Weight: 
47.068  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value:  81-82.4937. 

10.  The  Peso,  or  Dollar  of  1860  and  since.  Obverse:  A 
statue  of  liberty  clad  in  mail,  with  her  hand  resting  upon- a 
scroll  upon  which  is  inscribed  "constitucion."  Legend: 
"republica  de  chile."  Reverse:  "1  peso"  in  two  lines 
beneath  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  surrounded  by  a  laurel 
wreath.  Legend:  " igualdad  ante  la  lei."  Weight: 
23.534  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.91.2468. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  CHILL 

1.  The  Peso  Duro  of  1817-1845.  Obverse:  A  volcano  in 
action ;  above  is  inscrii)ed,  within  a  wreath  of  laurel,  the 
value,  "  UN  peso  "  {One  Dollar).  Legend  :  "chile  indepen- 
diente."     Exergue:  "Santiago." 

Reverse:  A  pillar,  supporting  a  globe,  above  which  is  a  star 
and  a  scroll,  the  latter  bearing  the  word  "  libertad."  Le- 
gend :  "  union  y  fuerza  "  ( Union  and  Force).  "  F.  J." 
(Mint-master's   initials).       Exergue :     Date  of    the  year  of 


REPUBLIC  OF  CHILL 


561 


issue.     Weight:    417.661   grains.     Fineness:    906.     Value- 
$1.07.2146. 


PESO  DURO  OP  CHILI   FROM  1817   TO   1845. 

2.  Two  Real  Piece  of  1821  to  1850.  Obverse:  Same  as 
No.  1,  only  within  the  wreath  of  laurel,  the  value  "  DOS  r;" 
meaning :  Two  Reals. 


TWO  REAL   PIECE  OF   CHILI    FROM    1821    TO    1850. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  104.415  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 906.     Vahie:  $0.26.8036. 

3.  One  Real  Piece  of  1821  to  1850.  Obverse  :  Same  as  No. 
1,  only  within  the  wreath  of  laurel,  the  value  "  UN  R." 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  52.2072  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 906.     Value:  $0.13.4018. 


ONE  REAL  PIECE  OF  CHILI  OP  1821  TO  1850. 

4.  The  Peso  Duro  of  1845  to  1850.     Obverse :    A  shield,  a 
21 


562 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


single  five-cornered  star  in  the  field  caure  and  gntles,  the  shield 
surmounted  by  three  plumes;  at  the  left  of  the  shield  "8,"  and 
the  right  "r**  (8  Reahj  or  one  dollar),  the  whole  surrounded 
by    a   laurel  wreath.       Legend:     "republica  de  chile." 


"a."      (Mint-mark  of   Santiago). 
initials). 


J.  M."    (Mint-master^s 


PESO  DURO  OF  CHILI  OP  1845  TO  1850. 

Reverse:  A  Condor  in  the  act  of  breaking  a  chain.  Le- 
gend: "for  la  razon  y  %k  fuerza.'*  Exergue:  "10 
D*«,  20  o""  (10  Denaros,  20  Granos,  or  902.778  fine). 
Weight:  417.506  grains.  Fineness:  902.778.  Value: 
$1.05.8864. 

6.  Two  Reals  of  1843  to  1850.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  4, 
only  at  the  left  side  of  the  shield,  "  2,"  and  at  the  right  "r  " 
and  "i.  J."  (Mint-njaster's  initials). 

Reverse :  Same  as  No.  4.  Weight :  104.3765  grains. 
Fmeness:  900.     Value:  ^.23.8974. 


TWO   REALS   OF   1843   TO    1850. 

6.  One  Real  of  1844  to  1850.     Obverse  :    Same  as  No.  4, 
only  at  the  left  side  of  shield,  "  1,"  and  at  the  right  "  R." 


REPUBLIC   OF   CHILL  663 

Reverse :  Same  as  No.  4.  Weight:  62.1887  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $0.11.9988. 

7.  A  Half  Real  of  1842  to  1850.  Obverse  :  Same  as  No. 
4,  only  at  the  left  side  of  shield,  "  J,"  and  at  the  right  "  r," 
and  "  I.  J."  (Mint-master's  initials). 


f'r,**!*;* 


-'^i^. 


HALF  REAL  OF  1842  TO  1850. 

Reverse  :  Same  as  No.  4.  Weight :  26.0943  grains.  Fine- 
ness :  900.     Value:  $0.05.9988. 

8.  The  Peso  of  1855  to  1875.  Obverse:  A  shield,  a  single 
five-cornered  star  in  the  field,  the  shield  surmounted  by  three 
plumes.  Legend :  "  REPUBLICA  DE  chile."  Exergue :  "  UN 
PESO."  "  s  "  (Mint  mark  of  Santiago).  Reverse :  A  condor, 
an  oval  shield  in  his  left  talon,  upon  the  sliieid  the  fasces,  and 
thirteen  and  son)etinies  fourteen  stars  in  a  circle.  Legend : 
"  FOR  LA  RAZO-V  o  LA  FCERZA."  Exerguc :  Date  of  the  year 
of  issue.  Weight:  385.808 grains.  Fineness :  900.  Va|ti«: 
$0.96.3436. 

9.  Half  Peso  of  Fifty  Centavos  (fifty  cente).  Obverse: 
Same  as  No.  8,  only  the  Exergue  changed  to  "  50  c."  Re- 
verse:  A  flving  condor,  a  broken  chain  in  his  l)eak,  and  part 
of  a  broken  chain  attached  to  his  talon.  Legend:  "for  la 
RAZON  o  LA  FUERZA."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  192.904  grains.     Value:  $0.48.1718. 

10.  One-fifth  of  a  Peso,  or  Twenty  Centavos,  of  1861,  and 
since.  Obverse :  Same  as  No.  8,  only  the  Legend  changed  to 
"  20  c."  Reverse :  Same  as  No.  8.  Weight :  77.161  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.19.2687. 

11.  The  Decimo,  of  Ten  Centavos,  of  1855,  and  since.  Ob- 
verse: "UN  DECIMO,"  in  two  lines,  surrounded  by  a  laurel 
wreath.     Legend :  "  republica  de  chile."     Reverse :  Same 


564 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


as  No.  9.     Weight :  38.580  grains.     Fineness :   900.     Value  : 
$0.09.6343. 

12.  The  Medio  Decimo,  of  Five  Centavos,  of  1855,  and 
since.  Obverse :  "  medio  decimo,"  in  two  lines,  surrounded 
by  laurel  wreath.  Legend:  "eepublica  de  chile."  Re- 
verse: Same  as  No.  9.  Weight:  19.290  grains.  Fineness: 
900,    Value:    $0.04.8121.  , 

13.  The  Peso  of  1875  and  since.     Obverse :   A  condor  in 


PESO  OF  CHILI,   1875   AND  SINCE. 

defiant  attitude,  facing  to  the  right,  in  his  beak  broken  links 
of  a  chain,  in  his  dexter  talon  an  oval  shield,  upon  which 
fasces,  surrounded  by  seventeen  stars.  Legend :  "  por  la 
RAZON  o  LA  fuerza."     Exergue  :    Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

Reverse:  A  shield,  azure  and  gules,  upon  it  a  star  argent, 
surmounted  by  three  plumes,  and  surrounded  by  laurel  wreath. 
Legend  :  "  republica  de  chili."  Exergue :  "  UN  peso  " 
{One  Dollar).  "  s "  (Mint-mark  of  Santiago).  Weight : 
385.808  grains.     Fineness :    900.     Value  :   $0.96.3436. 

NICKEL  COINS  OF  CHILL 

1.  Dos  Centavos,  or  Two  Cents,  of  1871,  and  since.  Ob- 
verse: "DOS  CENTAVOS,"  in  two  lines,  in  the  middle  of  the  field, 
surrounded  by  a  circle  of  dots.  Legend :  "  economia  es  Rl- 
queza"  {Economy  is  Wealth).  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of 
issue. 

Reverse:  Laureated  head  of  Liberty,  facing  to  the  left.     Le- 


REPUBLIC   OF  CHILI.  565 

gend:  "republica  de  chile."     Exergue:  "s"  (Mint-mark 
of   Santiago).     Weight:    108.024    grains.    Composition:    70 


DOS  CENTAVOS  OP  CHILI. 


parts  of  copper,  20  parts  of  nickel,  and  10  parts  of  zinc.     Value 
entirely  nominal  at  two  cents. 

2.  Un  Centavo,  or  One  Cent  of  1871,  and  since.     Obverse: 
"  UN  CENTAVO,"  in  the  middle  of  the  field,  rest  same  as  No.  1. 


UN   CENTAVO  OF  CHILI. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  77.160  grains.  Com- 
position :  Same  as  No.  1.     Value  entirely  nominal  at  one  cent. 

3.  Medio  Centavo,  or  Half  Cent  of  1871,  and  since.  Ob- 
verse: "medio  CENTAVO,"  in  two  lines,  rest  same  as  No.  1. 
Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  46.296  grains.  Compo- 
sition: Same  as  No.  1.     Value  entirely  Hominal,  at  half  a  cent. 

COPPER  COINS  OF  CHILL 
1.  The  Centavo  of  1835  to  1850.  Obverse:  A  large  five- 
cornered  star  in  the  middle  of  the  field.  Legend :  "  kepublica 
de  chile."  Exergue :  The  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Re- 
verse: "uN  CENTAVO,"  in  two  lines,  inscribed  within  a  laurel 
wreath.  Legend:  "economia  es  eiqueza"  {Economy  is 
V/ealth).     Value  entirely  nominal,  at  one  cent.     lu  1851,  the 


566  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA, 

Uiickuess  of  the  Copper  Centavo  was  reduced  just  one-half,  and 
it  was  coined  up  to  1870  at  the  reduced  weight,  still  preserving 
the  same  devices  and  Legends  as  when  first  issued  in  1835. 
Since  1870,  no  more  copi>er  coins  have  been  issued  from  the 
Mint,  and  they  have  gradually  disa])peared  from  circulation,  the 
nickel  coins  of  1871  taking  their  place. 

2.  The  Medio  Centavo.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse: 
"medio  centavo,"  inscribed  within  a  laurel  wreath,  rest  same 
as  No.  1.     Value  entirely  nominal,  at  half  a  cent. 


CHINA. 

The  primitive  mode  of  commercial  exchange  in  China,  as  in 
all  other  countries,  was  barter,  the  interchange  of  certain  pro- 
ducts of  the  earth,  such  as  wheat  and  rice,  or  those  of  manual 
labor,  silk,  arms,  &c.  The  earliest  records  of  China  show  that 
a  subject  of  the  "Son  of  Heaven"  was  either  a  husbandman  or 
a  merchant.  For  it  is  related  that  Sinnunff,  the  second  known 
Emperor  of  China,  who  reigned  about  the  year  2737,  B.  C,  in- 
stituted a  market-place  in  his  Empire,  in  order  to  gather  mer- 
chandise and  silks;  there  in  the  day  time,  a  market  was  held, 
in  which  the  people  exchanged  their  products. 

But  while  barter  prevailed  among  the  common  people,  there 
seems  to  have  been  a  kind  of  metallic  money  current  among 
the  travelling  merchants.  This  coinage  was  of  the  reign  of 
T^ai-Hao,  2852,  B.  C;  its  circulation  was  quite  limited,  as  it 
was  not  used  by  the  agricultural  population. 

There  is  also  some  evidence  that  in  the  remotest  times,  of 
which  history  is  almost  silent,  there  was  in  China  a  currency  of 
shells,  much  resembling  the  Setoan,  of  Suckauhock  or  Wampum, 
of  the  American  Indians.  For  we  find  in  many  Chinese  work.-, 
articles  referring  to  money  and  wealth,  where  the  author  has 
used  the  ideographical  sign  which  signifies  "Shell."  Besides, 
we  discover  that  King  ^' Pwan-Kang"  1400,  B.  C,  lamented 


CHINA. 


567 


the  greediness  of  his  ministers,  saying:  Here  are  those  minist^rg 
«/  fny  government,  who  share  with  me  the  offices  of  the  State,  and 
yet  only  think  of  hoarding  up  Cowries. 

In  the  reign  of  T'ai-Hao,  money  was  called  "Kin"  or  metal. 
In  that  of  Yeu-Nui-Si,  2697,  B.  C,  and  up  to  Kao-Sin-Si, 
2435,  B.  C,  money  was  called  "Ho,"  or  merchandise.  In  that 
of  Tao-t'Ang-Si,  it  was  called  "Ts'uen"  or  fountain,  for  the 
people  maintained  that  money  streamed  as  fast  as  a  fountain, 
that  it  spread  more  widely  than  "Pu  ;  "  a  i)iece  of  hemp  or  silk 
cloth,  which  was  also  current  as  money ;  and  that  it  was  more 
adyautageous  than  "Tao"  or  knives. 

PRIMITIVE  COINS  OF  CHINA. 

The  money  coined  during  the  first  three  dynasties  of  Yn, 
Hia,  and  Sang,  2255  to  1766,  B.  C,  is  described  as  having 
been  made  of  three  kinds  of  metal,  "yellow"  (gold),  "white" 
(silver),  and  "  red  "  (copper),  and  the  currency  consisted  further 
of  cloth  (of  hemp  and  silk),  knives  of  iron,  tortoise  shells  aiid 
cowries.     The  coinage  of  King  Yii  was  mostly  of  silver. 

"merchandise  money." 
The  oldest  Chinese  coin  still  in  exist- 
ence is  of  the  Yii  dynasty ;  it  is  now  over 
4000  years  old,  and  is  rej)resented  by  the 
accompanying  engraving.  Tlie  inscription 
on  this  coin  reads  from  the  right  upwards, 
and  means:  "Current  (Ho)  merchandise  of 
the  second  metal  circulating  in  the  peaceful 
capital.''  By  the  second  metal,  silver  is 
meant.  "Ho"  of  the  Chinese,  has  the 
same  meaning  as  the  word  money  with  us, 
although  the  literal  translation  would  be: 
"Merchandise  Money."  This  piece  was 
first  coined,  2853,  B.  C. 

TAO   COINS — KNIFE   MONEY. 

The  Tao  coins  were  of  iron,  and  iu  form  an  imitation  of  a 


THE  OLDEST  CTIINE8E 
COIN,  2853,  B.  C. 


568 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


knife,  such  as  the  Chinese  might  be  supposed  to  use.  Knives 
were  the  earliest  articles  of  trade,  gener- 
ally used  before  money  was  current  in 
China,  hence  the  Chinese  adopted  as  repre- 
sentative currency  an  imitation  of  the  shape 
of  that  article.  The  first  Tao  coins  were 
cast  in  2453,  B.  C.  The  characters  upon 
the  coins  mean:  "To  Exchange  for  Mer- 
chandise." When  gold,  silver,  and  copper 
began  to  circulate  more  freely,  this  Tao  or 
knife  currency  gradually  disappeared.        » 

When  Wang-Mang,  A.  D.  14,  became 
Emperor  of  China,  he  re-introduced  the 
knife-shaped  coins  and  called  them  "jo- 
TAO,"  which  was  cast  upon  them  in  man- 
darin characters,  meaning:  "Knives  to  make 
Agreements  or  Bonds."  These  cast-iron 
knives  were  a  legal  tender  for  50  cash,  or  8 
cents  of  our  money. 

To  create  a  variety  of  this  currency, 
which  should  represent  a  greater  value, 
Wang-Mang  ordered  some  knives  marked 
"ts'o-tao,"  and  had  the  lettered  part  of 
the  knife  washed  with  gold.  The  meaning 
of  Ts'o-TAO  is :  "  Gilded  Knives,  or  Precious 
Merchandise,  and  Little  Money."  Thebe 
gilded  knives  had  an  arbitrary  valuation  of 
500  cash,  or  80  cents ;  but  the  gilding  was 
soon  removed  or  worn  from  theni,  when, 
as  the  knife  money  was  all  made  of  the 
same  form,  and  from  the  same  metal,  the 
Legend  alone  indicated  the  variety  or  de- 
nomination. 

This  state  of  affairs  soon  created  a  kind  of 
TAO  COIN,  2435  B.  c.  j„oney  rebellion,  and  Wang-Mang  was  forced 
to  abolish  the  knife  money. 


669 


CHINA. 

THE   "ho"    "pu"  coinage. 

Besides  these  Tao  coins  the  "Pw"  or  cloth, 
or  dress,  money  was  current.  Tlie  Pw-coins, 
of  which  we  give  an  illustration,  and  which, 
to  the  minds  of  the  Chinese,  represents  the 
shape  of  a  dress,  was  first  cast  2085  B.  C. 
The  design  on  the  right  side  of  the  engraving 
signifies  "ho"  or  Merchandise,  and  that  at  the 
left,  "pu,"  which  means  Cloth.  This  coin  was 
cast  of  iron,  and  sometimes,  but  very  seldom, 
oC  copper. 


CHINESE  GOLD. 

As  China  itself  is  not  rich  in  precious  metals, 
gold  and  silver  money,  though  in  use  in  the 

^      T       .    ,.  1  ,.,    ,  ,     ,     PU  COIX,   2085  B.  C. 

earliest  times,  when  currency  was  little  needed, 
after  a  while  became  totally  unfit  for  ancient  Chinese  society 
on  account  of  its  high  valuation.  At  tlie  beginning  of  the 
Christian  Era,  gold,  in  China,  had  ten  times  the  value  of  silver, 
silver  ten  times  the  value  of  copper,  and  about  that  time  an  in- 
dividual of  the  lower  class  of  the  people  did  not  spend  even  one 
"Cash"  (iron  money  about  one-seventh  part  of  a  cent)  a  day 
to  supply  his  wants ;  it  is  evident  that  a  currency  of  great  in- 
trinsic value,  like  gold  and  silver,  was  of  little  use  in  those 
simple  times.  Gold  and  silver  coins  were  then  used  mostly  as 
presents  to  princes,  and  as  rewards  for  meritorious  actions  to 
the  highest  officers  of  State. 

THE   KIN   AND   YII   GOLD  <X)IN8. 

The  princii)al  gold  coin  of  the  Chinese  was  the  "Kin"  or 
"Pound  of  Gold,"  of  the  "Tseu  "  dynasty,  1 1 22,  B.  C.  Value : 
24  Taels,  about  $38.64. 

The  Tsm  dynasty  was  dethroned  221,  B.  C,  by  Prince  Tsing, 
who,  under  the  name  of  Si-hoang-ti,  united  the  many  feudal 
states  of  China  into  an  indivisible  empire.  The  Imperial  gold 
coin  were  called  "Yi."    Value:  20  Taels,  about  $32.20. 


570  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Under  Wang-Mang,  A.  D.  14,  the  "Kin"  or  principal  gold 
coin,  was  much  alloyed.     Value :  10  Taels,  about  $16.10. 

TBADE   GOLD,   GOVERNMENT   "  CHOP." 

Ever  since  the  reign  of  Wang-Mang  the  Chinese  have  grad- 
ually disused  gold  as  money,  and  at  the  present  day  it  is  bought 
and  sold  by  them  like  any  ottier  merchandise,  and  varies  in  price 
according  to  supply  and  demand. 

Gold  in  China  is  cast  into  the  form  of  a  "Shoe"  or  into  bars, 
and  often  sold  in  dust  put  up  in  strong  paper  packages  and 
marked  with  the  government  "Chop"  or  stamp.  ^ 

PYCEE  CHOP. 

Pure  gold  or  100  fine  is  called  "Pycee"  but  is  not  cast  into 
either  shoes  or  bars. 

TUNGZEE  AND  YEUNZEE  TINGWAN  CHOP. 

Gold  bearing  the  genuine  Tungzee  stamp  of  Oiop  is  next  in 
purity  to  the  Fycce  gold,  being  96  touch  (96  fine),  meaning  96 
parts  pure  gold  and  4  parts  alloy,  generally  silver;  but  some- 
times copper  and  occasionally  tin. 

The  Tungzee^  and  the  Yeunzee  or  Tingwan  stamps,  or  chops, 
are  seldom  found  on  any  but  round  bar  gold.     If  found  on 


(Face.)  (Back.) 


3^ 


TUKGZEE,  OK  96  TOUCH.  YEU>ZEE  OB  TINGWAN,  95  TOUCH. 

square  bars,  or  upon  shoe  gold,  these  stamps  or  chops  are  gen- 
erally counterfeit  and  the  gold  debased. 

TWANGHAN  CHOP. 
Bar  gold  bearing  the  genuine  Twanghan  stamp  or  chop  is  94J 


CHINA. 


571 


touch  (94^  fine).     The  Chinese,  however,  generally  sell  Twang- 
han  bar  gold  as  95  touch  (95  fine).     This  gold  is  cast  at  the  gov- 


(Back.) 


TWANOUAN   CUOi*. 


This  stampappeani  upon 
each  end  of  the  bar. 


ernment  assay  office,  at  Coe  Sue,  near  Peking.  The  bottom  or 
back  of  the  genuine  is  very  rough  ;  if  smooth,  the  stamp  or  chop 
is  counterfeit,  and  the  gold  debased. 


YEUKXZEE   CHOP. 

Grold  bearing  the  genuine  Yeukxzee  stamp  or 
cAop  is  always  in  round  bars,  and  between  95 
and  96  Umch  (95  to  96  fine). 

SEON    YEUX   CHOP. 

Gold  bearing  the  genuine  Seon  Yeux  stamp  or 
chop  is  always  in  square  bars,  is  sonietimos  called 
Song  Yeux,  and  is  94,  and  sometimes  95  touch 
(94  to  95  fine). 

Both  the  Yeukxzee  and  Seon  Yeux  Chops  of 
gold  bars  are  assayed  and  cast  at  Coe  Sue,  near 
Peking. 


8EOK  YEUX. 


)72 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


POUZEE,    CHAUZEE   AND   CHUZE  OR  CHUJA   CHOP. 

Shoe  gold  bearing  tlie  genuine  Pouzee  stamp  or  chop  as  here 
represented  is  sometimes  called  Seong  Po,  and 
is  94  toiLch  (94  fine). 


POUZKK. 


CHAUZEE. 

93  and  94  touch. 


CHLZE  OR  CHUJA. 
94  touch. 


Gold  bearing  the  genuine  Chauzee  stamp  or  chop  is  93  or  94 
touch  (93  to  94  fine).  Gold  bearing  the  genuine  Chuze  or  Chuja 
stamp  or  chop  is  94  touch  (94  fine). 

The  stamp  of  the  Pouzee,  Chauzee  and  Chuze  or  Chuja  chops, 
is  used  both  on  bar  and  shoe  gold ;  when  found  on  the  shoes  it 
indicates  an  excellent  quality,  in  great  demand  among  the  Chi- 
nese, though  foreigners  prefer  bars  of  the  same  chop. 


SEONG   POU  or  SOANG   POA  CHOP. 


(Face.) 


(Back.) 


SEONG  POU. 


Gold  bearing  the  genuine 
Seong  Pou  or  Soang  Poa 
stamp  or  chop  is  93|  touch 
(93|  fine).  The  back  or  bot- 
tom is  pretty  smooth.  The 
face  has  little  rough  knobs 
in  the  middle. 


TOOilKii.  / 


TOOZEE   CHOP. 

Gt)ld  bearing  the  genuine  Toozee  stamp  or 
chopf  should,  according  to  the  regulations  of 
the  Chinese  assay  office,  be  93  touch  (93  fine), 
but  it  is  often  no  more  than  90  touch  (90 
fine). 


CHINA, 


573 


POUZEE  AND  SEONG  PO  CHOPS. 

Gold  bearing  the  genuine  Pouzee 
stamp  or  chop,  as  iiere  represented, 
if  in  bars,  is  called  Pouzee,  if  in 
shoes,  Seong  Po.  If  in  bars,  it  is  a 
little  better  than  93  touch  (93  fine), 
if  in  shoes  it  is  invariably  94  touch 
(94  fine). 

This  chop  has  been  frequently 
counterfeited  ;  if  the  bottom  of  the 
Seong  Po  or  shoe  gold  is  smooth  the 
stamp  or  chop  is  counterfeit,  and  the 
gold  debased,  often  hardly  85  touch  (85  fine). 

ONGEE   CHOP. 

Gold  bearing  the  very  popular  genuine 
Ongee  stamp  or  chop,  is  invariably  full  92 
touch  (92  fine). 

TOUJEE   CHOP. 

Gold  bearing  the  genuine  Tonjec  stamp 
or  chop,  has  a  little  projection  at  the  bottom, 
like  a  twig  with  two  branches,  and  is  92  touch 
(92  fine).  If  the  bottom  is  smooth,  the 
stamp  or  chop  is  counterfeit,  and  the  gold  de- 
based. 

CHEZEAU  OR  SWAJZEE  CHOP. 

Gold    bearing    the    genuine    Chezeau,   or 
Swajzee  stamp  or  chop,  has  a  large  knob  at 
the  bottom,  and  is  92  touch  (92  fine).     If  the 
bottom  is  smooth,  the  stamp  or  chop  is  cou 
terfeit,  and  the  gold  debased. 

Both  the  Toujee  and  Chezeau  or  Swajzee 
chops  have  been  counterfeited  in  Japan  of  late 
rears. 


CBKZEAU. 


574 


DYEPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


CUTZEE   SONG   CHOP. 
(Pace.)  (Back.) 


The  Cuhee  Song  stamp  or  chop  is 
used  upon  shoe  gold.  Song  being 
the  Chinese  word  for  double,  or  a 
pair  of  shoes,  and  Cutzee  the  name 
for  that  kind  of  gold,  which  name 
has  been  corrupted  into  Song  Chit, 
instead  of  Ouizee  Song. 


OUTZBE  SONS. 


BEONQ   KUTT  CHOP. 

Gold  bearing  the  genuine  Seong  KtUt  stamp  or  chop  is  92 
touch  (92  fine).  It  is  very  rough,  and  has  a  large  knobby 
branch  at  the  bottom ;  if  the  bottom  is  smooth,  the  stamp  or 
chop  is  counterfeit,  the  gold  debased,  never  above  88  touch  (88 
fine). 

CURRENT   GOLD   DUST. 

The  current  gold  dust  of  China  is  usually  put  up  in  square 
paper  packages,  and  is  generally  95  tou^h  (95  fine). 


A  i^ 


HOE-SZEE-YEtTN-JUNG. 


When  genuine,  the  paper  is  vermilion  color,  and  the  chop 
printed  in  gold.  About  a  hundred  years  ago  this  dust  gold, 
put  up  in  paper,  was  never  questioned,  and  passed  current ;  but 
of  late,  especially  since  foreigners  had  the  handling  of  it,  it  has 
often  been  found  but  75  touch  (75  fine). 


CHINA.  676 

OUTZEE   ONGEE   CHOP. 

The  Outzee-Ongee  double  ring  chop  is  printed 
in  gold  characters  upon  the  packages  contain- 
ing gold-dust  which  is  put  up  in  imitation  of 
the  cast  ahoe  gold.  In  unbroken  packages 
l)earing  the  genuine  Oidzee-Ongee  stamp  or 
chop,  the  gold  dust  is  92  toach  (92  fine),  but 
this  chop  has  been  counterfeited  to  an  alarm- 
ing extent,  and  the  gold  dust  adulterated. 

OUTZEE  ONGEB. 

SPELTER   MONEY  OF  CHINA. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  Chinese  period,  "Fwen-5eu,"  the 
''Phi-Pi"  money,  which  previously  had  been  much  used,  was 
still  in  circulation.  The  terra  Phi-Pi  means :  "  Valuable  Skim," 
and  this  peculiar  currency  consisted  of  pieces  of  parchment,  made 
from  the  skins  of  a  certain  kind  of  white  deer,  bred  in  an  en- 
closure within  the  precincts  of  the  Imperial  palace. 

The  Phi-Pi  were  a  Chinese  squar^  foot  in  size,  beautifully 
ornamented  with  gold  painting  and  embroidery.  Their  arbi- 
trary value  was  400,000  copper  coins,  or  $644.00  United  States 
money.  (In  England,  a  few  years  ago,  they  were  sold  at  112 
guineas  apiece.)  Being  too  bulky  and  heavy  to  be  carried  con- 
stantly, a  little  piece  was  cut  from  each  of  them  as  a  token  of 
possession.  Ownership  was  proved  when  the  small  piece  in 
hand  fitted  the  hole  in  the  Phi-Pi. 

In  the  reign  of  the  Emperor  Wuii,  during  the  first  years  of 
the  period  Yuen-Seu,  the  Imperial  treasury  was  almost  empty, 
and  the  "Son  of  Heaven,"  with  all  his  ministers,  deliberated 
upon  the  grave  financial  situation.  In  the  privy  treasury  of 
the  Emperor  there  was  a  large  amount  of  silver  bullion  and  of 
tin;  the  Imperial  Council  decided  to  restore  the  currency  of 
silver,  and  so  provide  for  the  monetary  wants  of  the  govern- 
ment. 

Accordingly,  an  order  was  given  forbidding  the  breeding  of 
the  white  deer  which  had  formerly  been  kept  within  the  Im- 


576 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


perial  palace  to  supply  leather  for  the  Phi-Pi  fiat  money;  and 
the  Emperor  Wuti  issued  an  edict  that  a  new  metallic  currency 
he  instituted  forthwith.  This  new  coinage,  made  in  the  fourth 
year  of  the  period  Yuen-Seu  (119  B.  C),  consisted  of  three  coins 
of  different  size  and  form,  all  composed  of  silver  and  tin  melted 
together ;  the  denomination  being  at  a  nominal  value,  much  in 
excess  of  their  intrinsic  worth.  . 

The  edict  of  the  Emperor  was  brief;  the  document  is  unique; 

we  give  the  whole  of  its 

M,%  ^ta  %n 


original  text,  and  an  Eng- 
lish translation: 

"The  Emperor  orders 
a  white  metallic  currency 
of  a  mixture  of  silver  and 
tin,  considering  that  in 
heaven  there  is  nothing  superior  to  the  dragon,  and  on  earth 
nothing  superior  to  the  horse,  and  among  men  nothing  superior 
to  the  tortoise;  therefore  there  shall  be  three  sorts  of  metallic 
coins." 


Of  the  first:  "It  shall  have  a  value  of  8  Tales;  make  it 
round  ;  its  device  shall  be  a  dragon;  its  name  shall  be  *T'suan,' 
and  its  value,  3000  coins." 


CHINA, 


67T 


(The  word  "T'suan"  in  Chinese  signifies  BegulcUar.)    The 
value  of  this  coin  was  about  $12.80. 


Of  the  second:  "Make  it  different,  and  smaller  in  compari- 
son to  the  first  in  thickness,  and  of  a  square  form,  its  device 
shall  be  a  horse ;  its  value :  500  coins.  Weight :  6  Taels." 
Its  value  was  about  $9.6o. 

It  S  /h  H 


Of  the  third  :  "  Make  it  still  smaller  in  size,  and  in  weight, 
four  Taeh." 

"  Let  it  be  of  oblong  form,  its  device  shall  be  a  tortoise,  and 
its  value:  300  coins."     Its  value  was  about  $6.45. 

From  the  drawing  of  the  coin  it  will  be  seen  that  the  figure 
of  the  tortoise  is  not  imitated,  but  the  surface  reminds  one  of 
the  back  of  a  tortoise-shell  with  its  sexangular  figures.  The 
character  \  called  wang,  in  each  hexagon,  signifies:  "  The 
Empet'or." 

As  to  the  symbolical  significance  of  these  pieces  we  find  the 

2K 


678 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 


Chinese  regard  the  round  exterior  form  of  coins  as  emblemati- 
cal of  heaven,  whereas  the  square  lorm  of  the  inner  hole  is  in 


ffio   =     fi     PS     ^ 

S  ;^  f  J  S 

m  m  r.  A 


imitation  of  the  earth,  which  they  believe  to  l>e  square.  The 
dragon  is  their  emblem  of  imperial  dignity ;  one  part  of  the 
year,  as  they  maintain,  he  resides  in  heaven,  and  is  the  cause 
of  the  rain,  and  another  part  of  the  year  he  resides  in  the 
ocean. 

The  end  of  those  glittering  and  medal-like  coins  was  sad. 
They  were  counterfeited  on  a  large  scale,  not  only  by  the  peo- 
ple, but  also  by  the  State  officials.  Their  value,  being  arbi- 
trary, diminished  rapidly  in  exchange,  and  the  people  refused 
to  receive  them  as  money.  The  Emperor  tried  to  avert  the 
evil,  by  reducing  the  coinage  to  a  minimum;  but  his  efforts 
proved  of  no  avail,  and  the  Chinese,  in  the  interior,  to  this 
day  refuse  silver  money  of  their  own  coinage. 

MODERN   SILVER  COINAGE  FOR  CHINA. 

THE   SFLVER   TAEL. 

The  East  India  Company,  with  the  consent  of  the  Emperor, 
coined  Tads  of  silver  for  general  circulation ;  but  the  natives  in  the 


CHINA.  579 

interior  of  China  still  refuse  the  coin,  and  the  "Money  ShopSf" 
ns  the  Banks  in  China  are  called,  melt  them,  almost  as  soon  as 
prt'sented,  into  ^'Sycee"  or  government  standard  silver  bars,  to 
be  used  in  turn  to  pay  taxes  to  the  government  collectors. 

These  Banks  have  furnaces  in  which  the  workmen  place  the 
Taels  of  silver  to  fuse  them,  and  then  pour  the  Syeee  silver  into 
clay  moulds.  After  the  metal  is  cold  it  is  thrown  out  of  the 
moulds,  the  ingot  having  upon  it  the  date  of  a  given  year,  the 
mark  of  a  given  district,  and  often  the  kind  of  tax,  it  was  cast 
to  pay,  with  the  name  of  the  workman  and  the  "Shop"  where 
it  was  cast.  Then,  after  it  has  been  lodged  in  the  interior  pro- 
visional treasury,  if  found  to  be  debased,  inquiries  can  be 
made  respecting  it  at  the  "Shop"  from  whence  it  came.  This 
IW  weighs  565  grains.     Fineness:  990.     Value:  $1.58.1612. 

SILVER   DOLLABS. 

in  1804,  a  silver  dollar,  "  Five 
Shillings"  Token,  was  struck  by  the 
Bank  of  England  with  its  own  de- 
vice for  circulation  in  China  and 
the  Orient.  The  bank  has  since 
occasionally  issued  this  coin,  which 
is  here  represented.  By  reference 
to  the  illustration,  it  may  be  seen 
the  figure  of  Britannia  upon  this 

piece   is  closely  imitated  in  that  of        fobeign-faced  money. 
Liberty    upon    the    United     States 

Trade  Dollar,  coined  from  1874  to  1878  ($35,959,360),  for  the 
same  market.  The  Chinese  call  the  Bank  of  England  Dollar: 
"Foreign- Faced  Money."  Weight:  415.68  grains.  Fineness: 
901.     Value:  $1.01. 

In  1845  a  Native  Silver  Dollar  was  struck  at  Canton  by 
private  bankers.  Same  size  as  the  Mexican  Dollar.  Obverse: 
Chinaman,  bowing,  holding  in  his  hand  a  stalk  of  sugar  cane. 
The  figiire  is  rather  heavy ;  with  a  coarse  face  and  very  high 
forehead.      Legend:    Chinese    characters,   meaning:    "Native 


580  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Dollar."  To  the  left,  the  private  chop  mark  of  the  banker ;  to 
the  right,  Chinese  characters,  denoting  the  bullion  value  and 
fineness  of  the  coin:  "8  3£ace.  98  touch"  (98  fine),  with  the 
guarantee  chop  of  the  coiner.  Weight:  411.5  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 980.     Value:  $1.14.0720. 

In  1852  a  Silver  Dollar  was  struck  in  England,  by  order  of 
certain  English  merchants,  for  circulation  in  China.  Smaller 
than  the  United  States  Dollar.  Obverse  and  Reverse:  Chinese 
characters,  denoting  the  bullion  value  of  the  coin  :  "  7  Mace,  1 
Candareen,  8  Cash."  Edge  milled  with  flowers;  hence  the 
Chinese  call  this  dollar:  "Flower-Edged  Money."  Weight: 
345  grains.     Fineness:  956.     Value:  $0.94.2881. 

In  1860  a  Native  Silver  Dollar,  generally  believed  to  have 
been  struck  by  Chinese  officials,  was  put  in  circulation  in  the 
seaports  of  China.  It  is  very  handsome,  bearing  Chinese 
characters,  denoting  the  bullion  value  and  fineness  of  the  coin  : 
"8  Mace,  5  Cash.  98  touch"  (98  fine).  The  Chinese  have  ac- 
cepted this  dollar  more  readily  than  any  preceding  one,  and 
call  it  to  this  day:  "Precious  Cover  for  Mercliandise." 

The  Chinese  Grovernnient  has  no  proper  general  Mint,  and 
the  only  legal  tender  currency  of  China  is  the  bronze  or  copper 
coin,  the  Cash.  The  government  assay  offices  give  their  chop 
to  ingots  of  silver  and  gold,  which,  as  commodities,  are  passed 
as  equivalents  in  trade.  Accounts  in  China  are  generally  kept 
by  weight,  in  HaiJacan  Sycee  silver,  expressed  nominally  in 
Tads,  Mace,  Candareen,  and  Cash. 

Foreign  coins  are  accepted  in  China  only  at  their  bullion 
value,  in  comparison  with  Haikivan  Sycee  silver,  supposed  to  be 
1000  fine,  but  in  reality  of  an  average  fineness  of  985.5. 
However,  the  decimal  system  of  notation  and  account,  by 
dollars  and  cents,  is  becoming  popular  in  many  parts  of  "The 
Celestial  Empire." 

The  Chinese  are  very  notional  in  regard  to  foreign  coins, 
choosing  some  and  rejecting  others,  merely  in  consideration  of 
the  device.  Spanish  Dollars  with  pillars,  especially  those  is- 
sued in  the  reign  of  Charles  IV.,  have  been  the  most  popular, 


CHINA,  581 

and  often  command  a  slight  premium.  Yet  the  "Pillar  Dol- 
lar" or  the  "Dollar  Spanish,"  is  now  commercially  merely  a 
quotation  of  nominal  value,  rather  than  a  coin  in  practical  cir- 
culation. 

The  Mexican  Dollars  have  an  extensive  market  among  the 
Chinese,  and  they  are  strongly  prejudiced  in  their  favor;  yet 
the  old  Mexican  "Sun  Dollar"  is  taken  without  question, 
while  the  New  Mexican  "  Scale  Dollar,"  though  assayed  at  a 
higher  value,  is  accepted  in  many  places  only  at  a  heavy  dis- 
count. 

The  United  States  Trade  Dollar,  though  in  circulation  at 
Amoy,  Foochow,  Swatow,  and  the  Formosa  ports,  and  sonic- 
times  at  a  premium  of  three  per  cent.,  is  elsewhere  refused 
altogether,  or  taken  at  a  discount  of  some  five  or  six  per  cent., 
and  if  introduced  in  some  places  would  be  "boiled,  chop* 
chop,"  L  e.,  smelted.  The  Chinese  call  the  Trade  Dollar 
"  Precious  Go<^)se,"  "  Precious  Duck,"  and  "  Flying  Hen  Dol- 
lar," out  of  respect  to  the  eagle  on  the  Reverse.  They  also 
call  the  Trade  Dollar  "  Devil's  Head  Money."  The  Spanish 
Dollars  are  also  known  by  the  nick-name :  "  Two  Candlestick 
Dollars." 

Gold  and  silver  being  nothing  but  commodities  in  China, 
valued  solely  by  their  weight  and  fineness,  all  foreign  coin  is 
considered  as  simply  so  much  bullion.  The  convenience  of. 
coin,  however,  gives  it  considerable  circulation,  each  piece  being 
regarded  as  a  small  ingot.  Native  gold  and  silver,  in  shoes, 
bars,  etc.,  bears,  as  has  been  noted,  th€  government  chop,  by 
which  it  is  rated.  The  Chinese  have  so  much  distrust  of  for- 
eign mintages,  and  there  have  been  so  many  counterfeits  of  ail 
sorts  among  themselves,  that,  according  to  a  commercial  rule, 
originating  and  established  in  the  south  of  China,  every  mer- 
cantile firm  paying  out  foreign  coin  is  required  to  give  a  guar- 
antee of  the  character  of  each  piece  disbursed,  by  stan)ping 
u{)on  its  surface  their  chop,  or  Chinese  trade-mark,  or  firm 
name. 

Begun  as  a  precaution  against  imposition,  this  practice  of 


682  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

chopping  lias  grown  into  a  flagrant  abuse,  and  been  made  the 
pretence  and  cover  for  dishonesty  and  fraud.  When  nothing 
but  dies  are  used,  and  the  coin  properly  stamped,  it  is  soon 
battered  and  defaced  Ijeyond  all  possibility  of  recognition,  but, 
worse  than  this,  gouges  and  drills  a  e  often  fraudulently  used, 
and  considerable  portions  of  silver  adroitly  removed  in  making 
thj  chop,so  that  holes  are  sometimes  cut  quite  through  the  piece. 
Passing  from  hand  to  hand  the  coin  is  mutilated  again  and 
again  repeatedly,  until  a  very  large  fraction  of  its  weight  has 
been  chopped  away  and  stolen.  It  has  been  reported  by  the 
merchants  of  Hong-Kong  to  the  Chinese  authorities  that  the 
rule  and  custom  of  chopping  coin  should  be  abolished  ;  but  all 
efforts  for  a  uniform  and  clean  currency  are  opposed  in  China 
by  the  Schrojs,  Gompradores,  money-brokers  and  bankers,  since 
the  greater  the  irregularities  and  complexities  the  more  they  can 
make  of  inordinate  profit  at  the  expense  of  the  iguorant. 
Traile  Dollars  are  preferred  unchopped  in  some  j)laces  in 
China ;  but  new,  bright,  perfect  Mexican  Dollars  are  often  at  a 
discount,  not  being  (as  it  were)  properly  endorsed. 

COPPER  AND  IRON  MONEY  OF  CHINA. 

After  the  final  abolition  of  the  ancient  Tao  coinage,  or  knife 
money,  which  the  Em|>eror  Wang-Mang  had  reintroduced,  A. 
D.  14,  that  "Son  of  Heaven"  ordered  a  new  kind  of  iron  cur- 
rency to  be  coined.  The  pieces  were  called  "Yik-Tseu"  which 
literally  means  *' Bended  round,  and  surrounded  with  red,'* 
on  account  of  the  raised  edge  of  the  coin  which  was  made  of 
ret!  copper.  Each  piece  was  worth  5  Tsu  or  5  Cash,  about 
3|  cents,  although  its  arbitrary  value  was  five  times  as  much. 
The  former  currency  had  been  extensively  counterfeited; 
within  two  years  counterfeits  of  the  new  iron  money  were  so 
numerous,  the  whole  coinage  fell  into  disrepute,  the  people 
refused  to  circulate  the  issue  at  the  legal  valuation,  and  it  was 
fioon  after  abolished. 

The  Emperor  having  learned  wisdom  by  adversity,  decided 
that  money  should  be  made  of  the  full  value  of  its  denomina- 


CHINA.  5S3 

tion.  An  Imperial  Mint  was  established,  and  three  officials  of 
the  Sang-Lin  (Acudeiny  of  Scieiice)  were  appointed  Mint-Mas- 
ters. After  this  the  provinces  and  districts  did  not,  as  formerly, 
each  make  its  own  money. 

The  Mint-Masters  had  to  do  their  utmost  in  order  to  provide 
the  whole  empire  with  a  good  and  valuable  currency.  To  all 
money  not  issued  by  them,  the  character  of  a  legal  tender  was 
denied. 

All  the  metallic  currency  of  whatever  nature  formerly  in 
use  was  withdrawn  and  brought  to  the  State  Mint,  in  order  to 
be  melted  and  recoined.  As  they  considered  it  too  expensive  to 
destroy  the  few  false  coiners  who  still  remained,  they  made  the 
most  formidable  and  skilled  of  them  workmen  in  the  service 
of  the  State,  at  the  new  Mint.  A  curious  practice.  How  dif- 
ferent from  our  system! 

For  about  forty  years  nothing  remarkable  happened.  The 
Five  Tsu  pieces,  issued  by  the  Sang-Lin  Mint-Masters,  were 
soon  after  that  time  extensively  counterfeited ;  and  under  the 
reign  of  Emperor  Yuen-Ti,  counterfeiting  was  practiced  to  such 
an  extent,  that  the  Minister  of  Finance,  Kung-Yii,  presented  a 
memorial  to  the  Throne,  in  which  he  earnestly  proposed  to 
abolish  the  iron  and  copper  money  and  to  go  back  again  to 
the  use  of  grain  and  cloth,  as  well  as  knives,  as  a  medium  of 
exchange. 

The  memorial  of  ^Mw^'-Fu  reported  the  following  startling 
facts:  "The  number  of  persons  who,  in  order  to  make  money, 
are  grasping  at  copper  and  iron,  amounts  to  over  100,000  in 
the  course  of  a  single  year.  The  people  cease  to  plough,  and 
being  engaged  in  false  coining,  they  incur  punishment.  J5e- 
sides,  many  rich  men  accumulate  money  in  treasuries,  and  arc; 
filling  their  dwellings  with  it,  and  yet  they  are  not  satisfied. 
The  minds  of  the  people  are  agitated,  they  leave  tlieir  ordinary 
emj)loyment  and  throw  away  their  j)rospects.  Husbandry  can- 
not afford  to  lose  half  of  the  hands  that  plough  the  fields,  and  the 
false  coiners  are  not  to  be  checked  in  their  unlawful  doings. 

"  If  taxes,  salaries,  and  rewards  were  all  reckoned  by  meant; 


584  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

of  silk,  cloth,  and  grain,  the  people  would  henceforth  turn  their 
thoughts  to  husbandry,  and  the  cultivation  of  mulberry  trees." 
His  advice  was,  however,  rejected  by  the  Emperor. 
During  the  one  hundred  and  seventeen  yeai-s  the  Sang-IAn 
Mint-masters  coined  that  copper-iron  money,  they  cast  280,000 
million  coins.  After  that  time  a  free  coinage  was  resorted  to 
again. 

The  Five  Tsu  pieces,  which  had  been  the  standard  coin  for 
more  than  eight  hundred  years,  were  afterwards  held  in  such 
contempt  that  it  was  impossible  to  retain  even  the  name.  Ac- 
cordingly the  Kai-  Yiien-  T'-  Ung-Pao,  an  entirely  new  coin,  was 
instituted. 

This  new  money  was 
uncommonly  good,  and 
it  may  safely  be  con- 
sidered the  best  and 
most  successful  coin 
issued,  having  main- 
KAi-YUEN-T'-uNG-PAo.  taiucd   its    |X)sition    for 

centuries.     The  reverse  chronicles  an  event  in  history. 

The  Obverse  bears  in  Chinese  Tswen  and  Li  characters : 
"  kai-yten-t'-ung-pao,"  meaning  ^^ Current  Money  of  the 
Newest  Beginning."  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  the  Em- 
peror's reign.  Reverse:  A  blank  Tfield,  with  a  nail  mark  at 
the  top.  This  nail  mark  has  rather  a  strange  history,  namely  : 
When  her  august  majesty  the  Empress  Wen-Tek'Vfd&  shown  the 
design  of  the  new  coin,  it  was  modeled  in  wax;  her  majesty 
reaching  for  it,  left  on  it  the  impression  of  her  fashionable  long 
nail,  and  the  Minister  not  daring  to  efface  it  the  Mint-masters 
imitated  that  nail  mark  on  their  coins  thereafter.  This  coin  is 
now  called  "Cash"  by  the  foreigners,  and  by  the  natives 
"Tsien"  and  is  the  only  legal  tender  coin  for  all  debts,  private 
and  public.  It  is  thin  and  circular,  and  nearly  an  inch  in 
diameter,  having  a  square  hold  in  the  centre,  with  a  raised  edge 
both  around  the  outside  and  around  the  hole. 

Those  now  in  use  have  the  name  of  the  reigning  Emperor 


DENMARK  AND  POSSESSIONS.  585 

as  a  Legend  at  the  top,  to  the  right  "tung,"  and  to  the  left 
"PAOU."  Exergue:  The  date  of  the  year  of  the  Emperor's 
reign,  all  in  Chinese  characters  and  numerals.  The  transla- 
tion of  "  TUNG,"  "  PAOU,"  is  Precious  Circulating  Medium. 

The  Chinese  Tael  of  the  present  day  is  divided  into  10  3Iace, 
or  Li;  100  Candareens,  or  Fan;  and  1000  Cash,  or  Tsien. 
Ten  of  these  Cash  ought  to  weigh  an  ounce  avoirdupois,  and 
the  Tael  of  one  thousand  Cash  should  weigh  six  pounds  and 
four  ounces;  they  are,  however,  often  much  lighter.  The  in- 
trinsic value  of  this  currency  is  whatever  such  a  mixture  of 
tin,  spelter,  copper,  and  iron  of  the  same  weight  would  bring; 
yet  the  Tael  of  one  thousand  Cash  passes  current  in  China,  at 
a  value  of  $1,61  United  States  money. 


DENMARK  AND  POSSESSIONS. 

The  general  name  of  Denmark  is,  in  Danish,  Danmark,  and 
is  supposed  to  be  derived  from  Dan,  the  founder  of  the  Danish 
monarchy,  and  Mark,  a  German  word  signifying  country ;  thus 
Dan- Mark  means :   Country  of  Dan. 

The  Danish  coinage  for  the  last  century  included  that  of 
Norway,  up  to  1813,  and  of  Schleswig-Holstein  to  1864.  Up 
to  1813,  Denmark  had  three  kinds  of  coinage:  1st,  Danish 
proper ;  2d,  that  of  Norway,  and  3d,  of  Schleswig-Holstein, 
and  still  uses  the  arms  of  Norway  and  Schleswig-Holstein  upon 
its  coins,  although  Norway  was  incorporated  with  Sweden  in 
1813,  and  in  1864  Schleswig-Holstein  reverted  to  Germany. 

In  1813  a  royal  edict  was  promulgated,  making  an  entire 
change  in  the  coinage.  In  1836  the  pieces  of  4,  3  and  2 
Skillings  were  added  to  the  coinage.  In  1875  an  entire  and 
radical  change  was  made  and  the  present  Krorte  and  Oere 
established. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  DENMARK. 

1.  Specie  Ducat  of  1802.     Obverse:    A  M'ild  man,  leaning 


586  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

with  his  right  hand  upon  an  oval  shield  bearing  the  arms  of 
Denmark,  and  supporting  with  his  left  hand  a  large  club,  the 
butt  end  resting  upon  the  ground  ;  at  the  left  side  is  inscribed 
"18,"  and  at  the  right  "02."  Legend:  "  moneta  aurea 
danica"  {Danish  Gold  Money).  Reverse:  A  square  shield 
containing  "  67  aegv.  pond.  marc.  col.  pretii.  23|  karat" 
(67  eqibal  in  weight  to  one  Cologne  mark,  and  of  23h  Chrats  fine- 
ness). Some  of  the  Specie  Ducats  have  tiie  same  inscription  in 
the  Danish  language,  namely  :  "  1  species  ducat.  23^  karat. 
67  STYKKER  1  MARK  BRUTO  "  (1  Ducot  Specie,  23^  Carats  fine, 
67  jneces  to  the  Mark  gross).  Weight :  53.92  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 983.     Value:  $2.28.3703. 

Ducats,  prior  to  1802,  bear  on  the  Obverse  the  head,  name 
and  title  of  the  reigning  king,  and  on  the  Reverse  the  arms  of 
Denmark,  and  the  Legend:  "prudentia  et  constancia" 
[Prudence  and  Perseverance).  Others  bear  on  the  Reverse  a  ship, 
with  the  Legend  :  "  duce  prudentia  constantia  comite  " 
(Prudence  being  the  guide,  Perseverance  the  cmnpanion). 

In  1813  the  Ducats  were  abolished  and  the  double  and  single 
Frederik  and  Christian  D'Or,  or  pieces  of  10  and  5  Dalers  of 
896  fineness,  substituted. 

2.  Double  Christian  D'Or.  Obverse:  Head  of  Christian 
VIII.  facing  to  the  right.  Legend:  "christianus  d.  q. 
danivE  v.  g.  rex"  {Christianus  VIII.  Dei  Gi'oiioe,  Danioe, 
Vandalorum,  Gotorum  Bex;  meaning  Christian  VIII.  by  the 
Grace  of  God,  King  of  Denmark,  Vandalia  and  Got  hen). 
Reverse:  A  crowned  shield,  quartered  by  a  cross,  l)earing  the 
arms  of  Denmark,  Norway,  Schleswig,  Gothen  and  SVenden  ; 
upon  the  cross  is  suspended  a  smaller  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of 
Holstein  and  Ditmarson,  Oldenburg  and  Delmenhorst;  at  either 
side  is  a  wild  man,  each  carrying  a  club,  and  leaning  upon  the 
shield  ;  the  .whole  displayed  upon  a  n)antle  of  ermine,  draped 
from  a  crown.  Legend:  "2  cirn.  d'or."  Exergue:  Date  of 
the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  205.002  grains.  Fineness:  895.833. 
Value:  $7.90.8062. 

3.  Double  Frederiks  D'Or.      Obverse:  Head  of  Frederik 


DENMARK  AND  POSSESSIONS.  587 

VII.  facing  to  the  right.  Legend:  "fredericus  vii.  d.  g. 
DANI.E  V.  G.  REX."  Reverse :  same  as  No.  2.  Weight :  205.002 
grains.     Fineness:  895.833.     Value:  $7.90.8062. 

4.  Frederiks  D'Or  of  Frederik  VI.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Frederik  VI.  facing  to  the  left.  Legend:  "fredericus  vi. 
REX.  DANi^."  Reverse  :  A  crowned  shield,  quartered  by  a 
cro.'^s,  and  bearing  the  arms  of  Denmark,  Norway,  Sweden, 
Schleswig,  Gothen  and  Wenden ;  ujwn  the  cross  is  susj)ended  a 
smaller  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Holstcin,  Storn)arn  and 
Ditmarson,  with  a  shield  of  pretence,  bearing  tiie  arms  of 
Oldenburg  and  Delmenhorst.  At  the  side  of  the  shield,  to  the 
left,  "  1  FR."  and  to  the  right  "  d'or."  No  Legend.  Exergue: 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  102.501  grains.  Fineness: 
895.833.     Value:  $3.95.4031. 

5.  Christian  D'Or  of  Christian  VIII.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Christian  VIII.  facing  to  the  left.     Legend:  "christianus 

VIII.  D.  G.  DANi^.  V.  G.  REX."  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  2. 
Weight:  102.501  grains.  Fineness:  895.833.  Value: 
$3.95.4031. 

6.  Frederiks  D'Or  of  Frederik  VII.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Frederik  VII.  Legend  :  "  fredericus  vii.  d.  g.  dani^e.  v.  g. 
REX "  (Fredencus  VII.  Dei  Gratice  Danice,  Vandalorum, 
Gotorum  Rex;  meaning:  Frederic  VII.  by  the  Grace  of  God, 
King  of  Denmark,  Vandalia  and  Gothen).  Reverse  :  Same  as 
No.  2.  Weight:  102.501  grains.  Fineness :  895.833.  Value: 
$3.95.4031. 

7.  Christian  D'Or  of  Christian  IX.  Obverse:  Head  of  Chris- 
tian IX.  Legend  :  "  christianiis  ix.  d.  g.  dani^  v.  g.  rex." 
[Christianus  IX.  Dei  Gratia  Dan ia;,  Vandalorum,  Gotorum  Rex; 
meaning:  Christian  IX.  by  the  Gi'ace  of  God,  King  of  Denmark, 
Vandalia  and  Gothen).     I^xergue  :  Date  of  tiie  year  of  issue. 

8.  20  Kroner  Gold  of  1875.     Obverse:  Head  of  Christian 

IX.  Legend:  "christian  ix.  konge  af  danmark" 
{Christian  IX.  King  of  Denmark).  Exergue:  1875.  Reverse: 
Crowned  shield  l)earinsr  the  arms  of  Denmark.  At  the  left 
of  shield,  a  fish ;  at  the  right,  a  spray  of  wheat.     Exergue : 


588 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


"20  kroner"  (Twenty   Ci-ovms).      Weight:    138.280  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $5.35.800. 

9.  10  Kroner  Gold  of  1875.  Obvei-se :  Same  as  No.  8. 
Reverse :  Similar  to  No.  8,  with  exception  of  the  Exergue, 
which  bears  "10  kroner"  {Ten  Q-oions).  Weight:  69.140 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $2.67.900. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  DENMARK. 
1.  The  Old  Ducatoon  of  Schleswig-Holstein,  of  1622. 


OLD   DUCATOON    OP    1622. 

This  coin  is  only  found  in  the  museums  of  Europe,  its  value 
is  whatever  numismatists  fancy.  Originally,  it  was  worth  95 
cents. 


BIGS-DALER  SPECIES   OR   RIX-DOLLAR   SPECIE. 

2.  Rigs  Daler  Species  of  1696.     Obverse:  Head  of  Chris- 


DENMARK  AND  POSSESSIONS.  g89 

tian  V.  Legend :  "christian  v.  d,  g.  rex.  dan.  nor.  v.  g." 
{Christian  V.  Dei  Gratice  Rex  Danice,  Norvegice  Vandalorum, 
Gotorum;  meaning:  Christian  V.  King  of  Denmark,  Norway, 
Vandalia  and  Gothen.) 

Reverse :  A  crowned  shield,  quartered  by  a  cross,  and  bear- 
ing the  arras  of  Denmark,  Norway,  Sweden,  Schleswig,  Gothen 
and  Wenden ;  upon  the  cross  is  suspended  a  smaller  shield, 
bearing  the  arms  of  Holstein,  Stormarn  and  Ditraarson.  Legend : 
"  PiETATE  ET  lUSTiTiA "  {DevotioTi  and  Justice).  Exergue : 
16-96.     Original  value  about  $1.02;  present  value  fictitious. 

3.  Eight  Marks  Specie  of  1675.  Obverse:  Christian  V.  on 
horseback.     No  Legend  or  Exergue. 


EIGHT  MARKS  SPECIE  OF   1675. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield  l)earing  the  arms  of  Denmark; 
three  lions  coxirant,  and  nine  hearts  argent.  Legend:  "vill 
MARCK  DANSKE  1675"  {Eight  Marks  Danish  currency,  1675). 

Original  value  about  $1.12| ;  present  value  fictitious. 

4.  Sixty  Shillings  Schleswig-Holstein  currency  of  1787. 
Obverse :  Head  of  Christian  VII.  Legend  :  "  christian  vii. 
D.  G.  REX.  DAN.  NOR.  V.  G."  Reverse:  An  oval  shield 
crowned,  divided  in  three  parts,  bearing  the  arms  of  Denmark, 
Norway,  and  Sweden.  Legend:  "60  shillings  schleswig. 
HOLST.  couRANT."  Exerguc :  "1787."  Original  value 
about  98  cents ;  present  value  fictitious. 

5.  Species-Dalerof  1801.  Obverse:  Head  of  Christian  VII. 
Legend  :  "  christian  vii.  d.  g.  rex  dan.  nor.  v.  g." 


690 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 


Reverse :  Crowned  square  shield,  with  the  arms  of  Norway, 
a  Hon  rampant  upon,  and  hohh'ng,  a  long  curved  battle  axe. 
At  tiie  left  of  shield,  "  1 ;"  at  the  right,  "  SPS  "  (meaning  :  One 
Specie  Dollar).  Beneath  the  shield,  "  9|  ST.  1  mk.  f.  s/  (9^ 
^uck  Mark  Fein  Silver;  meaning:  Q I  Pieces  make ^e  Mark 
fine  silver).     Still  lower,  "  18,"  two  hammers  crossed,  "  01  " 


SPECIE  DOLLAR  OP   1801, 

(Signifying :  Struck  at  the  Mint  of  Norway  from  silver  obtained 
from  the  silver  mines  at  Konigsberg  in  1801).  Original  value, 
about  97|*cents;  present  value,  fictitious. 

6.  Speeies-Daler  of  1824.     Obverse:  Head  of  Frederik  VI. 
Legend  :  "  fredericvs  vi.  d.  q.  rex  dan.  nor.  v.  g." 


SPECIE  DOLLAR  OF  1824. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No  5.  Value:  Same  as  No.  6.  The  let- 
ters "  J.  M.  K."  on  the  Exergue  of  No.  5  and  No.  6  are  the 
Mint-master's  initials. 


DENMARK  AND  POSSESSIONS. 


691 


7.  Rigs-Daler  Species  of  1838.  Obverse:  Head  of  Fred- 
ericus  VI.,  same  as  No.  6. 

Reverse :  Crowned,  quartered  shield  same  as  No.  2.  Ex- 
ergue:  "1838."    Legend:  "en  eigs-daler  species"  {One 


RIGS-DALER  SPECIE  OP   1838. 

Bix  Dollar  Specie).      Weight*    455.886  grains.      Fineness: 
875.     Vahie:  $1.11.0166. 

8.  Rigs-Daler  Species  of  1839.     Obverse:  Same  as  No.  6. 


RIGS-DALER  SPECIES  OP  1839. 


Reverse :  Crowned,  quartered  shield  same  as  No.  2.  Le- 
gend:  "en  rigsdaler  species."  Weight:  455.886  grains. 
Fineness:  875.     Value:  $1.11.0166. 

9.  Rigs-Daler  of  Christian  VIII.  of  1844.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Christian  VIII.  Legend:  "  CIIRISTIANVS  Viii.  D.  G. 
DANi^  V.  G.  REX."  Reverse:  A  crowned  shield,  bearing  the 
arms  of  Denmark,  Norway,  Sweden,  Schleswig,  Gothen,  and 


592  DYBPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

& 

Vandalia ;  upon  the  cross  is  suspended  a  smaller  shield,  bearing 

the  arras  of  Holstein,  Stormarn  and  Ditmarson.  The  shield  on 
this  coin  is  encircled  by  the  chain,  and  badge  of  the  Order  of 
the  Elephant.  On  the  base,  the  initials  of  the  designer, 
"  H.  c."  Weight :  455.886  grains.  Fineness :  875.  Value  : 
$1.11.0166. 

10.  Species-Daler  of  Christian  VIII.  Obverse :  Head  of 
Christian  VIII.,  facing  right.  Legend  :  "  christianvs  viil. 
D.  G.  DANi^  V.  G.  REX."  Reverire :  Crowned  shield:  at 
either  side  a  wild  man,  carrying  a  club,  and  leaning  upon  the 
shield ;  the  whole  displayed  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped 
from  a  crown.  Above  the  Legend  :  "  1  species."  Exergue  : 
"1846."  Weight :  455.886  grains.  Fineness:  875.  Value: 
$1.11.0166. 

11.  Species-Daler  of  Frederik  VII.  of  1848.  This  Species- 
Daler  is  an  exceptional  piece,«as  it  bears  the  portraits  of  two 
sovereigns :  that  of  the  one  dying  in  1848,  having  been  struck 
upon  the  Obverse,  and  that  of  his  successor,  the  same  year, 
upon  the  Reverse  of  the  coin.  Obverse:  Head  of  the  preced- 
ing King,  'Christian  VIIL,  upon  it  a  chaplet  of  oak  and  laurel. 
Legend:  "christian  viii.  konge  ap  danmark."  Inside 
of  that  Legend,  another  one,  but  in  smaller  letters :  "  dod  den 
20  JANUAR  1848  **  {Christian  VIIL,  King  of  Denmark,  died 
January  20ih,  1848).  Exergue:  "1  species."  Reverse: 
Head  of  Frederik  VIL,  the  succeeding  King.  Legend : 
"frederik  VII.  konge  af  DANMARK."  Weight:  455.886 
grains.     Fineness:  875.     Value:  $1.11.0166. 

12.  Species-Daler  of  Frederik  VII.  of  1849.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Frederik  VII.  Legend:  "  fredericvs  vii.  d.  g. 
dani^  v.  g.  rex."  Reverse :  Crowned  and  quartered  shield 
of  arms  of  Denmark,  etc.,  surrounded  by  an  oak  wreath;  left 
of  it,  "  1849,"  and  to  the  right,  the  Mint-mark  of  Copenhagen. 
Exergue:  "  1  species."  Weight:  455.886 grains.  Fineness: 
875.     Value:  $1.11.0166. 

13.  Two  Rigs-Daler  of  1855.  Obverse:  Head  of  Frederick 
VIL     Legend:  "frfj)Ericvs  vn.  d.  g.  danije  v.  g.  rex." 


DENMARK  AND  POSSESSIONS.  693 

Exergue:  "1855."  Reverse:  '*2  rigsdaler,"  in  two  lines 
in  tiie  middle  of  the  field;  beneath,  "9^  ST:=  1  M:  P:  S:"  (9^ 
pieces  to  make  one  Mark  fine  silver).  The  whole  surrounded  by 
a  heavy  oak  wreath. 

14.  Two  Rigs-Daler  of  Christian  IX.  of  1868  to  1874,  inchi- 
sive.  Obverse:  Head  of  Christian  IX.  Legend:  "chkis- 
TiANva  IX.  D.  G.  DANLE  V.  G.  REX."     Exergue :  "  1868." 


TWO   RIGS-DALER   OF    1868. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  13.  Weight:  455.886  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 875.     Value:  $1.11.0166. 

15.  Four  Mark  Piece  of  Christian  IV.  Obverse:  Full 
length  figure  of  King  Christian  IV.     Legend:  "christianvs 

nil.  D.  G.  DANI.E." 


FOUR   MARK    PIECE   OF    1620. 


Reverse :  In  the  centre  of  field  a  large  crown  ;  above  it,  in 
2L 


594 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


an  arch,  "1.6.2.0.;"  underneath,  "r.  f.  p."  (Mint-mark),  sur- 
rounded by  a  circle.  Legend:  "norveg.  vandal,  gotor. 
rex"  {Norvegioi'um,  Vandalorum,  Gotoi-um  Rex;  meaning: 
Kirig  of  Norway  and  of  the  Vandals  and  Goths).  Original 
value,  about  50  cents;  present  value  fictitious. 

16.  Four  Mark  Piece  of  Christian  V.  Obverse :  The  royal 
monogram,  two  "c's"  and  two  "5's"  interlaced,  surmounted  by 
a  crown.     Legend :  "  d.  g.  rex  dan.  nor.  van.  got." 


FOUR  MARK   DAN8KE  OF   1694. 


Reverse :  Crowned  lion  courant  upon,  and  holding  a  long 
<rnrved  battle  axe,  surrounded  by  laurel  wreath,  tied  with  the 
order  of  the  elephant.     Legend  :  "nil  marck  danske,  1694," 


FOUR   MARKS  OP   1699. 

and  two  hammers  crossed ;  Mint-mark  of  Norway.     Original 
value  about  50  cents;  present  value  fictitious. 


DENMARK  AND  POSSESSIONS. 


595 


17.  Four  Mark  Piece  of  Frederik  IV.  Obverse:  An  eques- 
trian image  of  King  Frederik  IV.     Legend:   "fredericvs 

IIII    D.   G.    REX    DAN.    NOR.   V.    Q."      Exergue :     "IIII    MARCH 

danske"  (////  Marks  Danish). 

Reverse:  Crowned  and  quartered  shield  of  Denmark,  etc 
Legend:  "pietate  et  iustitia"  {Devotion  and  Justiee). 
Original  value  50  cents ;  present  value  fictitious. 

18.  Two-third  Rigs-Daler  of  1796.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Christian  VII.  Legend:  "christian  vii.  d.  g.  dan.  noev. 
V.  G.  rex." 


•nVO-THIRD   RIGS-DALER   OF    1796. 

Reverse:  Crowned  oval  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Denmark^ 
Norway  and  Sweden.  Legend :  "  f  rigsdaler.  species." 
Exergue:  "17,"  two  hammers  saltiere  wise  "96,"  and  the  Mint- 
master's  initials.  Original  value  about  67  cents;  present  value 
fictitious. 


RIGS-BANK-DALER  OP   1813. 

19.  The   Rigs-Bank-Daler  of    1813.     Obverse:    Head   of 
Frederik  VI.     Legend :  "  fredericvs  vi.  d.  g.  dani^  nor. 

V.  G.  REX." 


5^6 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


Reverse:  Crowned  and  quartered  shield  of  Denmark,  Sweden, 
Norway,  etc.  Legend :  "  en  rigsbankdaler."  This  Rigs- 
Daler  was  issued  by  the  National  Bank  of  Denmark  during  the 
war  of  Napoleon  I.,  in  1813;  it  had  a  nominal  value  of  about 
48  cents;  but  was  soon  withdrawn  from  circulation. 

20.  Sixteenth  Skilling  of  Christian  IV.  of  1644.  Obverse: 
Crowned  bust  of  Christian  IV.  below  the  arms  of  Denmark, 
three  lions  couraid  and  nine  hearts  argeid.     Legend:  "chris- 

TIA  4.  D.  G.  D.  DAN.  N.  V-  G.  R." 


SIXTEEN  SKILUNO  OF   1644. 

Reverse:  Large  letter  "C,"  inside  of  which  the  figure  "4," 
snrmounted  by  a  crown.  Legend :  "xvi  shilling  dansk 
1644."  Value  originally  about  12|  cents  j  present  value  ficti- 
tious. 


TWENTY-FOUR  SKILLING  OF   1730. 


20.  Twenty-four  Skilling  of  Christian  VI.,  1730.     Obverse: 
Head  of  Christian  VI.     Legend:  "christianvs  vl" 
■  Reverse:  The  royal  monogram, two  "c'*"  and  two  «6''"  in- 
terlaced, surmounted  by  a  crown.     legend:  "d.  g.  rex  dan. 
NORV.  VAN.  G."     Original  value  about  25  cents. 


DENMARK  AND  POSSESSIONS, 


597 


21.  Twenty-four  Skilling  of  Frederick  V.  Obverse: 
Crowued  lion  courant  upon,  and  holding,  a  long  curved  battle- 
axe.  Legend:  "24  skilling  danske  1757."  Exergue: 
two  hammers  crossed. 


TWENTY-FOUR  SKILLING   OF    1757. 

Reverse:  The  royal  monogram,  two  "f'^"  and  two  "5's" 
interlaced,  surmounted  by  a  crown.  Legend:  "d.  g.  rex 
DAN.  NORV.  VA.  GO."  Original  value  about  25  cents;  present 
value  fictitious. 


TWENTY-FOUR  SKILLING  OF   1766. 
22.  Twenty-four    Skilling    of    Christian    VIL      Obverse: 
Same  as  that  of  No.  21. 

Reverse:  The  royal  monogram,  two  "c'*"  and  two  "7'^^' 


TWENTY   SCHILLING   OF    IIOI.STEIN,    1792. 

interlaced.      Legend:    "d.  g.  dan.   nor.  van.    got.  rex.' 
Original  value  about  25  cents. 


598  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 

23.  Twenty  Skilling  of  1792.     Obverse:    Head  of  Chris- 
tian VII.     Legend :  "  christianvs  vii.,  d.  g.  dan.  norv.  v. 

O.  REX." 

Reverse:  "xx  schilling  1792,"  in  four  lines;  surrounded 
by  a  laurel  wreath.     Original  value  21  cents. 

24.  Twelve  Skilling  of  1722.     Obverse:    Head  of   Fred- 
erik  IV.     Legend :  "  frederjcvs  iv  d.  g.  dan.  n.  v.  g.  r." 


TWELVE   SKILLING   OF    1722. 


Reverse :  Crowned,  heart-shaped  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of 
Denmark,  Norway,  and  Sweden.  Legend :  "  xii  skilling 
DANSKE,  1722."  Original  value  about  12|  cents;  intrinsic 
value  10  cents;  present  value  whatever  numismatists  fancy. 

25.  Rigs-Bank-Daler  of  1841.  Being  the  integer,  or  mone- 
tary unit,  established  by  an  edict  of  Christian  VIII.,  this  sil- 
ver coin  is  the  Rigs-Bank-Daler,  or  Dollar  of  the  National 
Bank  of  Denmark,  and  is  just  half  the  weight  and  value  of 
the  old  Specie  Dollar.  The  smaller  denominations  of  32,  16 
and  8  Rigs-Bank-Skillings  are  therefore  about  one-sixth,  one- 
twelfth,  and  one-twenty-fourth  of  the  old  Specie  Daler  or 
Dollar.  Since  then  the  4,  3,  2,  and  1  Skilling  pieces  have 
been  added  to  the  coinage,  and  are  coined  250  fine.  The 
Specie-Daler,  although  no  longer  a  unit  or  integer,  still  exists 
as  a  coin  at  its  former  standard ;  but  since  1875  (when  Den- 
mark adopted  a  new  coinage,  upon  the  gold  standard,  as  legal 
tender),  has  been  almost  swept  out  of  circulation.  Since  1875 
this  Rigs-Bank-Daler  of  1841  has  been  a  legal  tender.  Ol>- 
verse:  Head  of  Christian  VIII.  Legend:  "christianvs 
VIII.  D.  G.  DANi^  v.  G.  REX."  Reverse :  Crowned  and  quar- 
tered shield  similar  to  that  described  in  No.  9.  Legend  above : 


DENMARK  AND  POSSESSIONS.  690 

"  1     RIGS-BANK-DALER."        ExCfgUe  :    "  30    SCHILLING    COUR- 

ANT."     Weight:    222.936   grains.      Fineness:   875.     Value: 
$0.56.2685. 

26.  Rigs-Daler  of  Frederik  VII.,  1855.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Frederik  VII.  Legend:  "fredericvs  vii.,  d.  g.  dani^^, 
V.  G.  REX."  Exergue:  "1855."  Revei-se:  "1  rigsdaler  " 
in  the  middle  of  field,  in  a  half  circle  below  "  18  J  st;  1  m  : 
P:  s:"  (18^  pieces  to  make  one  Mark  fine  silver).  The  whole 
surrounded  by  a  heavy  oak  wreath.  Weight :  222.936  grains. 
Fineness :  875.    Value  :  $0.56.2685. 

27.  Half  Rigs-Daler  of  Frederik  VII.,  of  1855.  Obverse 
and  Reverse  same  as  on  No.  26,  only  in  proportion  to  size,  and 
instead  of  1  Rigsdaler,  "  ^  RIGSDALEr"  in  two  lines,  and  the 
half  circle  below  entirely  omitted.  Weight:  111.648  graiiij^. 
Fineness :  875.     Value :  $0.28.1342. 

28.  Rigs-Daler  of  Christian  IX.,  of  1868  to  1874,  inclusive. 
Obverse:  Head  of  Christian  IX.  Legend:  "christianvs 
IX.,  D:  G:  DANi^  V.  G.  REX."  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year 
of  issue.  Reverse:  "1  rigsdaler,"  below  in  a  half  circle 
**18|  1  M:=F:  s:"  (18|  pieces  equal  to  one  Mark  fine  silver). 
The  whole  surrounded  by  a  heavy  laurel  wreath.  Weight : 
222.943  grains.     Fineness:  875.     Value:  $1.55.5084. 

29  Half  Rigs-Daler  of  Christian  IX.,  of  1868  to  1874  in- 
clusive. Obverse:  Same  as  No.  28.  Reverse:  Same  as  No. 
28,  only  "^  rigsdaler"  is  substituted  for  "1  rigsdaler" 
and  the  half  circle  below  it  is  omitted.  Weight:  111.471 
grains.     Fineness:  875.     Value:  $0.27.7542. 

This  completes  all  the  silver  coins  of  Denmark,  up  to  the 
latest  edict  of  January  1st,  1875,  when  a  new  silver  coinage  was 
ordered.  The  fineness  of  875  was  reduced  to  800  fine  silver  and 
200  copper.  The  unit  to  be  a  "Krone"  or  Crown,  to  weigh 
7.500  grammes,  French  standard,  and  to  be  25  millimetres  of 
France  in  diameter.  The  Double  Krone  to  weigh  15  grammes, 
and  be  31  millimetres  in  diameter.  The  Krone  of  1875  to  be 
exchanged  for  48  Skillings  of  1868-1874,  and  the  Double  or 
Two  "Kroner"  for  one  Rigs-Daler  of  1868-1874. 


600  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

30.  Double  or  Two  Kroner  of  1875  and  since.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Christian  IX.  Legend:  "christian  ix  konge  ap 
DANMARK."  Exergue :  "c.  s.,"  Engraver's  initials;  "1875," 
and  a  small  heart,  Mint-mark  of  Copenhagen. 


TWO  KRONER  OF   1875   AND  SINCE. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield  bearing  the  arms  of  Denmark, 
three  lions  courard,  and  nine  hearts  argent.  To  left  of  shield, 
a  fish;  to  the  right,  a  spray  of  wheat.  Exergue:  "2  kroner." 
Weight:  231.480  grains.     Fineness:  800.     Value:  $0.53.600. 

31.  Krone  or  Crown  of  1875  and  since.  Obverse:  Same  as 
No.  30.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  30,  only  "1  krone"  is  sub- 
stituted for  2  Kroner.  Weight:  165.740  grains.  Fineness: 
800.     Value:  $0.26.800. 

Tliis  silver  coinage  is  no  longer  a  full  legal  tender;  but  is  re- 
ceivable for  government  taxes  and  private  debts,  to  the  amount 
of  20  Kroner,  or  $5.36  cents  of  our  money.  The  Krone  of 
1875  is  divided  in  100  Oere  instead  of  48  Skillings  as  hereto- 
fore. 

BILLON  COINS  OF  DENMARK. 

1.  One-third  Rigs-Daler  of  32  Skillings,  of  the  Rigs-Bank. 
Obverse:  Head  of  Christian  VIII.  Reverse:  Crowned  shield 
of  Denmark,  etc.  Weight:  94.584  grains.  Fineness:  687.50. 
Value:  18  cents. 

2.  One-sixth  Rigs-Daler  of  16  Skillings,  of  the  Rigs-Bank. 
Obverse :  Head  of  Frederik  VII. 


DENMARK  AND  POSSESSIONS.  601 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield  of  Denmark,  etc.     Weight:  65.031 
grains.     Fineness :  500.     Value :  9  cents. 


16   SKILLING   OF  THE   RIGS-BANK. 

3.  One-twelfth  Rigs-Daler  of  8  Skillings,  of  the  Rigs-Bank. 
Obverse  and  Reverse  same  as  No.  2.  Weight:  32.530  grains. 
Fineness:  500.     Value:  4i  cents. 


8  SKILLING  SPECIE  OF  1788. 


4.  Eight  Skilling  Specie  of  1788.     Obverse :  Head  of  Chris- 
tian VII. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield  of  Denmark,  etc.     Value:  9  cents. 

5.  Four  Specie  Skilling  of  Ciirlstian  VIII. 


FOUR  SPECIE  SKILLING   OF   CFIRISTIAN   VIII. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield  of  Denmark,  etc.  Weight:  28.642 
grains.     Fineness :  250.     Value :  2J  cents. 

6.  Two  Skilling  of  1781.  Obverse:  Head  of  Christian 
VII. 


602  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Reverse:  Crowned  oval  shield   bearing  arms  of  Denmark. 
Value:  2|  cents. 


TWO   SKILLING   OF   CHRISTIAN  VH. 

7.  Four  Rigs-Bank  Skilling  of  Christian  VIII.     Obverse: 
Head  of  Christian  VIII. 


FOUR  RIGS-BANK  SKILLING  OF  CHRISTIAN  Vin. 

Reverse :  A  Crown ;  beneath  sword  and  sceptre  crossed. 
Value :  4  cents. 

8.  50  Oere  piece  of  1875  and  since.  Obverse:  Head  of  Chris- 
tian IX.  Reverse:  "50  oeres."  Weight:  77.160  grains. 
Fineness:  600.     Value:  $0.13.350. 

9.  40  Oere  Piece  of  1875,  and  since.  Obverse  and  Reverse: 
Same  as  No.  8,  only  "40"  instead  of  "50,"  on  Reverse. 
Weight:  61.728  grains.     Fineness:  600.     Value:  $0.10.700. 

10.  25  Oere  Piece  of  1875,  and  since.  Obverse  and  Reverse: 
Same  as  No.  8,  only  "25"  instead  of  "50,"  on  Reverse. 
Weight  reduced  to  37.345  grains,  instead  of  38.580,  in  exact 
proportion  to  the  50  Oere  piece.  Fineness:  600.  Value: 
$0.06.500. 

11.  10  Oere  Piece  of  1875,  and  since.  Obverse  and  Re- 
verse: Same  as  No.  8,  only  "10"  instead  of  "50,"  on  Re- 
verse. Weight:  22.376  grains.  Fineness,  only  400.  Value: 
$0.02.700.  The  50  Oere  Piece  is  taken  in  exchange  for  24 
Skillings;  the  40  for  20;  the  24  for  12;  the  10  for  5  Skillings. 


DENMARK  AND  POSSESSIONS.  603 

COPPER  COINS  OF  DENMARK. 
The  old  copper  coins  of  Denmark,  prior  to  1875,  are  all 
called  in,  and  their  value  being  entirely  nominal,  we  only  men- 
tion that  they  formerly  passed  for  1  Rigs-Bank  Skilling,  and  its 
parts,  the  one-fifth  and  one-sixth.  The  coins  all  bear  their 
value  upon  the  Reverse.  The  2  Courant  Skilling  of  1810  still 
circulates  to  some  extent,  and  is  known  by  its  monogram,  "  f. 
R.,"  interlaced,  and  upon  the  Reverse:  "2  Skilling  Courant." 
It  is  current  for  4  Rigs-Bank  Skillings,  valued  at  about  2J 
cents.  The  new  and  only  legal  tender  copper  coins  are  the  5,  2 
and  1  Oere  of  1875,  and  since. 

1.  5  Oere  Piece.  Obverse:  Christian  IX.  Reverse:  Large 
"5  OERE,"  in  two  lines,  the  letter  O  has  a  dart  through  it;  to 
the  left,  a  fish  ;  to  the  right,  a  spray  of  wheat.  Weight:  123- 
.456  grains.  Composition,  95  parts  copper,  4  parts  tin,  and  1 
part  zinc.     Value:  §0.01.370. 

2.  2  Oere  Piece.  Obverse  and  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1,  only 
"2"  instead  of  "5"  on  Reverse.  Weight:  61.728  grains. 
Value,  about  half  a  cent. 

3.  1  Oere,  same  as  No.  1,  only  "1"  instead  of  "6,"  on  Re- 
verse.    Weight:  30.864  grains.     Value,  one-fourth  of  a  cent. 


DANISH  POSSESSIONS. 

SILVER  COINAGE. 
In  the  Danish  West  Indies  up  to  1859  the  Skilling  was  car- 


Vmynt-  J 

Nils  4 5.  V^ 


TWENTY   SKILLIXG   OF    1845. 

rent,  since  then  tlie  Dollar  has  been  adopted  as  the  integer,  and 
the  cent  as  its  fraction. 


604  BYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

1.  20  Skilling  of  1845.  Obverse:  Crowned  shield,  with 
arms  of  Denmark. 

Reverse:  "XX  SKILLINQ  DANSK  amerikansk  mynt"  (20 
shiUinffs  Danish-American  Money).  Exergue:  "1845."  Weight: 
75.186  grains.     Fineness:  625.     Value:  13  cents. 

2.  12  Skilling  of  1767.     Obverse:  Head  of  Frederik  VL 


TWELVE  SKILLING   OP    1767. 

Reverse:  Ship  partly  under  sail;  beneath,  1767.     Legend: 

"XII    SKILL.     DANSKE     AMERICANSK     M."      Weight:     40.120 

grains.     Fineness:  600.     Value:  7  cents. 

3.  6  Skilling  of  1850.     Obverse :  Crowned  shield,  with  arms 
of  Denmark. 


SIX  SKILLING  OF   1850.  TWO  SKILLING  OF  1842. 

Reverse:  "vi  SKILLING  dansk.  amer.  mynt."  Weight: 
20.055  grains.     Fineness :  625.     Value :  3  cents. 

4.  20  Cent  Piece  of  Frederik  VII.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Frederik  VII.  Legend :  "  frederik  vii.  konge  af.  dan- 
mark"  (Frederik  VILj  King  of  Denmark).  Exergue: 
"1859."  Reverse:  Ship  under  sail.  Legend:  "dansk  vest 
INDISK  MOENT  "  (Danish  West  India  Money).  Exergue :  "  20 
cents."  Weight:  108  grains.  Fineness:  700.  Value:  20 
cents. 

5.  10  Cent]  Piece  of  Frederik  VII.  Obverse :  Same  as  No. 
4.  Reverse :  Three  sugar  canes.  Legend :  "  dansk  vest 
INDISK  MOENT  "  {Danish  West  India  Money).     Exergue :  "  10 


ECUADOR.  605 

CENTS."     Weight:    54  grains.     Fineness:    700.     Value:    10 
cents. 

6.  5  Cent  Piece.  Obverse  and  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  4, 
only  "5  cents"  instead  of  "20,"  on  Exergue  upon  Reverse. 
Weight:  27  grains.     Fineness:  700.     Vahie:  5  cents. 

7.  3  Cent  Piece.  Obverse :  Head  of  Frederik  VII.  Re- 
verse: Large  "3,"  beneath  "cents."  Legend:  "dansk 
VEST  INDISK  moent"  {Danish  West  India  Money).  Edge, 
plain.     Weight:  17  grains.     Fineness:  700.     Value:  3  cents. 

The  20,  10,  5,  and  3  Cent  Pieces  of  Denmark  are  now  coined 
with  the  head  of  Christian  IX.  upon  the  Obverse.  Legend : 
"christian  IX.  KONGE.  AF  DANMARK "  {Christian  JX,  King 
of  Denmark) ;  but  are  in  other  respects  the  same  as  the  coins 
of  like  value  but  earlier  date,  numbers  4,  5,  6,  and  7,  as  de- 
scribed above 


ECUADOR. 

The  Republic  of  Ecuador  became  an  independent  State  in 
1831.  It  derives  its  name  from  the  fact  that  its  territory  lies 
immediately  beneath  the  equator.  In  1833  a  Mint  was  es- 
tablished at  Quito,  the  capital,  and  coins  issued  in  conformity 
in  their  divisions  to  the  Spanish  money,  the  unit  being  the 
dollar  of  eight  reals.  In  1858  Ecuador  adopted  the  French 
standard.  The  coinage  of  Ecuador  is  very  limited,  and  often 
faulty. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  ECUADOR. 

1.  The  Doubloon,  or  Onza  de  Oro  of  8  Escudos,  or  16  Pesos. 
Obverse:  Head  of  Liberty  with  "libertad"  inscribed  upon 
a  band  around  it.  Legend:  "el  poder  en  la  constitu- 
cion"  {The  Power  in  the  Constitution).  Exergue:  "21  q"" 
(21  Quilates;  meaning:  20.28  Carats,  {870)  fine).  Date  of  the 
year  of  issue,  and  "8  e  "  (8  Escudos  or  16  Dollars). 

Reverse:  Two  mountains;  upon  one  is  a  castle,  and  upon 
the  other  a  condor;  in  the  background  a  volcano;  above  is  th(! 


606  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

sun,  with  the  signs  of  the  Zodiac,  and  seven  stars.  Legend: 
"republica  del  ECUADOR."  Exergue:  "quito."  "m.  v." 
{Mini-mark  and  Mint-master's  initials).  Weight:  416.673 
grains.     Fineness:  870.     Value:  §15.61.3354. 

2.  Tlie  Doubloon  of  1865  and  since.  Obverse:  Head  of 
General  Bolivar.  Legend :  "  el  poder  en  la  constitucion.'* 
Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  "21  Q^"  Reverse: 
Oval  shield  bearing  the  arms  of  Ecuador;  above  it  a  condor 
with  outstretched  wings :  four  flags  saltiere  wise ;  oak  branches 
to  the  left  of  shield,  and  palm  branches  to  the  right.  Legend : 
"republica  del  ECUADOR."  Excrgue:  "quito"  and  "g.  j." 
{Miid-mxister s  initials).  At  the  left  of  shield  and  flags  "8,"  at 
the  right  "e"  (8  Escudos).  Weight:  416.673  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 870.     Value:  6l5.61.3354. 

3.  Half  Doubloon  or  Half  Onza  de  Oro  of  4  Escudos  or  8 
Pesos.     Obverse :  Same  as  No.  1. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  208.336  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 870.     Value:  $7.80.6677. 


HALF   doubloon  OR   HALF   ONZA.  PISTOLE  OF    1835. 

4.  Quarter  Doubloon  or  Pistole.  Obverse :  A  female  bust, 
the  hairconfinetl  by  a  band  upon  which  is  inscribed  "libertad." 
Legend  :  "  el  Ecuador  en  Columbia."  Exergue :  "  quito." 
Reverse:  Two  mountain  peaks,  upon  each  of  which  is  perched 
a  condor;  above  is  the  sun.  Legend  :  "el  poder  en  la  con- 
STiTUCiON."  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  AVeight: 
104.168  grains.     Fineness :  870.     Value:  §3.90. 

5.  Eighth    of  a   Doubloon.     Obverse :    Fasces,  arrow   and 


ECUADOR. 

bows,  snrroanded  by  horns  of  plenty,  occupying  the  field, 
gend  and  Exergue,  same  as  No.  4. 


607 
Le- 


EIGHTH    OF   A    DOUBLOON   OR   HALF   PISTOLE. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  4.  This  coin  has  been  struck  with 
great  irregularity  as  to  size  and  weight,  and  its  value  varies 
from  $1.78  to  $L95. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  ECUADOR. 

1.  The  Peso  or  Dollar  of  8  Reales  of  1831.     Obverse:  Head 
Of  a  female  with  a  band  around  the  hair,  upon  it  "libertad," 

Legend :  "  el  poder  en  la  constitucion."  Exergue : 
"1831."  Weight:  416.673  grains.  Fineness:  875  and  some- 
times 900.  Value:  $1.04  to  $1.07|.  This  coin  is  very  scarce 
and  out  of  general  circulation  for  years.  Among  collectors  of 
coins  it  brings  a  very  high  premium. 

2.  The  Peso  or  Dollar  of  1846.  Obverse:  Head  of  Liberty, 
with  "libertad"  inscribed  upon  liberty  cap.  Legend:  "el 
poder  en  la  constitucion."     Exergue:  "1846." 


peso  op  eight  reales  of  ECUADOR,  1846   TO   1858. 


Reverse :  Arms  and  ensigns  of  Ecuador.     Legend :  "  repub- 


608  DYFS  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

LICA    DEL    ECUADOR."      Exergue :    "QUITO."      "g.   J."    "8    R." 

Weiglit:    416.673   grains.     Fineness:    900.     Value:    |1.07- 
.3300. 

In  1857  a  Macuquino  Piaster  of  4  Reals  or  8  Deciraos  was 
struck  at  Quito;  it  was  a  compromise  between  the  former  coin- 
age of  Ecuador  and  the  new  5  Franc  Piece  of  25  grammes,  and 
was  coined  to  weigh  20  grammes.  Its  coinage  has  been  very 
limited. 

3.  The  Macuquino  Piaster  of  1857.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Liberty.  Legend :  "  EL  poder  en  la  constitucion."  Ex- 
ergue: the  date  "1857,"  and  "8  Ds"  (8  Decimos ;  meaning:  8 
Tenths).  Reverse:  The  arms  and  ensigns  of  Ecuador.  Legend: 
"republica  del  ECUADOR."  Exergue :  "  Quito,  g.  j.;"  at 
the  left  of  the  shield  "  4  "  and  at  the  right  "  R."  Weight :  308- 
.646  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value:  $0.78.9975. 

In  1858  Ecuador  joined  the  Latin  Monetary  Union  and  re- 
duced its  Dollar  to  the  standard  of  the  Five  Franc  Piece  of 
France. 

4.  The  Cinquo  Francos  Piece  of  1858  and  since.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Liberty,  heavier  in  face  than  No.  2.  No  inscription 
on  band.  Legend:  "el  poder  en  la  constitucion."  Ex- 
ergue: "1858.  0.900"  (900  fine).  Reverse:  Arms  and  ensigns 
of  Ecuador.  Legend :  "  republica  del  Ecuador."  Ex- 
ergue :  "  QUITO,  G.  J."  Weight :  385.808  grains.  Fineness : 
900.     Value:  $0.96 1. 

5.  2  Reals  of  1835.     Obverse :  Head  of  Liberty.     Legend : 

"  REPUBLICA  del  ECUADOR." 


TWO   REALES  OF  ECUADOR,   1835. 
Reverse :  Two  mountain  peaks,  a  condor  perched  on  each ; 


FRANCE.  609 

sun  above,  at  the  left  "2;"  right  "r."     Legend:  "el  poder 
EN  LA  CONSTITUCION."     Value  nominal  at  24  to  25  cents. 

The  remainder  of  the  circulation  of  silver  and  copper  coins 
is  supplied  by  the  neighboring  republics.  Mexican  coppers 
are  most  abundant. 


FRANCE. 

France  is  famous  for  the  amount  of  her  specie  circulation, 
especially  in  silver.  There  is  no  country  in  the  world  which 
compares  with  France  in  the  amount  of  coinage,  and  possesses 
as  many  Mints.  The  Mint  of  Paris  is  known  by  the  letter  A. 
(During  the  Commune  of  1870,  the  Mint-n)ark  of  Paris  was 
the  letter  A,  between  an  oak  leaf,  an  anchor,  and  a  trident.) 
A.  A,  is  the  Mint-mark  of  Metz;  A.  and  M.  interlocked: 
Marseilles.  A.  R:  Arras.  B:  Rouen.  Band  and  acorn: 
Boulogne.  B.  B :  Strasbourg.  C :  St.  Loo,  near  Caen.  C. 
C:  Besancon.  D:  Lyons.  E:  Tours.  F:  Angers.  G: 
Poitiers.  H :  La  Rochelle.  I :  Limoges.  K :  Bordeaux. 
L.  L:  Lille.  M:  Toulouse.  N:  Montpelier.  O:  St.  Pour- 
cain.  P:  Dijon.  Q:  Chalon  sur  Saone.  R:  Villeneuve. 
S:  Noyes.  T:  St.  Menhoid.  X:  Villefranche.  Y:  Bour- 
ges.  Z :  Dauphine.  & :  Provence.  9 :  Resmes.  9  9 : 
Nantes. 

The  coins  struck  by  the  French  during  their  (Xjcupation  of 
Geneva,  in  Switzerland,  bear  the  Mint-mark  of  "G"  and  a 
lion.  During  Napoleon's  reign  in  Italy  the  coins  struck  in 
Milan  bear  the  letter  "  M  "  and  an  inverted  cup;  those  coined 
in  Rome,  the  letter  "R"  with  a  crown  and  a  wolf;  and  those 
of  Venice,  the  letter  "V'and  an  anchor.  During  the  occu- 
pation of  Holland  some  coins  were  minted  in  Utrecht,  and  they 
bear  the  Mint-mark  of  two  fishes. 

In  France  the  unit  of  money  is  the  Franc,  equal  to  19,\j 
cents  United  States  money.  The  standard  is  double,  gold  and 
2M 


610  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

silver.  The  weight  of  pure  metal  in  the  gold  coins,  as  com- 
pared with  that  in  the  silver  legal  tender  coins  of  the  same 
denomination,  is  fixed  6y  fow,  at  1  to  15|;  making  the  legal 
value  of  the  gold  coins  15J  times  that  of  silver  coins  of  the 
same  weight  and  fineness. 

When  the  market  value  of  gold  relatively  to  silver  is  less 
than  the  legal  ratio  (which  has  been  the  case  for  fourteen  years, 
1853  to  1866,  since  the  discovery  and  opening  of  the  gold 
fields  of  California  and  Australia,  the  market  ratio  for  this 
period  having  averaged  15f  to  1),  the  legal  tender  silver  coins 
of  France  have  a  smaller  legal  value,  as  against  gold  coins,  than 
they  command  in  open  market;  and  are,  therefore,  either 
hoarded,  remelted,  or  otherwise  kept  from  circulation. 

When  the  market  value  of  gold  as  against  silver  is  greater 
than  15|  to  1,  the  legal  ratio,  the  gold  coinage  of  France  must 
be  driven  from  general  circulation,  except  at  a  premium,  and 
silver  becomes  the  prevailing  monetary  medium.  This  was 
the  case  in  France  for  a  series  of  years  just  prior  to  1849;  the 
value  of  gold  as  against  silver,  in  the  markets  of  Europe,  for 
the  twenty-nine  years  from  1820  to  1848,  having  averaged 
about  15|  to  1. 

The  legal  tender  gold  and  silver  coinages  have  the  same 
degree  of  fineness  ;  that  is,  nine-tenths  fine,  or  900  parts  of  pure 
metal  and  100  parts  alloy. 

In  addition  to  the  legal-tender  coins  of  gold  and  silver,  there 
was  established  in  1865,  by  the  monetary  convention  of  that 
year,  concluded  between  France,  Belgium,  Italy*,  and  Switzer- 
land, a  subsidiary  silver  coinage,  of  less  intrinsic  value  than 
the  legal  tender  silver  coinage  of  like  denomination.  In  this 
new  or  subsidiary  coinage  the  weight  of  the  pieces  was  left  the 
same  as  that  of  the  corresponding  legal  tender  silver  coinage, 
but  the  fineness  of  the  metal  was  much  reduced;  the  new  coins 
containing  only  835  parts  of  pure  metal  to  165  parts  alloy;  they 
are  a  legal  tender  in  their  respective  countries  of  issue  for 
fifty  francs  (about  %\0)  in  payment  of  all  private  dues,  and  to 
any  amount  for  public  taxes;  they  are  also  received  for  taxes 


FRANCE. 


611 


in  sums  of  100  francs  (about  $20)  or  less  by  other  countries 
of  the  convention. 

The  silver  Five  Franc  Piece  of  France   is,  therefore,  the 
only  silver  coin  which  is  a  legal  tender  in  all  amounta. 


^lil'jj^^Wi*'^ 


This  magnificent  edifice,  360  feet  long  on  the  principal  facade, 
and  80  feot  in  height,  presenting  three  stories,  having  25  open- 
ings for  windows  and  doors,  was  constructed  from   plans  fur- 


612  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPuEDIA. 

nished  by  Jacques  Denis  Antoine,  and  is  perhaps  the  finest 
ornament  of  the  left  bank  of  the  Seine.  The  establishment 
consists  of  eight  district  courts,  surrounded  by  buildings  de- 
voted to  coinage,  or  the  administration  of  the  public  service  iu 
connection  with  the  operations  of  the  Mint. 

The  first  stone  of  this  great  structure  was  laid  May  30th, 
1771,  by  the  Abbe  Terray,  Comptroller  General  of  the  Fi- 
nances to  Louis  XV.  The  old  Mint  was  situated  in  a  street 
called  *'De  La  Monnaiey'  opposite  the  Pont  Neuf. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  FRANCE. 

1.  The  Double  Louis  D'or,  of  1786  to  1792,  of  Louis  XVI. 
Obverse:  Head  of  Louis  XVI.     Legend:  "lud.  xvi.  d.  g. 

FR.   ET  NAV.    REX,"  that   is,   LUDOVICUS   XVI.    DeI   GrATIA 

Francia  ET  Navarra  Rex;  meaning:  Louis  XVI.,  by  the 
Grace  of  God,  King  of  France  and  Navarre. 


DOUBLE  LOUIS  D'oR  OP  LOUIS  XVI.,  1786  TO  1792. 

Reverse:  The  arms  of  France  of  the  Bourbon  family  and 
Navarre,  with  a  crown  over  them.  Legend:  "chris.  rkqn. 
ViNC.  imper.  1786  "  {Christus  regnat,  vindt,  imperat;  meaning: 
Christ  reigns,  conquers,  governs).  Under  the  arras  is  a  letter, 
the  mark  of  the  Mint  where  the  piece  was  coined.  Weight: 
235  grains.     Fineness:  901.     Value:  $9.11.900. 

2.  Double  Louis  D'or  of  1792,  of  Louis  XVL  Obverse: 
Same  as  No.  1. 

Reverse :  Two  sceptres,  saltiere  wise,  a  crowned  lily  of 
France  in  each  angle ;  in  the  middle  the  Mint-mark,  "  M,"  of 


FRANCE. 


613 


Toulouse,     Legend:    Same  as  No.   1.     "Weight:    235  grains. 
Fineness:  901.     Value:  $9.11.900. 


DOUBLE  LOUIS  d'oR  OF  LOUIS  XVI.,  1792. 

3,  Louis  D'or  of  1726  to  1773  of  Louis  XV.     Obverse: 
Head  of  Louis  XV.     Legend :  Same  as  No.  1. 


LOUIS  d'oK  of   LOUIS  XV. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1,  except  that  the  shields  are  oval  and 
distinctly  separated.  Weight:  124  grains.  Fineness:  897. 
Value:  $4.79  cents. 

4.  Louis  D'or  of  Louis  XVL,  of  1786  to  1790.  Obverse : 
Same  as  No.  1. 


LOUIS  d'or  OF  LOUIS  XVI.,  FROM  1786  TO  1790. 


Reverse:  Same  as  No.  3,  except  a  double  united  shield  in- 
stead of  the  oval,  similar  to  No.  1.  Weight:  116.500  grains. 
Fineness:  906.     Value:  $4.51.600. 


614  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

The  Louis  D'ors  of  Louis  XVI.;  struclc  in  the  year  1792; 
have  on  the  obverse  the  Head  of  Louis  XVI.,  with  the  Le- 
gend:  "LOUIS  XVI.,  ROi  DES  FRA^gois"  {Louis  XVL,  King 
of  the  French).  Reverse:  The  genius  of  France,  writing  the 
Constitution,  on  a  tablet,  resting  on  a  pillar,  with  a  cock  on  one 
side,  and  on  the  other  the  fasces  and  cap  of  liberty.  Legend  : 
"  REGNE  DE^A  Loi "  {Reign  of  the  Law);  and  at  the  bottom, 
"l'an  4  DE  LA  liberte"  {Tlie  year  4  of  liberty).  Value: 
S4.51.600. 

The  Louis  D'or  of  1793  has  on  the  Obverse:  A  crown  of 
oak  leaves  containing  the  words:  "24  litres."  Legend: 
"  REPUBLiQUB  FRANgoiSE  l'an  II."  {French  Republic,  second- 
year).  Reverse:  "regne  de  la  loi"  {Reign  of  the  latv). 
Value:  $4.51.600. 

5.  100  Franc  Piece  of  Napoleon  III.  Obverse :  Head  of 
Napoleon  III.  Legend:  "napoleon  ill  empereur"  {Na- 
poleon III.,  Emperor).  Reverse :  Two  sceptres,  saltiere  wise 
through  a  square  shield,  bearing  an  eagle,  and  surrounded  by 
an  order  chain ;  the  drapery  suspended  from  a  crown,  and 
forming  a  canopy  behind  the  shield  and  sceptres ;  to  the  left  of 
it  "  100,"  to  the  right  "  fr."  Legend  :  "  empire  FRANgAis." 
Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  497.816  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $19.30. 

6.  100  Franc  Piece  of  the  Republic.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Liberty.  Legend :  "  republique  fran^aise."  At  the  left 
of  head  of  Liberty:  fasces;  at  the  right:  an  olive  branch. 

Reverse :  Laurel  and  oak  wreath  surrounding :  "  100 
francs,"  in  two  lines.  Legend:  "liberte.  egalite.  fra- 
TERNITE."  Exergue:  Dat€  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight: 
497.816  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $19.30. 

7.  50  Franc  Piece  of  Napoleon  III.  Obverse:  Same  as 
No.  5.  Reverse :  Same  as  No.  5,  with  the  exception  of  "  50 
francs"  being  substituted  for  100  Francs.  Weight:  248.908 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $9.65. 

8.  50  Franc  Piece  of  the  Republic.  Obverse :  Same  as  No. 
6.     Reverse:    Same  as  No.   6,   with   the  exception   of  "60 


FRANCE.  615 

francs"  being  substituted  for  100  Francs.     Weight:  248.908 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $9.65. 

9.  40  Franc  Piece  of  the  Republic.  Obverse :  Head  of  Na- 
poleon I.  Legend  :  "  BONAPARTE  PREMIER  CONSUL "  {Bcmo- 
parte  first  Consvl). 


-^'g  .40   %^^ 


40  FRANC  PIECE  OF  THE   REPUBLIC. 


Reverse :  "  40  FRANCS "  in  two  lines,  surrounded  by  two 
laurel  branches.  Legend  :  "  bepublique  fran^aise."  Ex- 
ergue :  "  l'an  13  "  (13^A  year  of  the  Republic),  Weight :  199- 
.1235  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $7.72. 

10.  40  Franc  Piece  of  Napoleon  I.  Obverse :  Laureated 
head  of  Napoleon  I.  Legend :  "napoleon  empereur." 
Reverse :  "  40  francs,"  in  two  lines,  surrounded  by  two  laurel 
branches.  Legend:  "empire  fran^ais"  {French  Empire). 
Weight:  199.1235  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $7.72. 

11.  40  Franc  Piece  of  Charles  X.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Charles  X.  Legend  :  "  charles  X  roispde  France  "  ( Charles 
X.,  King  of  France).  Reverse:  Crowned  square  shield  with 
three  Bourbon  lilies,  surrounded  by  two  laurel  branches.  Ex- 
ergue: "1830."  Weight:  199.1235  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $7.72. 

12.  20  Franc  Piece  of  the  Republic.  Obverse :  The  genius 
of  France,  writing  upon  a  tablet,  the  word:  "constitution  ;" 
to  the  left  of  him :  fasces ;  to  the  right :  a  cock.  Legend : 
"  republique  franqaise." 

Reverse :  "  20  francs,"  in  two  lines,  surrounded  by  oak  and 


616  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

laurel  branches.     Legend :  "  liberty  eqalit6  fraternity." 
Weight:  99.561  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.86. 


20   FRANC   PIECE  OF  THE   REPUBLIC. 

!'• 

1'3.  20  Franc  Piece  of  Napoleon  I.     Obverse:  Head  of  Na- 
polion  I.     Legend:  "napoleon  EMPEREUR." 


20  FRANC  PIECE   OF  NAPOLEON  I. 

Reverse:  "20  francs,"  in  two  lines.  Legend:  "empire 
FRANgAie."  Exergue:  "1812."  Weight:  99.561  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.86. 

J'!  14.  20  Franc  Piece  of  Louis  XVIII.     Obverse :  Head  of 
Louis  XVIII.    Legend :  "  loitis  xviii.  roi  de  France." 


20  franc  piece  of  louis  xviii.,  1814  to  1824. 

Reverse :  Shield  bearing  the  arms  of  Anjou  (three  lilies),  sur- 
mounted by  a  crown,  and  inclosed  between  two  branches  of 
laurel,  crossed.  legend:  "piece  de  20  francs"  (20  Franca 
piece).     Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.     On  the  outer 


FRANCE.  .  617 

edge  to  prevent  mutilation  the  following  Legend:  "domine 
SALVUM  FAC  regem"  {0  Lord  save  the  King).  Weight:  99- 
.561  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.86. 

15.  20  Franc  Piece  of  Charles  X.  Obverse :  Bust  of  Charles 
X.  Legend:  " CHARLES  x  Roi  de  France"  {Charles X.  King 
of  France). 


20   FRANC   PIECE  OF  CHARLES   X.,  1824   TO   1830. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield  bearing  the  arms  of  Anjou.  No 
Legend.  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  99.661 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.86. 

16.  20  Franc  Piece  of  Louis  Philippe.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Louis  Philippe  facing  to  the  left.  Legend  :  "louis  Philippe 
ROI  DES  FRAN^Ais"  {Louis  Philippe,  King  of  the  French). 


20   FRANC  PIECE  OF  I^UIS   PHILIPPE  FROM   1831   TO   1848. 

Reverse:  "20  francs;"  immediately  beneath,  the  date  of  the 
year  of  issue,  inclosed  in  a  wreath  composed  of  two  branches 
of  laurel  crossed.  On  the  outer  edge:  "dieu  protege  la 
France"  {God  protects  France).  Weight:  99.561  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.86. 

17.  20  Franc  Piece  of  the  Republic.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Ceres  facing  to  the  right ;  at  the  left  of  the  head :  fasces ;  at 
the  right:  an  olive  branch.  Legend:  "republique  fran- 
qaise."     The  coins  minted  during  the  Republic  of  1848-1852 


618  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

are  distmguisliable  from  those  of  1830-1831,  that  above  the 
head  of  Ceres  and  between  the  words  "  republique  fran- 
ca ise,"  in  the  former,  there  is  a  prominent  star. 


20  FRANC  PIECE  OF  THE  REPUBLIC  FROM  1848  TO  1852. 

Reverse  :  "  20  francs  : "  immediately  beneath  the  date  of 
year  of  issue,  the  whole  in  three  distinct  lines,  surrounded  by 
a  heavy  laurel  wreath.  Legend :  "  liberty  egalit6 
FRATERNiTi;."  On  the  outer  edge :  "  dieu  protege  la 
France'*  [God  protects  France).  Weight:  99.561  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.86.     , 

18.  20  Franc  Piece  of  February  24th  and  25th,  1848. 
Obverse:  The  genius  of  France  writing  upon  a  tablet  which 
bears  the  inscription  :  "24,  25  Fev.  1848  "  (24  and  25  Fevrier, 
1848).  Fasces  and  a  cock  at  either  side  of  device.  Legend  : 
"republique  FRANgAiSE."  Reverse:  "20  francs  1848," 
inclosed  in  a  wreath  of  oak  leaves.  Legend :  "  liberty 
EGALIT6  fraternite."  On  the  outer  edge :  "  dieu  protege 
LA  France"  {God protects  France).  Weight:  99.561  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.86. 


r(!//   20  sake 


20  FRANC  PIECE  OF  NAPOLEON  III.  FROM  1852  TO  1856. 

19.  20  Franc  Piece  of  the  second  empire.     Obverse:  Head 
of  Napoleon  III.     Legend :  "  napoleon  hi  empereur." 


FRANCE.  619 

Reverse:  "20  francs,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue, 
in  three  distinct  lines,  surrounded  by  laurel  branches,  crossed. 
Legend:  " empire  FRANgAis."  Weight:  99.561  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $3.86. 

20.  20  Franc  Piece  of  Napoleon  III.,  from  1857  to  1870. 
Obverse:  Laureated  head  of  Napoleon  III.  Legend  :*' napo- 
leon III  EMPEREUR."  Reverse:  Two  sceptres,  saltier  wise, 
through  a  square  shield,  bearing  the  Frencii  eagle  perched, 
and  surrounded  by  a  chain  of  the  grand  order  of  the  "  Legion 
D'honneur  "  [Legion  of  Honor),  the  drapery  suspended  from  a 
crown  and  forming  a  canopy,  behind  the  shield,  a  sceptre.  "  20 
FRANCS  "  at  either  side  of  shield.  Exergue :  "  Date  of  the 
year  of  issue."  Weight:  99.561  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $3.86. 

21.  20  Franc  Piece  of  the  Republic,  from  1870  to  the  present 
day.  Obverse :  Head  of  Ceres,  Fasces  to  left  of  it,  and  olive 
branch  to  the  right  of  it.  Legend  :  "  republique  francaise." 
Reverse :  "  20  francs,"  surrounded  by  oak  and  laurel 
branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend  :  "^galit:^  liberty  fra- 
ternity." Exergue :  "  Date  of  the  year  of  issue."  Weight : 
99.516  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.86. 

The  10  Franc  Pieces  of  Louis  XVL,  1774  to  1789,  of  the 
first  Republic  of  1789  to  1800;  of  Napoleon  as  Consul  up  to 
1804;  as  Emperor  from  1804  to  1814;  of  Louis  XVIIL, 
from  1814  to  1824;  of  Charles  X.,  from  1824  to  1830;  of 
the  second  Revolution,  1830;  of  Louis  Philippe,  from  1830 
to  1848;  of  the  third  Revolution  and  Republic  of  1848  to 


10  FRANC   PIECES  OF   THE  REPUBLIC  AND  NAPOLEON  III. 


1852 ;  of  Napoleon   III.  as   Emperor,  1853  to  1870,  and  of 
the  present  Republic,  are  similar  in  devices  and  Legends  on 


620  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 

Obverse  and  Reverse,  to  the  20  Franc  Pieces  of  tlieir  respec- 
tive periods,  with  the  exception  that  the  figure  10  is  substituted 
for  "20." 

The  weight  of  the  10  Franc  Pieces  of  France,  is  49.769 
grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value:  §1.93.  The  6  Franc  Pieces 
of  France  of  the  different  periods  already  mentioned  in  the 
preceding  paragraphs,  correspond  with  the  devices  and  Legends 
on  the  Obverse  and  Reverse  of  the  20  and  10  Franc  Pieces, 
with  the  exception  of  the  figure  "  5  "  being  substituted  for  the 
"20 "and  "10." 


FRANC   PIECE   OF   NAPf3LEUN    III. 


The  weight  of  the  Five  Franc  Piece  of  France,  of  the 
different  periods,  is  24.876  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.96J. 

During  the  Revolution  and  anarchy  of  1790  to  1793,  a 
Six  Franc  Piece  was  struck  of  gold,  of  885  to  902  fine,  weigh- 
ing 29.750  to  29.8495  grains.  Obverse:  A  Senator  in  his 
long  robe,  and  a  citizen  in  his  sans-cuUottes  dress,  holding  a  plat- 
form on  which  stands  the  goddess  of  reason  and  liberty. 
I>?gend  :  "  DU  SENAT  ET  DU  PEUPI.E  "  {Of  the  Senate  and  of 


the  People). 


SIX   FRANC  PIECE  OF   THE   FIRST  REVOLUTION. 

Reverse :  "  six  francs,"  surrounded  by  a  heavy  oak  and 
laurel  wreath,  intertwined.  Weight:  from  29.750  to  29.8495 
grains.  Fineness:  885  to  900.  Value  varying  from  $1.08  to 
8l.l5i. 


FRANCE, 


621 


SILVER  COINS  OF  FRANCE. 
1.  Crown  or  Ecu  of  Six  Livres  or  Francs  of  Louis  XVI. 
Obverse :  Bust  of  Louis  XIV.  Legend :  "  lvd  xiiii.  d.  g.  fr. 
ET.  NA.  RE."  {Ludovictis  XIIII.  Bd  Gratiae  Franciae  el 
Navarrae  Bex)  {Louis  XIV.,  by  the  grace  of  God,  of  France 
arid  Navarre  King).     Exergue:  "1690." 


CROWN  OR  ECU   OF   LOUIS   XIV. 

Reverse :  Eight  L's,  so  placed  as  to  form  a  cross  potent,  each 
two  L's  surmounted  by  a  crown;  the  lily  of  Anjou  in  each  angle 
of  the  cross ;  in  the  centre  of  the  cross  a  cow  [The  Mint-mark  of 
Beam,  abolished  since  1789).  Legend:  "chris  regn  vinc 
imp"  {Christus  regnai,  vincit,  imperat;  meaning:  Christ  renins, 


CROWN    OR   ECU   OF   LOUIS   XIV. 

conquers,  governs).     Weight :  452.645  grains.     Fineness :  902. 
Value:  $1.10.800. 


622 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


2.  Crown  or  Ecu  of  Louis  XIV.  Obverse;  Bust  of  Louis 
XIV.     Legend  :  Same  as  No.  1.     No  Exergue. 

Reverse:  Three  crowns  placed  in  a  triangle,  the  Hly  of  Anjoa 
between  each  crown.  In  tiie  centre  of  the  crowns,  the  letter 
"  H,"  the  Mint-mark  of  Roehelle.  Legend  :  "  siT  nomen 
DOMINI  benedictum"  {Bkssed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord). 
Around  the  edge:  "domine  salvum  pac  regem"  {0  Lord, 
save  the  King).  Weight :  452.545  grains.  Fineness :  902. 
Value:  $1.10.800. 


CROWN   OR   ECU   OF   IX)UIS   XV. 


3.  Crown  or  Ecu  of  Louis  XV.     Obverse :  Youthful  bust 

of  Louis  XV.     Legend :  "  lud.  xv.  d.  g.  fr.  et.  nav.  rex." 

Reverse :  Cross  potent,  with  crowns  and  the  lilies  of  Anjou 


CROWN  OR  ecu   of  LOUIS  XV.  OP  1765. 


in  the  angles.     Legend:  "sit  nomen  domini  benedictum" 
(Blessed  be  the  name  of  the  Lord).     Around  the  edge:   "do- 


FRANCE. 


(323 


MINE  SALVUM  FAC  REGEM "  (0  Lord,  save  the  King). 
Weight:  452.545  grains.     Fineness:  902.     Value:  $1.10.800. 

4.  Crown  or  Ecu  of  Louis  XV.  Obverse:  Head  of  Louis 
XV.,  full  face.     Legend  :  Same  as  No.  3. 

Reverse:  Oval  shield  bearing  the  arras  of  Anjou,  surmounted 
by  a  crown,  surrounded  by  laurel  branches,  crossed  and  tied. 
Legend:  "sit  nomen  domine  benedictum.  1765."  Exergue: 
Letter  K,  the  Mint-mark  of  Bordeaux.  Weight:  452.545 
grains.     Fineness:  902.     Value:  $1.10.800. 


CROWN  OR  ECU   OF   LOUIS  XVI. 

6.  Crown  or  Ecu  of  Louis  XVI.  Obverse :  Head  of  Louis 
XVI.  Legend:  "louis  xvi-  roi  de3  franqois"  {Louis 
XVL,  King  of  the  French).     Exergue :  "  1790." 


crown  or   ECU   of   LOUIS   XVI. 

Reverse :  Same  as  No.  4.     Weight :  452.545  grains.     Fine- 
ness :  902.     Value:  $1.10.800. 


624 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


6.  Crown  or  Ecu  of  Louis  XVI.     Obverse:  Same  as  No.  5. 
Reverse :  Same  as  No.  5.     Weight :  452.545  grains.     Fine- 
ness: 902.     Value:  $1.10.800. 

7.  Crown  or  Ecu  of  the  First  Republic.  Obverse:  The 
genius  of  France,  writing  upon  a  tablet,  U|K)n  which  is  already 
inscribed  the  word  "constitution;"  at  right  of  it,  a  cock;  at 
the  left,  fasces  and  a  star.  Legend:  "regne  de  la  loi" 
{Reign  of  the  Law).  Exergue:  "l'an  5  de  la  liberte" 
{Fifth  year  of  Libeiiy). 


CROWN   OR   ecu   of   THE   FIRST    RKPUBLIC,    1793. 

Reverse:  "six  livres."  "a"  {Six  Livres  or  Francs,  and 
the  letter  "A"  the  Mint-mark  of  Paris).  Surrounded  by  a 
heavy  oak  wreath.  Legend:  "republtque  FRANgoiSE." 
Exergue:  "  l'an  II "  {Year  second  of  the  Republic).  Weight: 
452.545  grains.     Fineness:  902.     Value:  $1.10.800. 


FIVE  FRANC  PIECE  OP  THE   REPUBLIC. 
8.  Five   Franc   Piece   of    the    First   Republic.      Obverse: 


FRANCE.  626 

Plercules  joining  the  bands  of  Liberty  and  Equality.  Legend  : 
"union  et  force"  {Union  and  Force),  {In  union  there  is 
strength). 

Reverse:  "5  francs."  "l'an  6"  {Year  six  of  ilw. 
Republic).  Surrounded  by  oak  and  laurel  branches,  crossed 
and  tied.  Legend  :  "  republique  fran5AISE."  Exergue : 
Letter  "A,"  mint-mark  of  Paris.  Weight:  385.808  grain.s. 
Fineness :  900.  Value :  $0.96|.  The  edge  of  this  piece 
beai-s  the  Legend  :  "  nationals  garantie  "  {National  Guar- 
antee). 

9.  5  Franc  Piece  of  Napoleon  I.,  as  Consul.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Napoleon  I.  Legend :  "  Bonaparte  premier 
cx)NSUl"  {Bonaparte  first  Consul). 

Revei'se :  "  5  francs,"  surrounded  by  laurel  branches, 
crossed  and  tied.  Legend :"  republique  fran^aise."  Ex- 
ergue :  "  l'an  XI "  ( Year  Eleven  of  the  Republic).  Weight : 
385.808  grains.     Finenes^s:  900.     Value  :  ^0.96i. 

10.  5  Franc  Piece  of  Napoleon  I.,  as  Emperor.  Obverse : 
Head  of  Napoleon  I.     Legend  :  "  napoleon  empereur." 


five  franc  piece  of  napoleon  i. 

Reverse :  "  5  francs,"  surrounded  by  laurel  branches, 
crossed  and  tied.  Legend :  "  empire  fran^ais  "  {French 
Empire).  Exergue:  "1812."  Weight:  385.808  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.96i. 

11.  5  Franc  Piece  of  Louis  XVIII.     Obverse :  Bust  of 

2N 


626 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


Louis  XVIII.    Legend :   "  Louis  xviii  ROi  DE  France  " 
(Louis  XVIIL,  King  of  France). 


FIVE  FRANC  PIECE  OF  LOUIS  XVIII. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Anjou,  sur- 
rounded by  laurel  branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend : 
"  PIECE  DE  5  FRANCS "  {Piece  of  five  francs).  Exergue : 
1814.  Weight:  385.808  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.96|. 

12.  6  Franc  Piece  of  Charles  X.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Charles  X.     Legend  :  "  charles  x  roi  de  France." 


5   FRANC  PIECE  OF  CHARLES   X. 


Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Anjou,  sur- 
rounded by  two  laurel  branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Exergue: 
"1830."  Weight:  385.808  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
«0.96|. 

13.  6  Frank  Piece  of  Ijoma  Philippe.     Obverse:  Head  of 


FRANCE. 


627 


Louis    Philippe    facing    to    the    right.       L^end :     "  louis 

PHILIPPE  ROI  DES  FRANyAIS." 

Reverse:  "5  francs  1843,"  surrounded  by  laurel  branches, 
crossed  and  tied.  No  Legend.  Weight :  385.808  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Vahie  :  30.96|. 


5   FRANC   PIECE   OF   LOUIS  PHILIPPE  I. 

14.  5  Franc  Piece  of  the  Republic,  1848  to  1852.  Obverse: 
Hercules  joining  the  hands  of  Liberty  and  Equality.  Legend  : 
"liberty  EGALIT6  FRATERNITY."  Reverse:  "5  francs," 
and  date  of  issue,  surrounded  by  oak  and  laurel  branches, 
crossed  and  tied.     Ijpgen<l :  "  republique  fran^aise."     Ex- 


5   FRANC   PIECE  OF  THE   REPUBLIC,    1848. 


ergue :  Letter  "  a,"  Mint-mark  of  Paris.  Weight :  385.808 
grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value:  $0.96 J.  The  Legend: 
"  DiEU  PROTEGE  LA  FRANCE,"  with  three  stars,  appears  raised 
on  the  edge,  a  guard  against  mutilation.     The  piece  resembles 


ag8  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

in  part  the  Five  Franc  Piece  of  the  First  Republic.     See  No.  8, 
1793. 

15.  5  Franc  Piece  of  the  Republic.  Obverse :  Head  of  Ceres 
feeing  to  the  left.     Legend  :  "  republique  FRANgAiSE." 

Reverse:  "  5  francs  184S,"  surrounded  by  a  lieavy  oak  and 
laurel  wreath.  Legend :  "  republique  FRANyAiSE."  Ex- 
ergue: "A."  Mint-mark  of  Paris.  Weight:  385.808  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.96i. 

16.  6  Franc  Piece  of  Louis  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  as  President 
of  the  Republic,  1849.  Obverse:  Head  of  Louis  Napoleon. 
L^end :  *'  jlouis  napoleon  bonaparte." 

\ 


5   FRANC  PIECE  OP   LOUIS   NAPOLTTOX  BONAPARTE.    1849. 

Reverse  :  "  5  francs  1849,"  surrounded  by  oak  and  laurel 
branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend :  "  liberte  egalit6 
fraterxtte."  Weight:  385.808  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  ^0.96|. 

17.  In  1850,  there  were  struck  at  the  Mint  in  Paris  5  Franc 
Pieces  of  the  Republic,  under  Louis  Napoleon  Bonaparte,  as 
President.  Obverse:  Same  as  illustration  No.  15.  Reverse: 
Same  as  No.  16,  except  change  of  the  date  to  1850.  Weight : 
385.808  grains.     Fineness:  900.    Value:  $0.96|. 

In  1851  there  were  struck  at  the  mint  in  Paris  5  Franc 
Pieces  similar  in  appearance  to  No.  15.  A  slight  change  was 
made  in  the  die  representing  the  head  of  Napoleon  III.  One 
of  the  pattern  pieces  was  brought  to  the  palace  for  approval, 
but  Louis  Napoleon,  having  his  attention  directed  to  some  other 


FRANCE. 


629 


affairs  of  state,  forgot  all  about  the  new  pattern  for  a  few  days. 
When  he  came  to  examine  it,  he  noticed  a  lock  of  hair  curled 
forward  near  the  temple,  which  much  displeased  him,  and  he 
gave  orders  to  have  the  die  altered.  The  Director  of  the 
Paris  Mint,  taking  his  silence  for  consent,  had  commenced  the 
issue,  and  of  the  26,000  pieces  coined,  twenty-thr^  Five  Franc 
Pieces  could  not  be  withdrawn  from  circulation.  These  coins 
are  called  the  "Piece  de  Cinq  Francs  a  la  nieche  {Piece  of  five 
Francs  vntfi  the  curled  lock  of  hair),  and  are  highly  prized  by  the 
numismatists  of  Europe,  often  bringing  300  to  400  Francs 
(60  to  80  Dollars)  apiece. 

In  1852  only  a  few  Five  Franc  Pieces  were  issued ;  they  are 
similar  to  the  pieces  of  1851,  with  Louis  Napoleon  as  President 
of  the  French  Republic.  The  pieces  of  1850,  1851  and  1852 
are  distinguishable  from  the  other  coinages  of  the  French  Re- 
public, by  having  on  the  Obverse  four  branches  of  laurel  and 
oak  intertwined,  instead  of  two.  The  ends  are  crossed  and 
tied  with  a  riblxm  in  a  bow,  and  all  four  are  plainly  visible. 


5    FRANC   PIECE   OP   NAPOLEON    III. 


18.  5  Franc  Piece  of  Napoleon  III.  as  Emperor.  Obverse: 
Head   of   Napoleon   III.       Legend :    "  napoleon   iil    em- 

PEREUK." 

Reverse:  Two  sceptres,  saltiere  wise,  through  a  circular  shield, 
hearing  the  French  eagle,  perched  on  fasces,  and  surrounded  by 
the  chain  of  the  order  Legion  d'Honneur,  from  which  is  sus- 
pended the  grand  cross  of  the  Legion  of  Honor;  the  drapery 


630 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


suspended  from  a  crown  above,  forming  a  canopy  behind  the 
shield  and  sceptres;  at  the  left  "5,"  at  the  right  "F"  (5  Francs). 
Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  385.808  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.96|. 

19.  6  Franc  Piece  of  the  Republic  of  1870.  Obverse:  Large 
head  of  Ceres.  Legend:  "republique  FRANyAiSE."  Re- 
verse: "5  FRANCS,  1870,"  surrounded  by  oak  and  laurel 
branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend:  "republique  fran- 
9AISE."  Weight:  385.808  grains.  Fiueneas:  900.  Value: 
§0.96J. 

20.  5  Franc  Piece  of  the  Republio  from  1871  and  since. 
Obverse:  Hercules  joining  the  hands  of  Liberty  and  Equality. 
Legend :  "  libert£  egalit^  fraternite." 


6  FRANC  piece  OF  THE  REPUBLIC  OP   1871    AND  SINCE. 

Reverse:  "5  Francs,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Legend:  "republique  FRANgAiSE."  Exergue:  The  Mint- 
mark.  Weight:  385.808  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.96|. 

On  the  edge  the  device  bears  the  Legend :  "  dieu  protege 
LA  France"  {God pi-otects  Frarice),  a  guard  against  mutilation 
of  the  coin. 

21.  Two  Franc  Piece  of  the  first  Republic.  Obverse:  Large 
head  of  Ceres.     Legend :  "  republique  fran^aise." 

Reverse:  "2  francs,"  surrounded  by  a  laurel  wreath.  Le- 
gend: "LiBERTJt:  EGALiTf;  FRATERNITY."  Weight:  154.323 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.38.6. 


FRANCE.  631 

22.  Two  Franc  Piece  of  Napoleon  I.,  as  Emperor,  on  the 
Obverse,  while  the  Reverse  bears  the  Legend :  "  repubijque 


TWO  FRANC  PIECE  OP  THE  FIRST   REPUBLIC. 

FRAN9AISE."  Obverse:  Head  of  Napoleon  I.  Legend: 
"  NAPOLEON  EMPEREUR."  Reverse :  "  2  francs,"  surrounded 
by  laurel  branches  crossed  and  tied.  Legend:  "republique 
FRANfAlSE."  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue  from  1803 
to  1808.  Weight:  154.323  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
fO.38.6. 

23.  Two  Franc  Piece  of  Louis  XVIII.  Obverse  and  Re- 
verse same  as  the  Five  Franc  Piece  of  that  period,  see  No.  11, 
with  the  exception  that  upon  the  Reverse  "  2  Francs  "  is  sub- 
stitute<l  for  5  Francs.  Weight:  154.323  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $0.38.6. 

24.  Two  Franc  Piece  of  Charles  X.  Obverse:  Same  as 
No.  12. 


TWO   FRANC   PIECE  OF  CHARLES   X. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield  bearing  the  arms  of  Anjou  ;  at  the 
left  "2,"  at  the  right  "F,"  surrounded  by  laurel  branches 
crossed  and  tied.  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue  from 
1824  to  1830.  Weight:  154.323  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.38 


632 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


25.  Two  Franc  Pieces  of  Louis  Philippe,  of  1828,  1834  and 
of  1840.     Obverse:  Same  as  No.  13. 


<f^ 


TWO  FRANC   PIECES   OP  LOUIS  PHILIPPE. 


Reverse :  "2  francs,"  and  the  date  of  the  different  years  of 
issue.  The  Two  Franc  Pieces  of  1834  are  distinguishable  from 
those  of  1840,  by  the  heavy  oak  wreath.  No  Legend  or  Ex- 
ei^ue  on  either.  Weight:  154.323  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.38.6. 

26.  Two  Franc  Piece  of  the  Republic  of  1848  to  1852.  Ob- 
verse: Same  as  No.  14.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  14,  with  the 
exception  of  "2  francs"  being  substituted  for  5  Francs. 
Weight:  154.323  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.38.6. 

27.  Two  Franc  Piece  of  Napoleon  III.,  from  1853  to  1865. 
Obverse:  Same  as  No.  16.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  16,  with 
the  exception  of  "2  francs"  being  substituted  for  5  Francs. 
Weight:  154.323  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.38.6. 

28.  Two  Franc  Piece  of  Napoleon  III.,  from  1866  to  1870. 
Reverse:  Same  hs  No.  25.  Weight:  154.323  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 835.     Value:  $0.36.5. 

29.  Two  Franc  Piece  of  the  Republic  from  1870  to  preseut 


FRANCE. 


633 


day.     Obverse :  Large  head  of  Ceres,  a  star  above  it.     Legend : 
"republique  fraxqaise." 


TWO   FRANC    PIECE   OF  THE   REPUBLIC  SINCE    1870. 

Reverse:  "2  francs"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  sur- 
rounded by  laurel  and  oak  branches.  Legend:  "liberty, 
EGALIT1&,  FRATERNiTE."  Weight:  154.323  grains.  Fineness: 
835.     Value:  $0.36.500. 

30.  One  Franc  Pieces  from  1808  to  1865. 


REVERSE  OF  ONE  PKANC   PIECES  OF   1808,  1828  AND   1844. 


The  Obverse  and  Reverse  of  the  One  Franc  Pieces  from  1808 
to  1865  are  similar  to  the  Two  Franc  Pieces  of  the  same  period, 
with  the  exception  that  on  the  rovorse  of  each  piece  "1  franc" 
is  substituted  for  2  Francs.  Weight:  77.161  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $0.19.3. 

31.  One  Franc  Piece  of  Napoleon  TIL,  from  1865  to  1870. 
Obverse:  Head  of  Napoleon  III.  Legend:  "napoleon  hi 
EMPEREUR."  Reverse :  "  1  Franc  "  and  the  date  of  the  year 
of  issue,  surrounded  bv  laurel  branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Le- 
gend :  "EMPIRE  FRAN^Ais."  Weight:  77.161  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 835.     Value:  §0.18.250 


634 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


32.  One  Franc  Piece  of  the  Republic  of  1870  and  since. 
Obverse :   Large  head  of  Ceres ;   a  star  above  it.     Legend : 

**  KEPUBLIQUE  FRAN9AISE," 


ONE  FRANC  PIECE  OP  THE  REPUBLIC  OF  1870  AND  SINCE. 


Reverse :  *'  1  franc,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue  j 
surrounded  by  oak  and  laurel  branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Le- 
gend :  "libebtb,  egalit:^,  fraternity."  Weight:  77.161 
grains.     Fineness:  835.     Value:  $0.18.250. 

33.  Demi-Franc  {Half  Franc),  or  50  Centimes  of  1808  to 
1865. 


haj.f  franc  from  1808  to  1865. 

Obverse  and  Reverse  same  as  the  One  Franc  Pieces  of 
their  respective  periods,  with  the  exception  that  the  reverse 
bears  the  inscriptions:  *'demi  franc,"  ^  F.  "^  franc,"  and 
"  50  cent."  instead  of  «  1  franc."  Weight :  38.580  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.09.650. 

34.  The  Half  Franc  Pieces  of  1866  to  the  present  day  bear 
the  devices  and  legends  of  the  One  Franc  Pieces  of  their  re- 
spective periods,  with  the  exception  that  "  50  cent."  takes  the 
places  of  "1  FRANC."  Weight:  38.580.  Fineness:  835. 
Value:  9  cents. 

35.  25  Centimes  or  J  Franc  Piece  of  1808  to  1865. 

The  Obverse  and  Reverse  are  the  same  as  the  Half  Franc  or 


FRANCE.  6d5 

50  Centimes  of  their  re8i)ective  periods,  with  the  exception 
that  their  denomination  taivcs  the  place  of  the  Half  Franc  or 
60  Centimes.  Weight:  19.29 grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value- 
$0.04.822. 


25  CENTIMES  OR  \  FRAXC  PIECES. 

36.  25  Centimes  or  \  Franc  Pieces  of  1866  to  the  present 
day  are  similar  to  the  Half  Franc  Pieces  of  that  period. 
Weight:  19.29  grains.     Fineness:  835.     Value:  $0.04.500. 

37.  Twenty  Centimes  of  the  Republic  of  1848  to  1852. 
Obverse:  Head  of  Ceres;  a  star  above  it.  Legend:  "re- 
PUBLIQUE  FRAN9AISE."  Reverse:  "20  cent."  and  the  date 
of  the  year  of  issue;  surrounded  by  heavy  oak  and  laurel 
branches,  crossed  atid  tied.  Legend:  "liberty  egalit6 
FRATERNIT6."  Weight:  15.432  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.03.86. 

38.  Twenty  Centimes  of  Napoleon  III.  Head  of  Napoleon 
IIL  Legend :  "  napoleon  hi.  empereur."  Reverse :  "  20 
CENT."  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue;  surrounded  by 
laurel  branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend :  "empire  fran- 
5AIS."  Weight:  15.432  grains.  Fineness  up  to  1866:  900. 
Value:  $0.03.86.  Since  1866  they  are  only  835  fine.  Value: 
3  cents. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  FRANCE  FROM  1643  TO  1799. 

The  following  ct^ins  have,  by  order  of  the  different  Govern- 
ments of  France,  been  almost  withdrawn  from  circulation. 
Since  1831  they  have  not  been  a  legal  tender,  and  their  com- 
mercial value  is  that  of  the  pure  silver  they  contain.  To  the 
numismatists  they  are  of  great  value,  owing  to  their  scarcity. 


636 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


1.  Petit  Ecu  or  Half  Crowns  of  Louis  XIV.  and  Louis 
XV. 


HALF  CROWN  LOUIS  XIV. 


HALF  CROWN  LOUIS  XV. 


Nominal  value :  3  Francs  or  $0.58.400. 

2.  30  Sons  or  1  Franc  50  Centimes  of  Louis  XV. 


30  sous  OF  LOUIS   XV. 


Nominal  value:  1  Franc  50  Centimes  or  $0.29.200. 
3.  30  Sous  or  1  Franc  50  Centimes  of  the  Reign  of  Terror 
and  the  first  Republic. 


30  sous  OF  THE  REPUBLIC. 

Nominal  value  :  1  Franc  50  Centimes  or  $0.29.200. 


FRANCE. 
4.  20  Sous  or  1  Franc  of  1720  and  1726. 


637 


TWENTY  SOUS  OF    1720   AND   1726. 

Nominal  value:  A  trifle  more  than  1  Franc,  or  about  20 
cents  United  States  money. 

5.  15  Sous  of  75  Centimes  of  1G43  to  1793. 


15  sous  FR(JM  1G43  TO  1793. 

Nominal   value:    75    Centimes  or   about   15   cents  United 
States  money. 

6.  Half  Franc  Piece  of  different  dates  from  1643  to  1774. 


HALF   FRANC   PIECES   OF   1643  TO    1774. 

These  coins  passed  in  some  localities  in  the  north  of  France 


638  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 

for  10  Sous,  half  a  Franc  or  50  Centimes,  while  in  the  Southern 
Departments,  they  were  current  for  12  Sous  or  60  Centimes. 
Intrinsic  value :  From  8 J  to  9f  cents. 

7.  Isles  du  Vent  Piece  of  50  Centimes,  coined  in  1731  to 
1758  for  the  French  West  Indies. 


HALF  FRANC  PIECE  OF  ISLES   DU   VENT. 

The  Isles  du  Vent  Pieces  were  struck  in  Paris  from  900  to 
750  fine,  and  have  no  commercial  value.  Specimens  assayed 
have  shown  them  to  be  mere  billon  money. 

COPPER  COINS  OF  FRANCE. 

Un  Decime  of  the  first  Republic.  Obverse :  Head  of  Lib- 
erty, facing  to  the  left.  Legend :  "  republique  FRANpoiSE." 
Reverse:  "UN  decime,"  in  two  lines;  beneath:  "l'an  8." 
Value:  About  1|  cents. 

2.  Un  Decime  of  Napoleon  I.  Obverse :  A  large  "  N,"' 
crowned  and  surrounded  by  a  heavy  oak  wreath.  Reverse : 
"UN  decime."  "1814."  in  three  lines;  beneath,  the  Mint- 
mark;  the  whole  surrounded  by  an  oak  wreath.  Value: 
About  1|  cents.  The  above  copper  coins  are  no  longer  a  legal 
tender,  and  their  value,  therefore,  that  of  old  copper,  or  what- 
ever the  fancy  of  the  numismatists  may  dictate. 

BRONZE  COINS  OF  FRANCE. 

1.  Dix  Centimes  of  Napoleon  III.  Obverse:  Laureated 
head  of  Napoleon  III.,  surrounded  by  a  circle  of  dots. 
Legend:  "napoleon  hi  empereur."  Exergue:  Date  of 
the  year  of  issue.  Reverse:  the  Eagle  of  France,  surrounded 
by  a  circle  of  dots.    legend :  "  empire  pran^ais."     Exergue : 


FRANCE.  639 

"dix  centimes"  (10   Centimes).     Weight:    154.320  grains. 
Value:  $0.01.93. 

2.  Cinq  Centimes  of  Napoleon  III.      Obverse:    Same  as 
No.  1. 


5  CENTIMES   OF   NAPOLEON    HI. 

Reverse :  Same  as  No.  1,  with  the  exception  that  upon  the 
Exergue  "cinq  centimes"  {Five  Centimes),  takes  the  place  of 
Dix  Centimes.     Weight:  77.160  grains.     Value  :  $0.00.965. 

3.  Deux  Centimes  of  Napoleon  III.  Obverse :  Same  as 
No.  1.  Reverse  :  Same  as  No.  1,  with  the  exception  of"  deux 
centimes"  {Two  Centimes)  upon  the  Exergue.  Weight: 
30.864  grains.     Value  :  $0.00.386. 

4.  Un  Centime  of  Napoleon  III.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  1. 
Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1,  with  the  exception  of  "  UN  centime" 
{One  Centime)  upon  the  Exergue.  Weight;  15.432  grains. 
Value:  $0.00.193. 

5.  Dix  Centimes  of  the  Republic  of  1870  to  the  present  day. 
Obverse:  Head  of  Liberty,  encircled  by  dots.  Legend:  "  re- 
publique  FRAN9ALSE."  Excrgue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Reverse :  "  10  centimes,"  surrounded  by  laurel  branches  crossed 
and  tied.  Legend  all  round  the  coin:  "liberty  egalite 
fraternite."     Weight:  154.320  grains.     Value:  $0.01'.93. 

6.  Cinq  Centimes  of  the  Republic.  Obverse:  Same  as  No. 
5.  Reverse:  "5  centimes,"  rest  same  as  No.  6.  Weight: 
77.160  grains.     Value:  $0.00.965. 

7.  Deux  Centimes  of  the  Republic.  Obverse:  Same  as  No. 
5.  Reverse:  "2  centimes,"  rest  same  as  No.  5.  Weight: 
30.864  grains.     Value:  $0.00.386. 

8.  Un  Centime  of  the  Republic.     Obverse :  Same  as  No.  5. 


640  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Reverse:  "1  centime/'  rest  same  as  No.  6.     Weight:  15.432 
grains.     Value:  $0.00.193. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 

Since  the  formation  of  the  second  Grerman  Empire,  April, 
1871,  there  is  now  a  uniform  coinage  throughout  Germany, 
which  consists  of  the  Mark  of  100  Pfennige. 

The  coins  of  the  German  Empire  include  the  20,  10  and  6 
Mark  gold  pieces ;  the  5,  2  and  1  Mark  silver  pieces ;  also  the 
50  and  20  Pfennige  in  silver ;  the  10  and  5  Pfennige  in  nickel, 
and  2  and  1  Pfennige  in  bronze.  Gold  is  the  legal  standard  of 
the  present  German  Empire. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  THE  GERMAN  EMPIRE. 

1.  Double  Krone  of  20  Marks  Piece.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Wilhelm,  Emperor  of  Germany.  Legend:  "WILHELM  DEUT- 
SCHER  KAISER  KONIG  V.  PREUSSEN  "  ( IVUhdm,  German  Em- 
peror, Khfj  of  Prussia). 


DOUBLE    KRONE    OF   20    MARKS  OP  THE  GERMAN   EMPIRE. 

Reverse:  The  German  imperial  eagle;  at  the  left  "20,"  at 
the  right  "m."  (20  Marks).  Legend:  "deutsches  reich" 
{German  Empire).  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  122.880  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $4.76. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  641 

2.  Krone  or  10  Mark  Piece.    Obverse :  Same  as  No.  1. 


KRONE   OF    10   MARKS   OF   THE   GERMAN    EMPIRE. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1,  with  the  exception  that  "10  M."  is 
substituted  for  "20  m."  Weight:  61.440  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $2.38. 

3.  Half  Krone  or  5  Mark  Piece.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  1. 
Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1,  only  "5  M."  is  substituted  for  "20 
m."     Weight:  30.720  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.19. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  GERMANY. 
1.  5  Mark  Piece.     Obverse:  Head  of  Wilhelm,  Emperor  of 
Germany.     Legend  :  "  wilhelm  deutscher  kaiser  koniq 
V.  PREUSSEN  "  ( Wilhelm,  German  Emperor,  King  of  Prussia). 


FIVE  MARKS  OF  THE  GERMAN   EMPIRE. 

Reverse:  The  German  imperial  eagle.  Legend:  "  deut- 
scpiES  REICH,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Exergue : 
"FiJNF  mark"  [Five  Marks).  Weight:  476  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $1.19. 

2.  2  Mark  Piece.  Obverse:  The  German  imi)erial  eagle. 
20 


ei8  DYE*S  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 

Reverae:   "2  mabx,"  snmmnded  bjr  lanrd  brancnes  cnMsed 
and  tied.     Lf^end:  "DEinscHES  such''  {Gtrman.  Empire). 
Exergue:  Dbte  of  the  jear  of  isBoeu     Weight :  190JIGO  grains. 
FiaeiKss:  90a    Value:  $0.57.600. 
3t  1  Maik  Piece.    CMyvcise:  The  Gcnnan  imperial  ea^ 


OanB  MARK  OF  THE   GZEl£A2t    ZILFIRIL 

Bererse:  "l  mabk,"  aniToanded  br  lanrel  brandies  cnneed 
and  tied.  Legend:  "dectsches  reich."  Exergoe:  Date  of 
the  jear  of  inoe^  We^ht:  95.200  grains  Fineneas:  900. 
Yaloe:  $0.23.800. 

4.  50  J%nn%e.  Obverse:  The  Geman  imperial  eagle. 
Bertise:  Large  lignre  " 50."  Legend:  "deciscbeb  beicb," 
and  the  daOe  of  the  year  c€  iene.  Exerpse:  "pfesikigir." 
Weight:  47.600  grainsw     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.11.900. 

5.  20  Pfiam^ei.    Obverse:  The  German  impenal  e:^Ie. 
Bevene:    Large    %nre    "20."      Legend:    "dcitischeb 

MMsacHy"  and  the  date  of  the  jear  of  iaaie.  Exergoe :  "  vfem- 
moL"  Wogfat:  SSJ090  grains.  Fineneas:  900.  Valoe: 
IOiH.760. 

KICKEL  corns  OF  THE  GERMAN  EMPIRE. 
1.  10Pfenn%&.    Obverse:  The  German  imperial  ei^;le. 


10  TTEMWfaE,  CfP  THE  GEBMABT  EMPISBL 
Revene:     Large    %nre    "10."       Legend:     "dmuwcheb 


GERMAN  EMPIRK  043 

RETCH,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.     Exer^e :  "  pfek- 
KiGE.^      Weight:    38.680  grains.      Composition:    25  -parts 
Nickel  and  75  parts  copper.     Value  nominal,  at  $0.02.380. 
2.  5  Pfennige.     Obverse:  same  as  No.  1. 


6  PFKNNIGE  OP  THE  GERMAN  EMPIRE. 

Reverse:  Large  figure  " 5,"  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Weight: 
19.295.  Composition  same  as  No.  1.  Value  nominal, 
§0.01.190. 

BRONZE  COINS  OF  THE  GERMAN  EMPIRR 

1.  2  Pfennige.  Obverse:  The  German  Imperial  eagle. 
Reverse:  Large fignre:  "2."  Legend:  " dettsches  reich,*^ 
and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Exergue :  "  pfesxiqb." 
Value  entirely  nominal,  $0.00,0476. 

2.  1  Pfennig.  Obverse:  same  as  No.  L  Reverse:  Large 
figtire"!,"  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Value  entirely  nominal  at 
$0.00.0238. 

Since  the  formation  of  the  Empire,  the  former  gold  and  sil- 
ver coins  issued  prior  to  1872  are  now  called  in  and  exchange<l 
for  the  Imperial  Mark  and  Pfennige  ;  slill  tiie  old  gold,  but  e9- 
|>ecially  the  old  silver  coins,  are  in  general  circulation  all  over 
Europe,  and  since  the  remouetization  of  silver  in  the  United 
States,  large  quantities  of  the  former  German  silver  coins  have 
found  their  way  into  this  country. 

The  different  German  Governments  which  prior  to  IB72 
have  issoed  coins  of  their  own  mintage,  are  given  in  alphabeti- 
cal order,  irrespective  of  their  rank  and  station  in  the  now  Ger- 
man Empire. 


€44  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

ANHALT  AND  ANHALT-BERNBURG. 

SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Double  Thaler  or  3|  Gulden  or  Florins  of  Leopold 
Friedrich.  Obverse:  Head  of  Leopold  Frederick  facing  left. 
Legend:  "Leopold  friedrich  herzoq  zu  anhalt"  {Leo- 
pold Frederick  Duke  of  Anhatt).  Reverse :  The  arms  of  An- 
halt,  displayed  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crowo. 
Ij^end:  "2  thaler  vii  einb  f  mark  3^ gulden:"  (2  Tha- 
lers  or  DoUcu'S  seven  to  loeigh  a  utark  of  fine  silver y  3 J  Gulden 
or  Florins.)  Exergue :  "  vereins  "  date  of  the  year  of  issue, 
"mulze."  {Confederation  money)  Weight:  572,847  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.45.9950. 

2.  Double  Thaler  or  3^  Gulden  or  Florins  of  Heinricb. 
Obverse  :  Head  of  Heinrich  facing  left.  Legend  :  "  heinrich 
herzog  zu  ANHALT "  {Henry  Duke  of  AnhaM).  Rev'erse : 
The  arms  of  Anhalt,  displayed  upon  a  mantel  of  ermine,  draped 
from  a  crown.  Legend :  Same  as  No,  1 .  Weight :  572.847 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.45.9950. 

3.  Double  Thaler  or  3J  Gulden  or  Florins  of  Alexander 
Carl.  Obverse:  Head  of  Alexander  Carl  facing  right.  Le- 
gend: "alex.  CARL  herzog  ZU  ANHALT "  {Alexander 
Qiarles  Duke  of  Anhalt).  Reverse:  the  arms  of  An  halt-Bern- 
burg,  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown.  Legend 
and-  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  672.847  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.45.9950. 

4  Thaler  of  Alexander  Carl.  Obverse :  "  segen  des  an- 
halt BERGBAUES  "  and  l)eneath  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue, 
the  whole  inscribed  in  four  lines  U|K>n  the  middle  of  the  field. 
(^Blessing  of  the  Anhalt  mines).  Exergue :  Two  sledge  ham- 
mers, crossed.  Legend:  "Alexander  carl  herzog  zu  an- 
halt." Reverse :  A  bear,  with  a  crown  upon  its  head,  a  col- 
lar around  his  neck,  in  the  act  of  walking  upon  the  wall  of  a 
fortress,  with  an  arched  doorway  beneath.  Legend :  "  EIN 
THALER  XIV  EiNE  FEiNE  MARK."  {One  Thaler  or  Dollar,  14 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  646 

to  weigh  one  Mark  fine  silver).     Weight:  343.72  grains.     Fine- 
ness: 750.     Value:  $0.72.9975. 

6.  Vereins  or  Confederation  Thaler  (Dollar)  of  Alexander 
Carl.  Obverse:  Head  of  Alexander  Carl.  Legend:  "Alex- 
ander carl  herzog  zu  ANHALT."  Reverse:  The  crowned 
arms  of  Anhalt,  supported  by  two  crowned  bears.  Legend-: 
"ein  vereins  THALER  XXX  EiN  PFUND  FEIN."  {Confederation 
Thaler  or  DoUar^  30  to  weigh  one  pound  fine  silver).  Exergue* 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  285.784  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value :  $0.72.744L 

6.  Vereins  or  Confederation  Thakr  of  Leopold  Friedricli. 
Obverse :  Head  of  Leopold  Frederick.  Legend :  "  LEOPOLD 
FRIEDERICH  HERZOG  ZU  ANHALT."  Reverse :  Crowned  arms 
of  Anhalt,  supported  by  two  crowned  bears.  Legend:  "eis 
VEREINS  THALER  XXX  EIN  PFUND  FEIN."  {Confederation 
Thaler  or  Dollar,  30  to  weigh  one  pound  fine  silver).  Weights 
285.784  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.72.744L 

7.  5  Silber  Groschen  of  Alexander  Carl.  Obverse:  "6 
EINEN  THALER,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue ;  the  whole 
inscribed  upon  the  middle  of  the  field,  in  four  lines,  surrounded 
by  laurel  branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend :  **  LXXXIY 
EINE  FEINE  mark"  (84  to  weigh  one  fine  Mark).  Reverse : 
Same  as  No.  4.  Weight :  82.485  grains.  Fineness :  520.833. 
Value:  $0.12.2216. 

^  BADEN. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  BADEN. 
1.  Ten  Gulden  or  Florins  of  Ludwig.     Obverse :  Head  of 


10  GULDEN  OR   FLORINS  OF  BADEN. 

Ludwig.       Legend :     "  ludwig     GROSHERZOO    VON    BADEN ' 
{Ludwig,  Grand  Duke  of  Baden). 


DYIPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


Reverse:  "Crowned  shield,  between  branches  of  laurel, 
crossed,  bearing  the  arms  of  Baden ;  the  denomination  :  "  10  " 
at  the  left,  and  "g"  at  the  right.  No  legend.  Exergue: 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  106.142  grains.  Fine- 
uess:  902.778.     Value:  $4.12.6378. 

2.  6  Gulden  or  Florins  of  Ludwig.  Obverse:  Same  as  No. 
i.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1,  with  the  exception  that  "6  G." 
are  substituted  for  "10  g."  Weight:  63.071  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 902.778.     Value:  $2.06.3189. 

3.  Ducat  of  Leopold.  Obverse:  Head  of  Leopold.  Le- 
gend: "LEOPOLD  GROSHERZOG  VON  BADEN."  Reverse: 
Crowned  shield  of  Baden,  surrounded  by  laurel  branches. 
Legend:  "ein  ducat  aus  rhein  gold  zu  22  k,  6  g."  {On« 
Ducat  coined  from  gold  from  the  Rhine,  22  Karats,  6  grains  fine). 
Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  56.652  grains. 
Fmeness:  937.500.     Value:  $2.28.6237. 

4.  Ducat  of  Friedrich.  Obverse:  Head  of  Frederick. 
Legend:  "friedrich  prinz  und  regent  zu  baden" 
(Frisderick  Frinoe  and  Regent  of  Baden).  Reverse :  Same  as 
No.  3.  Weight :  56.652  grains.  Fineness  :  937.500.  Value : 
$2.28.6237. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  BADEN. 


1.  Double  Thaler  of  3J  Gulden   or  Florins  of  Leopold. 


3|  gulden,  or  florins,  or  2  thalers  of  baden. 

Obverse :  Head  of  Leopold.     Legend :  "  Leopold  gbosherzoo 
vox  baden." 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 


647 


Reverse:  "3|  Gulden  2  Thaler  "and  the  date  of  year  of 
issue  beneath  ;  surrounded  by  heavy  oak  branches,  crossed  and 
tied.  Legend  :  "  vereins  munze."  Exergue :  "  vii  EiNE 
PEINE  MARK."  Weight:  572.847  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value  :  $1.45.9950. 

2.  Double  Timler  of  3J  Gulden  or  Florins  of  Leopold. 
Obverse :  Head  of  Leopold.  Legend  :  "  Leopold  grosherzog 
VON  BADEN."  Reverse :  Crowned  shield  of  arras  of  Baden, 
upon  a  mantle  of  ermine;  draped  from  a  crown.  Legend  :  "  3J 
GULDEN  VII  EINE  F.  MARK  2  THALER."  {Z^Florins,  seven  to 
weigh  one  Mark  fine  silver,  2  Thalers  or  Dollars).  Exergue : 
"vereins,"  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  "muxze,"  [Confedera- 
tion money).  Weight:  572.847  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $1.45.9950. 

3.  Double  Thaler  of  Friederich.  Obverse:  Head  of  Fred- 
erick. Legend :  "  friederich  prinz  und  regent  von 
baden"  [Frederick,  Prince  and  Regent  of  Baden).  Reverse : 
Same  as  No.  2.  Weight:  572.847  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $1.45.9950. 

4.  Kronen  Thaler  or  Crown  Dollar  of  1816.  Obverse: 
Coat  of  arms  of  Baden.  Legend :  "  grosherzogthum  baden." 
Exergue:  "1816." 


kronen  thaler  or  crown  dollar  of  baden. 

Reverse:  "1  kronen  thaler"  surrounded  by  laurel 
branches.  Weijjht:  455.485  grains.  Fineness:  871.528. 
Value:  $1.13.0493. 


G48 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


6.  Kronen  Thaler  of  Ludwig.     Obverse :  Head  of  Ludwig. 
L^nd:  "ludwig  qeosherzog  von  baden." 


KRONEN  THALER  OF  LUDWIG  OF  BADEN. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield  of  arms  of  Baden,  upon  a  mantle 
of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown.  Exergue:  "kronen 
THALER."  Weight:  455.485  grains.  Fineness:  871.528. 
Value:  $1.13.0493. 

6.  Kronen  Thaler  of  Leopold.     Obverse:  Same  as  No.  2. 


kronen  thaler  of  LEOPOLD  OF  BADEN,   1831. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield  of  arms  of  Baden,  supported  hy 
two  griffins.  Legend:  "kronen  thaler."  Exergue:  Date 
of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  455.485  grains.  Fineness: 
871.528.     Value:  $1.13.0493. 

7.  One  Thaler  or  100  Kreutzer  Piece  of  Ludwig.     Obverse: 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  649 

Head   of   Ludwig.       Legend:    "ludwig  grosherzoo  von 
UADEN."     Exergue :   Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 


THALER  OP  100  KREUTZER  OF  LUDWIG  OP  BADEN". 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield  of  arms  of  Baden,  surrounded  by 
laurel  branches.  Legend:  "ein  thaler  zv  100  krzr."  (On« 
Thaler  or  Dollar  of  100  Kreiitzers).  Exergue:  "iM  kronen 
THLR  FUSS."  {At  the  rate  of  the  Orovm  Thaler).  Weight :  280- 
.204  grains.     Fineness:  875.     Value  :  ^0.69.4488. 

8.  Double  Gulden  of  Leopold.  Obverse :  Head  of  Leopold. 
Legend :  "  Leopold  grosherzog  von  baden." 


DOUBLE  GULDEN  OR   FLORIN    OF   LEOPOLD   OP  BADEN. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield  of  arms  of  Baden,  8upporte<l  by 
two  griffins.  Legend :  "ZWEI  gulden"  (Two  Gulden  or  Florin). 
Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  i&sue.  Weight :  327.335  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.83.1360. 

9.  Double  Gulden  of  Frie<kich.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Frederick.     Legend :  "  friedrich  prinz  uxd  regent  von 


650  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

BADEN."     Reverse:   Same  as  No.  8.     Weight,  fineness  and 
value :  Same  as  No.  8. 

10.  Gulden  of  Leopold.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  8.  Reverse: 
A  crowned  griffin  rampant,  holding  an  oval  shield  upon  which 
are  two  sledge-hammers,  saUier-toise ;  beneath,  a  .ducal  crown 
and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Legend  :  "  segen  des 
BADISCHEN  BERGBANES "  {Blessing  of  Hie  Baden  mines). 
Exergue:  "ein  gulden"  {One  Gulden  or  Florin).  Weight: 
163.675  grains.     Fineness  :  900.     Value:  $0.41.5677. 

11.  Gulden  of  Friedrich.  Obverse:  Head  of  Friedrich. 
Legend:  "friedrich  grosherzog  von  baden"  {Frederick 
Grand  Duke  of  Baden).  Reverse :  "  1  gulden  "  and  the  date  of 
issue,  in  three  lines,  surrounded  by  heavy  oak  branches  crossed 
and  tied.  Weight:  163.304  grains.  Fineness :  900.  Value: 
$0.41.4899. 

12.  Half  Gulden  of  Leopold.     Obverse :    Same  as  No.  8. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  11,  only  "^" 
being  substituted  for  "1."  Weight:  81- 
.837  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.20.7834. 

13.  Half  Gulden  of  Friederich.  Ob- 
verse: Same  as  No.  11.  Reverse:  Same 
as  No.  11,  only  "|"  being  substituted 
for"l."  Weight:  81.837  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $0.20.7834. 

14.  6  Kreutzer.  Obverse:  Crowned 
shield  of  Baden ;  supported  by  two  crowned  Griffins;  above 
"baden."  Reverse:  "6  kreutzer,"  and  the  date  of  the  year 
of  issue ;  surrounded  by  laurel  branches,  crossed  and  tied. 
Weight:  40.092  grains.  Fineness:  333^-.  Value,  nominal  at 
3J  cents. 

15.  3  Kreutzer.  Obverse  and  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  14, 
only  "3"  being  substituted  for  «6."  Weight:  20.046. 
Fineness:  333^.     Value,  nominal  at  IJ  cents. 


FLORIN  OF  baden. 


GERMAN  EMPIRK  661 

BAVARIA. 
GOLD  COINS  OF  BAVARIA. 
1.  Carolin  of  1773.     Obverse  :  Bust  of  Carolus  Philip. 


CAROLIN   OP   CHARLES   PHILIP,    1773. 

Reverse :  A  circular  sliield,  with  C's  reversed,  interlaced, 
and  surmounted  by  crowns,  place<l  at  opposite  sides;  P's 
niniilarly  arranged  at  the  two  remaining  angles,  the  whole 
forming  a  cross.     Value :  $4.75. 

2.  Half  Carolin  of  Carolus.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Carolus. 
Legend  :  "  CA.  D.  g.  V.  B.  v.  P.  s.  D.  G.  PR.  s.  R.  I.  A.  &.  ELL." 
Carolus  Dei  Gratia^  Utrinaque  Bavariae  et  Palatinua  Dei^ 
Princeps  Sandi  Romani  Impeni  Archiduk  Et  Elector;  mean- 
ing :  Charles  by  the  Grace  of  God,  Duke  of  both  Bavarias  and 
the  Palatinate,  Prince  Archduke,  and  Elector  of  the  Holy  Roman 
Empire). 


HALF  CAROLIN   OF  CHARLES.  « 

Reverse :  The  virgin  and  child,  supporting  the  arms  of 
Bavaria.  Logend  :  "clypevs  omnibvs  in  te  sperantibvs" 
[A  shield  to  all  who  hope  in  Thee). 

3.  Ducat  of.  Ludwig  I.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Ludwig  I. 
Legend  :  "ludovicus  I  BAVARIAE  res"  {Ludwig  I.  King  of 
Bavariae).     Reverse :  Neptune  seated,  his  right  hand  upon  a 


652  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

vessel  from  which  a  heavy  stream  of  water  flows  {Allegorical 
representation  of  the  source  of  the  Hver  Danube).  Legend  : 
"  EX  AURO  DANUBII "  (Coined  of  gold  from  the  river 
Danube).  Weight:  63.334  grains.  Fineness:  937.500. 
Value :  $2.15.4438.  At  the  same  time  (1830)  and  for  almost 
twenty  years  the  Reverses  of  the  Ducat  were  changed  three 
times ;  the  Obverse  remaining  the  same.  The  Reverse  of  the 
Ducats  of  gold  from  the  river  Tsar  and  the  river  Inn  are 
identical  in  device ;  the  Legends  only  mention  the  kind  of  gold 
used.  The  Exergues  of  these  Ducats  up  to  1850  are  in  Roman 
numerals.  Weight,  Fineness  and  Value:  Same  as  No.  3. 
The  Reverse  of  the  Ducat  of  gold  from  the  river  Rhine  has 
for  device  the  view  of  a  city  on  the  banks  of  the  flowing 
Rhine,  a  steamboat  rn  the  foreground.  Legend :  "  EX  AUBS 
KHENi"  {Of  gold  from  the  river  Rhine).  Weight:  53.858 
grains.     Fineness:  986.111.     Value:  $2.28.6242. 

4.  Ducat  of  Maximilian  II.  Obverse:  Head  of  Maximilian. 
Legend:  "MAXIMILIAN  ii  koeniq  von  baiern"  {Maxi- 
milian II.  King  of  Bavaria).  Revei*se:  Crowned  shield, 
bearing  the  arras  of  Bavaria,  supported  by  two  crowned  lions. 
Legend:  "ein  ducaten."  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of 
issue.  Weight:  53.858  grains.  Fineness:  986.111.  Value: 
$2.28.6242. 

5.  Ducat  of  Ludwig  II.  Obverse:  Head  of  Ludwig  II. 
Legend :  "  ludwig  ii  koenig  von  baiern."  Reverse : 
Same  as  No.  4.     Weight,  fineness  and  value:  Same  as  No.  4. 

Since  1872  and  up  to  the  present  day,  the  gold  coinage  of 
Bavaria  is  that  of  the  German  Empire.  The  devices  upon  the 
Obverse  bear  the  head  of  Ludwig  II.,  and  the  Legends: 
"  LtJDWiG  II  KOENIG  VON  BAIERN."  The  Reverses  are  identi- 
cal with  the  coins  described  on  pages  640  and  641.  Weight, 
fineness  and  value :  Same  as  stated  on  same  pages. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  BAVARIA. 

1.  Reichs-Thaler  of  Maximilian  Joseph.  Obverse:  Bust 
of  Maximilian  Joseph. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 
Out  of  circulation.     Intrinsic  value  :  |1.00. 


653 


RIX-THALKR   OP  MAXIMILIAN   JOSEPH,    1755-1767. 

2.  Reichs-Thaler  of  Maximilian  Joseph.     Obverse:  Bust  of 
Maximilian  Joseph. 


EIX-THALER   OF   MAXIMILIAN   JOSEPH,  1768-1771. 

Out  of  circulation.     Intrinsic  value:  $1.00. 


ONVENTION-THALER  OF  CHARLES  THEODORE,  1765-1767. 


654  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

3.  Convention-Thaler  or  Dollar  of  Carolua  Theodor.     Ob- 
verse :  Bust  of  Charles  Theodore. 

Out  of  circulation.     Intrinsic  value :  $0.90. 

4.  Crown-Thaler  of  Charles  Theodore.     Obverse :  Same  as 
No.  3. 


CROWN  THALER  OP  CHARLES  THEODORE,   1799-1804. 

Out  of  circulation.     Value:  $1.12. 

The  Thalers  No.  1,  2,  3  and  4,  are  very  scarce  and  highly 
valued  by  numismatists. 

6.  Crown-Thaler  of  Maximilian  Joseph  of  1807-1809.  Ob- 
verse: Bust  of  Maximilian  Joseph  in  full  uniform.  Legend: 
"  MAXIMILIAN  JOSEPH,  KOENIG  VON  BAIERN."  Reverse  : 
Shield  surmounted  by  the  royal  crown,  and  supported  by  two 
lions ;  a  shield  of  pretence,  bearing  a  sword  and  sceptre  saltiere 
wise,  the  date  beneath.  Legend:  "fur  gott  und  vater- 
land"  {For  God  and  Fatha-land).  On  the  ^\^re:  "zehen 
EINE  PEINE  mark"  {Ten  to  weigh  one  Mark,  jine  silver). 
Weight:  455.871  grains.  Fineness:  817.528.  Value:  $1.12- 
.5425. 

6.  Crown-Thaler  of  Maximilian  Joseph,  1810-1825.  Ob- 
verse: Head  of  Maximilian  Joseph,     Legend:  " maximilianus 

JOSEPHUS  BAVARIA E  REX." 

Reverse:  Sword  and  sceptre  in  saltiere;  surmounted  by  a 
royal  crown.  Legend  :  "pro  deo  et  populo"  {For  God  and 
the  People).     Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.     On  the  edge: 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  656 

"BAYERISCHER  KRONENTHALER "  {Bavarian  Crovm  Dollar). 


CROWN-THALER  OP  MAXIMILIAN   JOSEPH,  1810-1825. 

Weight:  455.871  grains.     Fineness:  817.528.     Value:  $1.12- 
.5425. 

7.  Crown-Thaler  of  Lndwig  I.,  1826  and  1828.  Obverse: 
Bust  of  Lud wig  I.  Legend:  "ludwig  koenig  von  baiern." 
Reverse:  The  royal  crown  inclosed  in  a  wreath  composed  of 
oak  and  laurel  branches  crossed.  Legend:  "gerecht  UND 
beharrlich  "  [Just  and  constant),  and  the  date  of  1826  or  of 
1828.  On  the  edge:  ** bayerischer  kronenthaler." 
Weight:  455.871  grains.  Fineness:  817.528.  Value:  $1.12- 
5425. 

8.  Species-Thaler  of  Lud  wig  I.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Ludwig 
I.  Legend:  "ludwig  koenig  von  baiern."  Exergue: 
"zehn  eine  peine  mark"  {Ten  one  Mark, fine  silver). 


species-thaler  op  ludwig  l,  1827. 
Reverse :  Star  of  the  order  of  Theresa,  inclosed  in  a  wreath. 


656 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


Legend :  "  DIE  koenigin  von  bayern  steftet  den  there- 
siEN  ORDEN "  {The  Queen  of  Bavaria  founds  the  Order  of 
Theresa).  Edge  grained.  Weight:  433.078  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 833.333.     Value:  $1.02.3992. 

9.  Species-Thaler  of  Ludwig  I.,  1833.  Obverse:  Same  as 
No.  8.  Reverse:  The  goddess  of  Commerce  leaning  against  a 
pedestal,  and  holding  a  Mercury  wand  in  her  right,  and  a  horn 
of  plenty  in  her  left;  an  anchor  at  one  side,  and  the  prow  of  a 
galley  at  the  other;  "1833"  beneath.     Legend:  zollverein 

MIT    PREUSSEN,  8ACHSEN,    HESSEN   U.  THURINGEN"    {CllstOTHS 

League  with  Prussia,  Saxony,  Hessen  and  Thuringia).  Weight: 
433.078  grains.     Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  §1.02.3992. 

10.  Species-Thaler  of  1834.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  8.  Re- 
verse: "landtag,  1834"  (Diet  of  1834),  inclosed  in  a  heavy 
wreath  of  oak.  Legend :  "  ehre  dem  ehre  gebuhrt "  [Honor 
to  whom  Honor  due).  Weight:  433.078  grains.  Fineness: 
833.333.     Value:  $1.02.3992. 

11.  Species-Thaler  of  1835.  Obverse :  Same  as  No.  8.  Re- 
verse: Mercury's  wand,  between  two  branches  of  laurel,  crossed. 
Legend:  "beytritt  von  baden  zum  teutschen  zollve- 
rein "  {Joining  of  Baden  to  the  German  Custom  League),  be- 
neath, 1834.  Weight:  433.078  grains.  Fineness:  833.333. 
Value:  $1.02.3992. 

In   1828  and   1832  there  were   struck  the   two   following 


queen  theuese  specie  thaler,  1828. 
commemoration  Species-Thalers ;  the  one  of  1828  is  the  royal 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  657 

family  Thaler,  containing  the  effigy  of  Queen  Therese  and  her 
eight  children.  Legend:  "segen  des  himmels"  {Heaven's 
Blessing). 


OTTO   OF   BAVAEIA,   KING   OF   GREECE,    1832. 

The  other  was  struck  in  honor  of  Otto,  Prince  of  Bavaria, 
ascending  to  the  throne  of  Greece  as  King  of  the  Hellenes. 
Weight  of  both  Thalers:  433.078  grains  each.  Fineness:  833- 
.333.     Value:  $1.02.3992. 

12.  Double-Thaler  of  3|  Gulden  or  Florins  of  1838.  Ob- 
verse: Undraped  bust  of  Ludvvig  I.  Legend:  "ludwig  i 
KOENIG   VON   BAYERN."     Reverse:    "die   eintheilung  d. 

KONIGREICHS  AUF  GESCHICHTL  GRUNDLAGE  ZURtJCKGEFtJHRT, 

1858"  {The  Union  of  the  Kingdom  founded  upon  historical 
basis).  The  whole  is  inscribed  in  the  middle  of  the  field  in 
seven  lines,  and  surrounded  by  eight  small  wreaths,  united  by 
bands,  and  containing  the  names  of  the  different  provinces  of 
Bavaria.  On  the  edge:  "drei  ein  ha  lb.  gulden  *  *  vii 
E.  F.  M."  {Three  and  a  half  Florins,  seven  to  one  Mark,  fine 
silver).  Weight :  572.847  grains.  Fineness :  900.  Value : 
$1.45.9950. 

13.  Double  Thaler  of  SJ  Gulden,  1846  to  1848.  Obverse: 
Same  as  No.  12. 

Reverse  :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Bavaria,  sup- 
ported by  two  crowned  lions.  Legend  :  "3|  gulden  vii  eine 
p.  MARK  2  THALER."     Exergue:  "vereins-munze"  {Conven- 

2P 


658 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


tions  money),  beneath,  date  of  the  year  of  issue.     Weight :  572- 
.847  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value :  $1.45.9950. 


DOUBLE  THALER  OF  3 J  GULDEN  OR  FLORINS,  1845  TO  1848. 

14.  Double  Thaler  of  3J  Gulden  of  Maximilian  II.  Ob- 
verse: Bust  of  Maximilian  II.  Legfend:  "Maximilian  ii 
KOENIG  VON  BAYEKN."  Reverse:  Weight,  Fineness  and  Value, 
Same  as  No.  13. 

15.  Marien-Thaler  of  1855.     Obverse:  Same  as  No.  14. 


MARIEN-THALER  of   MAXIMILIAN  II.,  1865. 

Reverse:  Full  figure  Virgin  and  Child.  Legend:  "zuR 
erinnerung  an  die  wiederherstelluno  der  marien 
8AULE  IN  munchen,  1855"  {In  commemoraticPn  of  the  rebuild- 
ing of  the  St.  Mary  Monument  in  Munich,  1855).  At  the  left  of 
Virgin  and  Child  "patrona,"  at  the  right  "bavariae"  {Pa- 
tron of  Bavaria).  Weight :  285.784  grains.  Fineness :  900. 
Value:  $0.72.9975. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  6^9 

16.  2  Gulden  or  Florin  Piece.  Obverse:  Bust  ot  Maximil- 
ian II.  Legend :  "  MAXIMILIAN  II  koenig  von  bayern." 
Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Bavaria,  sup- 
ported by  two  crowned  lions.  Legend :  "  ZWEI  gulden." 
Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  327.336  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.83.3894. 

17.  Vereins  or  Convention  Thaler  of  If  Gulden.  Obverse : 
Same  as  No.  16.  Reverse,  device,  and  exergue :  Same  as  No. 
16.  Legend:  "ein  vereins  thaler  xxx  ein  pfund  fein  " 
{Convefdion  Thaler  or  Dollar  ^  30  to  weigh  one  pound  fine  silver). 
Weight:  285.784  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.72.9975. 

18.  Gulden  or  Florin  of  Maximilian  II.  Obverse:  Same 
as  No.  16. 


l^  1^39  » 


GULDEN  OR  FLORIN   OF   MAXIMILIAN   II. 

Reverse:  "1  gulden,"  beneath  date  of  the  year  of  issue, 
surrounded  by  heavy  oak  branches.  Weight:  163.304  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.41.5682. 

19.  Half  Gulden  of  Maximilian.  Obverse:  Same  as  No. 
16.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  16,  only  '4"  being  substituted  for 
*'l."  Weight:  81.652  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.20.7841. 


6   KREUTZERS   OF    MAX   JOSEPH   II. 

20.  6  Krentzers  of  Maximilian  Joseph.     Obverse:  Head  of 


660  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Maximilian  Joseph.    Legend:   "max  Joseph  koenig  von 

BAIERN." 

Reverse :  Crown  shield,  arms  of  Bavaria,  surrounded  by  a 
palm  and  laurel  branch.  Legend:  "landmunz"  "6  K." 
Exergue:  "1808."     Value,  nominally,  3  cents. 

21.  6  Kreutzers  of  Maximilian  II.  Obverse:  Coat  of  arms 
of  Bavaria.  Legend:  "koeniqreich  bayern  "  {Kingdom 
of  Bavaria). 


6   KREUTZERS  OF  MAXIMILIAN   H. 

Reverse:  "6  kreutzer,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issne; 
surrounded  by  heavy  oak  branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Weight: 
40  grains.     Fineness:  333.333.     Value,  nominally,  3|  cents. 

22.  3  Kreutzers  of  Maximilian  II.  Obverse :  Same  as  No. 
21. 


3   KREUTZERS  OP  MAXIMILIAN  n. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  21,  only  "  3  "  being  substituted  for  "6." 
Weight:  20  grains.     Fineness:  333.333.     Value:  1|  cents. 

The  silver  money  of  Ludvvig  II.,  successor  to  Maximilian 
II.,  is  identical  with  all  the  i&sues  of  that  monarch,  only 
"ludwig  II "  is  substituted  on  the  respective  obverses  of  the 
coins.  Their  weight,  fineness,  and  value  have  remained  un- 
changed, and  have  only  been  discontinued  by  the  Imperial  mint 
act  of  1872. 

Since  1872  the  Silver  Coins  of  Bavaria  are  identical  with 
those  of  the  German  Empire,  the  obverses  only  being  changed, 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  661 

and  they  bear  the  effigy  of  Ludwig  II.  j  and  the  legends: 
"  LUDWIG  II  KOENIG  VON  BAIEEN."  The  reverses  all  bear  the 
Imperial  German  Eagle.  Their  weight,  fineness,  and  value  are 
fully  stated  on  pages  653-660. 

The  Nickel  and  Bronze  Coins  are  without  exception  identical 
with  the  coins  described  on  pages  642  and  643,  and  their  values 
are  the  same. 

BRUNSWICK,    LUNEBURG,    WEST- 
PHALIA,   HANOVER. 

GOLD   COINS. 

1.  10  Thalers  of  Charles  William  of  Brunswick.  Obverse: 
Crowned  shield.     Legend:  "carolusguilielmus  ferdinan- 

DUS." 


>THALERg 


TEN  THALERS  OR  DOLLARS  OF  BRUNSWICK. 

Reverse:  "x  thaler"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Legend:  "d.  g.  dvx  brvnsvicens.  et  lvnebvrg." 
Weight:  206.221  grains.  Fineness:  899.306.  Value: 
$7.98.6536. 

2.  10  Thalers  of  George  IV.  of  Hanover.  Obverse :  Lau- 
reated  Head  of  George  IV.  Legend :  "  georgivs  iv  d.  o. 
BRIT.  HANOV.  REX.  F.  D.  {George  IV.  by  the  Grace  of  God 
King  of  Great  Britain  and  Hanover;  defender  of  the  faith). 
Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  206.221  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 902.778.     Value:  $8.02.3445. 

3.  10  Thalers  of  Wilhelm  of  Brunswick.  Obverse :  Crowned 
shield,  bearing  arras  of  Brunswick,  a  wild  man  with  large 
club  at  each  side  of  shield.     Legend  :  "  wilhelm  herzog.'* 


662  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Reverse:   "x  thaler"  and    date  of  the  year  of  issne. 


^  THALER^ 

J.^'vT        c.Y.c.    ^1'^/ 


TEN  THALER8  OR  DOLLARS  OF   BRUNSWICK. 

Weight:     206.221    grains.       Fineness:    899.306.      Value: 
17.98.6536. 

4.  10  Thalers  of  William  IV.  Legend :  "  wilhelm  iv 
KOENIO  V.  6R.  BRITAN.  HANOVER "  ( William  IV,  King  of 
Cheai  Britain  and  Hanover). 


10  THALERS  OR   DOLLARS  OP  WILLIAM  IV.   OF    HANOVER. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield  bearing  arms  of  Great  Britain  and 
Hanover.  Legend  and  Exergue:  "zehn  thal."  and  the 
date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  205.404  grains.  Fineness : 
895.833.    Value:  $7.92.3266. 


TEN  THALERS  OR  DOLLARS   OP  ERNST  AUGUST. 

6.  10  Thalers  of   Ernst   August  of   Hanover.     Obverse: 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  663 

Head  of  Ernst  August.      Legend :  "  erkst  august  zoenio 

VON  HANNOVER." 

Reverse :  Same  as  No.  4.  Weight :  205.404  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 895.833.     Value:  $7.92.3266. 

6.  10  Tlmlers  of  William  of  Brunswick.     Obverse:  Head  of 

William.     Legend:  "WILHELM  he  RZOG  BRAUNSCHWEIG  LUN." 

Reverse :  Shield  bearing  arms  of  Brunsvvick-Luneburg;  upon  a 
mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown.  Legend:  "ZEHN 
THALER."  Exergue :  Dale  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight : 
205.249  grains.     Fineness:  895.833.     Value :  $7.91.9940. 

7.  10  Thalers  of  George  V.  Obverse:  Bust  of  George  V. 
Legend  :  "  george  v.  koenig  v.  hannover."  Reverse  : 
Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Great  Britain  and  Hanover, 
"zehn"  at  the  left,  and  "thaler"  at  the  right.  Exergue: 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  205.404.  Fineness :  895- 
.833.     Value:  $7.92.3266. 

8.  5  Thalers  of  Carol  us  of  Brunswick-Luneburg.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Carolus.     Legend:  "carolus  d.  q.  dux  br  et  lun." 


thalers   OF   carolus   of   BRUNSWICK-LUNEBURG. 


Reverse:  Horse  galloping.  Legend:  "nunquam  retror- 
sum"  {Never  backward),  and  the  date  of  year  of  issue.  Weight : 
103.118.     Fineness:  902.778.     Value:  $4.00. 

9.  10  Thalers  of  Hieronymus  Napoleon.  Obverse:  Lau- 
reate<l  head  of  Hieronyn)us  Napoleon,  King  of  Westphalia.  Le- 
gend: " hieronymus  napoleon."  Reverse:  "10  thalers," 
surrounded  by  laurel  branches.  Weight :  206.221  grains. 
Fineness:  902.778.     Value:  $8.02.3445. 

10.  10  Thalers  of  Hieronymus,  King  of  Westphalia.  Ob- 
verse :  Coat  of  arms  crowned.     Legend :  "  hieronymus  na- 


664  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

POLEON."     Reverse :  Same  as  No.  8.     Weight,  Fineness,  Value : 
Same  as  Xo.  8. 

11.  6  Thalers  of  Charles  William  of  Brunswick.     Obverse: 
Same  as  No.  1. 


, . ->  r  ■*  0  <<  •;-  - 


:^'Au"o\> 


5  THALERS  OR  DOLLARS  OF   BRUNSWICK. 

Reverse:  "v  thaler,"  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  103- 
.118  grains.     Fineness :  899.306.     Value :  §4.00. 

12.  6  Thalers  of  William  IV.  of  Hanover.  Obverse :  Same 
as  No.  4. 


6  THALERS  OR  DOLLARS  OP  WILLIAM   IV.   OF  HANOVER. 

Reverse :  Same  as  No.  4.  Legend :  "  funp  thal,"  Ex- 
ergue: Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  102.625  graina 
Fineness:  895.833.     Value:  $3.99.3268. 

13.  5  Thalers  of  George  IV.  of  Hanover.  Obverse:  Same  as 
No.  2.  Reverse:  "v  thaler,"  rest  same  as  No.  2.  Weight: 
103.118  grains.     Fineness:  902.778.     Value:  $4.01.1727. 

14.  5  Thalers  of  Ernst  August.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  5. 
Reverse:  Same  as  No.  5.  Legend:  "funp  thaler."  Ex- 
ergue: Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  102.702  grains. 
Fineness:  895.833.     Value:  $3.96.1633. 

15.  5  Thalers  of  George  V.  of  Hanover.  Obverse:  Head 
of  George  V.  Legend :  george  v.  v.  g.  koenig  v.  hannover " 
( George  F.,  by  the  grace  of  God,  King  of  Hanover).     Reverse : 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  665 

Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Great  Britain  and  Hanover. 
Legend:  "funf  thlr."  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of 
issue.  Weight:  102.625  strains.  Fineness:  895.833.  Value: 
$3.96.1633. 


5   THALERS   OF   GEORGE   V. 

16.  Crown  of  George  V.  of  Hanover.  Obverse:  Head  of 
George  V.  Legend:  "georq  v.  v.  g.  g.  koenig  v.  han- 
NOVRE."  Reverse :  "  1  krone,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of 
issue,  surrounded  by  a  heavy  oak  wreath.  Legend:  "vereins- 
MUNZE."  Exergue:  "60  ein  pfund  fein"  (50  Crowns  to 
weigh  one  pound  fine  gold).  Weight :  171.467  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $6.65.0883. 

17.  Crown  of  Wilhelm  of  Brunswick.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Wilhelra.  Legend:  "wilhelm  herzog  z  Braunschweig 
u  LU  "  ( William  Duke  of  Brunswick  and  Luneburg).  Reverse : 
Same  as  No.  16.  Weight,  Fineness  and  Value:  Same  as  No. 
16. 

18.  2^  Thalers  of  Greorge  IV.  of  Hanover.  Obverse:  Same 
as  No.  4.  Reverse :  "  2|  thaler,"  rest  same  as  No.  4.  Weight : 
51.555  grains.     Fineness:  902.778.     Value:  $1.98.7154. 

19.  2 J  Thalers  of  Ernst  August.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  5. 
Reverse:  Coat  of  Great  Britain  and  Hanover.  Legend:  Date 
of  the  year  of  issue.  Exergue:  "2|  thaler."  Weight,  Fine- 
ness and  Value:  Same  as  No.  18. 

20.  2|  Thalers  of  Wilhelm  of  Brunswick.  Obverse:  Same 
as  No.  17.  Reverse:  2^  thaler,"  beneath,  date  of  the  year 
of  issue.  Legend:  "ziNE  mark  258  gran  fein."  Weight: 
51.312  grains.     Fineness:  895.833.     Value:  $1.97.1238. 

21.  Ten   Franc  Piece  of  Hieronymus  Napoleon,  of  West- 


66o 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


phalia.     Obverse:  Head  of  Hieronymus  Napoleon.     Legend: 
"hieron.  napol." 


TEN   FRANCS  OP  HIERONYMUS  NAPOLEOX 

Reverse :  "  10  frank."  Legend : "  koeniq  v  westp.  fr.  pb.," 
and  date  of  year  of  issue.  Weight:  48.858  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $1.93. 

SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Double  Thaler  of  Ludovicus  Rudolphus  of  Brunswick  and 
Luueburg,  of  1734. 


DOUBLE  thaler  OF   LUDOVICUS   RUDOLPHUS,   1734. 

Intrinsic  value:  $1.45. 

2.  Species  Thaler  of  Charles  William  Ferdinand.  Obverse: 
Crowned  shield,  hung  with  laurel  leaves.  Legend:  "carolus 
GUIL.  FERD.  D.  G.  DUX  BRUNSV  ET  LUN."  Meaning:  Charles 
WHUam  Ferdinand  by  the  Grace  of  God  Duke  of  Brunsunck 
and  I/uneburg. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  667 

Reverse :  "  1  species  thaler,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of 


S  SPECIES^ 
v^THALEt-a 


SPECIES   THALER  CHARLES   WILLIAM   FERDINAND. 

issue.     Legend:  "x  eine  feine  mark  conventions  m."    In- 
trinsic value :  $0.99.800. 

3.  Florins  of  Bruuswick-Luneburg. 


florins  of  AUGUSTUS  ANTHONY  ULRIC,    1619. 
Intrinsic  value  :  46  cents. 


florin  of  carolus,  1749. 
Intrinsic  value,  45  cents.     Both  coins  being  very  rare  bring 
a  high  premium  among  numismatists. 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


4.  Convention  Thaler  of  Hieronymus  Napoleon  of  West- 
phalia, 1813. 


sii%^Tp 


EINEFEilfE^ 
'\-"    MARK 


C!ONVENTION   THALER  OP   WESTPHALIA. 

Intrinsic  value :  $0,95. 

6.  Marien-Groschen  of  Brunswick  and  Westphalia. 


24  MARIENQROSCHEN=52|  centS.     12  MARIENGROSCHEN=26^ 

■     CENTS. 


(JROSCH- 
O.L   M. 

XH  M      ■' 


# 


G   MARlENGROSCHEN=13   CENTS.         4  MARIENGROSCHEN=8f 
CENTS.      2    MARIENGROSCHEN=4  CENTS. 

6.  Florin  of  George  II.  of  Hanover.  Obverse :  Royal 
arms  of  England,  France,  and  Ireland,  occupying  the  first  three 
quarters  of  the  shield,  and  the  arras  of  Hanover  the  fourth. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 


699 


Legend:  "george  ii  d.  g.  m.  brit.  f.  &  h.  rex.  f.  d." 
{George  II.,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  King  of  Great  Brilain, 
France,  and  Ireland.     Defender  of  the  Faith). 

Reverse:  Wild  man  of  the  Hartz.  Legend  :  "br.  et  lvn. 
DUX.  s.  R.  I.  A.  TH.  ET  EL."  {Duhe  of  Brunswick  and  Luneburg, 
Arch  Treasurer  and  Elector  of  the  Holy  Roman  Empire). 
Value:  45  cents. 

7.  Mariengroscben  of  Hanover. 


6    MARIENGROSCHEN=13|  CENTS.         4   MARIENGR0SCHEN=9 

CENTS. 

8.  Half  Florin  of  George  III.     Obverse :  Bust  of  George 
III.     Legend :  "george  hi.  d.  g.  m.  brit.  rex." 


HALF  FLORIN  GEORGE  III.  OF  HANOVER. 

Intrinsic  value :  27|  cents. 

9.  Quarter  Florin  of  George  III.     Obverse :  Same  as  No.  8. 


QUARTER  FLORIN  OF  GEORGE  HI.  OF  HANOVEB. 

Intrinsic  value :  13|  cents. 


670  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

10*  16  Gute  Groschen  of  Brunswick. 


:^    l6  \ 

:J  CUTE  -: 
w  GROS'CHEN  ni 
^:i       1825:     ^S;i 


16   GOOD   GROSCHEN   OP   1825. 


Intrinsic  value :  46  cents. 

11.  4  Gute  Groschen  of  Hanover. 


gEINEN 
QTHALERi:' 


:^-  EINEN     «. 
>,  THAXER  - 

"so  ,>  1?.  0  6  ■     JT 


4  GOOD  GROSCHEN  OF  1764  AND  1808. 

Intrinsic  value:  11  cents. 

The  above-mentioned  silver  coins  are  long  ago  out  of  general 
circulation,  and  their  value  that  of  a  numismatist's  fancy. 

12.  Double  Thaler  of  3^  Gulden  or  Florin.  Obverse :  Head 
of  George  V.  Legend:  "georg  v.  g.  g.  koenig  v. 
HANNOVER."  Reverse  :  Crowned  coat  of  arms  of  Great  Brit- 
ain, Ireland,  and  Hanover,  supported  by  the  lion  and  unicorn, 
rampant.  Legend:  " vereinsmIjnze.  2  thaler.  3^  gulden 
VII  EINE  FEINE  MARK "  {Convention  money,  2  Thaler 8  or  3^ 
Gvlden,  Florin.  Seven  to  weigh  one  Mark  fine).  Exergue : 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  572.847  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $1.45.9950. 

13.  Double  Thaler  of  ^  Gulden  or  Florin.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Wilhelra  of  Brunswick.  Legend:  "wilhelm 
herzoo  z.  BRAUNSCHWEIG u.  lun."  {WiUiaw,  Duke  of  Bruns- 
tcick  and  Luneburg).     Reverse:   Crowned   coat  of  arms   of 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 


671 


Brunswick,  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown. 
Legend :  "  2  thaler  vii  eine  feine  mark  3|  gulden." 
Exergue :  "  vereinsmunze  "  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight,  Fineness,  and  Value  same  as  No.  12. 

14.  Thaler  of  Wilhehu  of  Brunswick.     Obverse  and  Le- 


THALER   OF   WILHEL.M    OF   BRUNSWICK. 

"■end:  Same  as  No.  13.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  13.  Legend- 
"  BIN  thaler  XIV  EINE  F.  M.  {One  Thaler  or  Dollar,  fourteeru 
to  weigh  one  Mark  fine  silver).  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of 
issue.  Weight:  343.72  grains.  Fineness:  750.  Value: 
$0.72.9975. 

15.  Thaler  of  William  IV.  of  Hanover.     Obverse :  Head  of 
William  IV.     Legend:  "wilhelm  iv  koenig  v.  gr.  brit. 

U.  HANNOVER." 


thaler  OF  WILLIAM  IV.  OF  HANOVER. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield  bearing  arms  of  Great  Britain,  Ire- 
land, and  a  shield  of  pretence  bearing  the  arms  of  Hanover. 
Legend :  "  EiN  thaler  xiv  eine  f.  m."    Exergue :  "  feines 


672 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 


silber"   {fine  silver),   and   the   date  of   the  year  of    issue. 

Weight :  343.72  grains.     Fineness :  750.     Value :  $0.72.9975. 

16.  Thaler  of  Ernst  August  of  Hanover.     Obverse:  Head 


of  Ernst  August.     Legend 

HANNOVER." 


ERNST  AUGUST  KOENIG  VON 


THALER  OP  ERNST  AUGUST  OP  HANOVER. 


Reverse:  Same  as  No.  15.  Legend:  "  ein  thai.er  berg- 
8EGEN  DES  HARZES  XIV  EiNE  P.  M.  {One  Tholer  OT  Dollar. 
Blessing  from  the  Mountains  of  the  Hartz,  fourteen  to  weigh  one 
Mark  fine  silver).  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight :  343.72  grains.     Fineness :  750.     Value :  $0.72.9975. 

17.  Thaler  of  George  V.  of  Hanover.  Obverse :  Head  of 
George  V.  facing  to  the  left.  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  12.  Re- 
verse :  Same  as  No.  12.  Legend :  "  ein  vereinsthaler  xxx 
EIN  PPUND  PEINE."  {One  Convention  Thaler ,  30  to  weigh  one 
pound  fine  silver).  Weight :  285.784  grains.  Fineness :  900. 
Value :  $0.72.5256. 

The  Billon  Silver  Coins  of  Brunswick,  Luneburg,  West- 
phalia, and  Hanover  are : 

1.  The  \  Thaler  of  Wilhelm  IV.  and  George  V.  of  Han- 
over.    Value  entirely  nominal  at  11|  cents. 

2.  The  I  Thaler  of  George  V.  Value  entirely  nominal  at 
5|  cents.  The  above  coins  as  well  as  the  Groschen  of  Han- 
over and  Brunswick  are  no  more  a  legal  tender,  and  their  cir- 
culation since  1876  is  prohibited. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  673 

HANSE  TOWNS  OR  FREE  CITIES. 

The  Hanse  Towns  or  Free  Cities  of  the  present  day  are : 
.Bremen,  Hamburg  and  Lubeck,  having  a  government  of  their 
own,  which  consists  of  a  Senate  of  somewhat  Republican  form. 
Since  1864  Frankfort-on-the-Main  has  ceased  to  be  one  of  the 
Hanse  Towns  or  Free  Cities,  having  been  absorbed  by  Prussia, 
of  which  it  now  forms  a  province.  Bremen,  Hamburg  and  Lu- 
beck have  the  right  to  coin  gold  and  silver  coins,  subject  to  the 
Mint-law  of  July  9,  1873,  of  the  German  Empire. 

Frankfort-on-the-Main,  once  an  important  Hanse  Town,  has 
coined  a  considerable  number  of  different  silver  coins;  and  all 
her  coins  bear  the  imprint  of  "Freie  Stadt"  {Free  City),  hence 
we  incorporate  her  issue  among  the  Hanse  Towns  or  Free 
Cities. 

A.  Bremen. 

In  1776  the  principal  coin  was  the  piece  of  48  Grote,  which 
was  coined  at  750  fine,  and  worth  56  cents.  After  that  date, 
until  1840,  there  has  been  but  little  money  coined.  From  1840 
to  1872,  the  pieces  coined  are  the  36,  12  and  6  Grote,  and  the 
One  Groten  piece.  Many  of  the  two  and  three  Grote  Pieces 
bear  the  numerals  24  and  36  respectively,  which  means  so  many 
piec»es  to  the  Thaler  or  Dollar  of  72  Grote,  twenty-four  Three 
Grote  Pieces  making  a  Thaler,  and  thirty-six  of  the  former. 
These  figures  are  usually  inclosed  in  small  brackets  or  circles, 
and  sometimes  appear  on  the  eagle's  breast. 

In  1857  Bremen  accepted  the  Vienna  Convention  Thaler  of 
65  Grotes,  equal  to  71 1  cents,  United  States  value.  In  1871 
the  Senate  of  Bremen  again  reverted  to  its  former  gold  Thaler, 
a  silver  coinage,  of  72  Grotes,  equal  to  $0.79.1200. 

Bremen's  gold  coinage  dates  back  as  far  as  1512,  and  extends 
from  that  period  down  to  1672,  after  which  time  no  pieces  in 
gold  were  coined. 

SILVER  COINAGE  OF   BREMEN. 

1.  The  Gold   Thaler  of  1871.     Obverse:   Crowned   shield 
bearing  the  arms  of  tiie  city  of  Bremen ;  a  key,  supported  by 
2Q 


674 


DYirS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


two  lions.  Legend:  "freie  hanse  stadt  Bremen."  Ex- 
ergue: "ein  thaler  gold"  {One  Dollar  gold,  notmthslandi'ng 
it  being  a  silver  coin).  Reverse:  "ZUR  erinnerung,"  in  a  cir- 
cular line.  "Ax  den  glorreich  erkampften  frieden  vom, 
10  MAI,  1871,"  in  six  parallel  running  lines.  {In  commemora- 
tion of  the  gloHous  combated  peace  of  3Iay  10, 1871,)  surrounded 
by  heavy  oak  branches,  crossed  and  tied ;  above  the  circular 
liue  the  iron  cross  of  Germany.  Weight:  276.680  grains. 
Fineness:  986.111.     Value:  $0.79.1200. 

2.  The  36  Grote  Piece.     Obverse :  Coat  of  arms  of  Bremen, 
a  key,  supported  by  two  lions.     Legend:  "freie  hansestadt 

BREMEN." 


i;GROTEll» 


36   GROTE  PIECE  OP  BREMEN. 

Reverse:  "36  grote,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  sur- 
rounded by  oval  branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Weight:  135.340 
grains.     Fineness:  986.111.     Value:  30.37.7657. 

3.  The  12  Grote  Piece.  Obverse:  Coat  of  arms  of  Bremen, 
without  lions.     Legend :  Same  as  No.  2. 


12    grote  piece   of   BREMEN. 

Reverse:  "12  grote,"  rest  same  as  No.  2.     Weight:  60.165 
grains.     Fineness:  739.583.     Value:  $0.12.6730. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  676 

4.  The  6  Grote  Piece.     Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  3. 


6  GROTE  PIECE  OF  BREMEN. 

Reverse:  "6  grote,"  rest  same  as  No.  3.     Weight:  30.077 
grains.     Fineness:  739.583.     Value:  $0.06.3365. 

BILLON  COINS  OF  BREMEN. 

1.  The  12  Grote  Piece  of  1666;  coined  under  Leopold,  Em- 
|H  ror  of  Germany. 


12   GROTE   PIECE   OF    BREMEN. 

The  intrinsic  value  about  11  cents. 

2.  The  6  Grote  Pieces  of  1818  and  1822. 


Q^ROTE 


GROTE 

PLDCOU.-.ML'NZC 


The  intrinsic  value  about  5  cents. 


676  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

All  the  afore-described  coins  have,  by  act  of  April  30th, 
1872,  been  deprived  of  their  legal  tender  value. 

Since  October  1st,  1872,  the  German  gold  and  silver  Mark 
Pieces  are  in  general  circulation,  and  are  fully  descril)ed  in 
their  proper  places. 

B.  Frankfort-on-tlie-Maiii. 

This,  once  a  "  Free  City  "  of  Germany,  now  only  a  province 
of  Prussia,  has  coined  no  gold  coins  later  than  1796;  all  of 
them  having  been  called  in  at  the  beginning  of  this  century. 
The  silver  coins  are  varied,  and  some  very  handsome;  none  of 
them  are  legal  tender  any  more. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  FRANKFORT. 

1.  Ducat.  Obverse:  Eagle  of  Frankfort,  Legend:  "tur- 
His  FOETissiMA  NOMEN  DOMINI "  {The  name  of  the  Lord  is  the 
strongest  tower).  Reverse :  A  cross  with  ornaments.  Legend  : 
"ducatus  reispublic^  francofdrtensis  "  {Ducat  of  the 
Republic  of  Frankfort).     Intrinsic  value:  $2.28. 

2.  Ducat  of  1796.  Obverse:  View  of  the  city  of  Frankfort. 
Reverse:  A  wreath  of  laurel  surrounding  the  words:  "aus  deN" 

GEFAESSEN    DER    KIRCHEN    UND    DER    BURGER     DER     STADT 

franckfurt"  {Out  of  the  plate  belonging  to  the  churches  and 
that  of  the  citizens  of  the  city  of  Frankfort).  Intrinsic  value : 
$2.25.    ■ 

SILVER  COINS  OF  FRANKFORT. 

1.  Double  Thaler  of  ^  Gulden  or  Florins  of  1628.  Ob- 
verse :  View  of  the  city  of  Frankfort. 

Reverse:  The  eagle  of  Frankfort,  surrounded  by  olive 
branches.  Intrinsic  value :  $1.45;  but  being  out  of  circulation 
for  more  than  100  years,  it  is  highly  prized  by  numismatists. 

2.  Double  Thaler  of  3|  Gulden  or  Florins  of  1841-1844. 
Obverse:  View  of  the  river  Main,  with  the  city  of  Frankfort 
on  the  left  shore,  and  the  bridge  across  the  river;  several  vea- 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  677 

sels  and  small  boats  are  seen  in  different  parts  of  the  harbor; 
beneath  are  two  horns  of  plenty,  and  two  Mercury's  wands 


DOUBLE  THALER  OF   3^   GULDEN. 

crossed.     At  the  left  side,  beneath  the  view  of  the  river,  appears 
the  name  of  the  engraver,  "Zollman." 

Reverse :  "  3|  gulden  2  thaler  "  and  the  date  of  the  year 
of  issue ;  surrounded  by  heavy  oak  branches,  crossed  and  tied. 
Legend:  *'VEitEi^suiSNZ^" {Convention monei/).  Exergue:  "vii 
EINE  PEINE  MARK  "  {Seven  to  weigh  one  Mark  fine  silver). 
Weight:  572.847  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value :  $1.45.9950. 

3.  Double  Thaler  of  3J  Gulden  of  1845  to  1860.  Obverse : 
Eagle  of  Frankfort,  crowned.  Legend:  "fkeie  stadt" 
{3-ee  Caty).  Exergue:  "frankfurt."  Reverse:  Same  as 
No.  2.     Weight,  fineness,  and  value  same  as  No.  2. 

4.  Janauscheck  Double  Thaler,  or  3|  Gulden  of  1861.  Ob- 
verse: Eagle  of  Frankfort,  crowned.  Ivegend:  "zwEr 
vereinsthaler.  XV  EiN  PFUND  FEIN."  Reverse :  Bust  of 
Fanny  Janauscheck,  laureated.  Legend:  '*FREIE  STADT 
FRANKFURT."     Weight,  fineness,  and  value  same  as  No.  2. 

5.  Two  Gulden  Piece  of  the  Archduke  John,  of  Austria,  as 
administrator  of  the  German  Confederation  in  1848.  Obverse: 
"erzherzog  johann  von  oesterreich,"  inscribed  in  four 
lines  {Ardiduke  John  of  Austria).  Beneath  is  a  palm  and 
laurel  branch,  crossed.     Legend  :  "  erwahlt  zum  reichsver- 


678  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

WESER    iJBER   DEUTSCHLAND  DEN  29  JUKI    1848 "    {Elected  08 

AdministrcUor  of  the  Empire  over  Germany,  June  29,  1848). 
Reverse :    Double-headed  eagle  of   Frankfurt.       Legend : 

"  CONSTITUIRENDE  VERSAMMLUNG  I.  D.  F.  STADT  FRANKFURT 

18  MAI,  1848  "  {Constitutional  Assembly  in  the  Free  City  oj 
Frankfort, May  18, 1848).  Around  the  edge:  "zwEi  gulden" 
{Two  Florins).  Weight:  327.335  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.83.3894.  ^ 

6.  Double  Gulden  of  1848-1862.  Obverse  and  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  3.  Reverse :  "  2  gulden  "  and  the  date  of  the 
ye»r  of  issue ;  surrounded  by  heavy  oak  branches,  crossed  and 
tied.  Weight:  327.335  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.83.3894. 

7.  Vereins  Thaler  of  If  Gulden,  or  Florin,  of  1859.  Ob- 
verse :  Eagle  of  Frankfort.  Legend  :  "  ein  vereinsthaler. 
XXX  EIN  pfund  FEIN  "(One  Convention  Thaler,  thirty  to 
weigh  one  pound  fine  silver).  Exergue:  "1859."  Reverse  and 
Legend  :  Same  as  No.  4.  Weight :  285.784  grains.  Fineness : 
900.    Value:  $0.72.9978. 

8.  Gulden  of  1848  and  since.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same 
as  No.  3. 


GULDEN   OR   FLORIN  OP    FRANKFORT. 

Reverse :  "  1  gulden,"  beneath  date  of  the  year  of  issue ; 
surrounded  by  heavy  branches  of  oak,  crossed  and  tied. 
Weight:  163.675.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.41.6940. 

9.  Half  Gulden  of  1841  and  since.  Obverse:  Same  as 
No.  8. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 


679 


Eeverse:    "|   gulden;"   rest  same  as   No.   6.     Weight: 
81.837  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value :  $0.20.7838. 


iv^  GULDEN  tlJfj 


HALF   GULDGEN   OR  FLORIN  OF  FRANKFORT. 


BILLON  COINS  OF  FRANKFORT. 

1.  6  Kreutzer.  Obverse,  sometimes  the  Frankfort  eagle, 
other  times  view  of  the  City  of  Frankfort.  Weight:  40  grains. 
Fineness:  333.333.     Value:  $0.03.8020. 

2.  3  Kreutzer.  Obverse:  Eagle  of  Frankfort.  Weight: 
20  grains.     Fineness:  333.333.     Value:  $0.02.4010. 

C.   Hamburg. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  HAMBURG. 

1.  Quintuple  Ducat  of  1828.  Obverse:  Female  seated, 
holding  in  hor  left  hand  a  stalk  of  wheat,  resting  her  hand  upon 
a  beehive. 


m^^. 


>»"-'<^^ 


QUINTUPLE   DUCAT  OF    i828. 


Reverse:  "1778,"  surrounded  by  a  wreath,  beneath  the  same, 
"1828,"  surrounded  also  by  a  wreath;  the  whole  inclosed  in  a 


680  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

circle.  Legend:  "punpziq  jjehriger  bestand  der  haji- 
BURGISCHEN  VERSORGUNGS  ANSTALT."  {Fifty  years'  existence 
of  the  Provident  Institution  of  the  City  of  Hamburg).  Weight : 
269.290.     Fineness:  979.167.     Value:  $11.35.5165. 

2.  Ducat  of  1841  to  1860.  Obverse:  A  Knight  in  armor, 
carrying  a  long  sword  in  his  dexter,  holding  with  his  sinister  an 
oval  shield,  upon  which  is  the  arms  of  the  City  of  Hamburg:  a 
city  gate  with  three  towers,  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  is.sue. 
Legend:  " hamburgensis  nvmvs  avrevs  "  [Gold  Coin  of 
Hamburg). 


HAMBURG   DUCAT. 

Reverse:  A  fancy  shield  bearing  the  following:  "67  aeqv. 
POND  MARC  COL  PRETii  23^  KARAT  "  (67  pieces  equal  to  weigh 
one  Mark  fine  of  Cologne).  Weight:  53.858  grains.  Fineness: 
979.167.     Value:  $2.27.1033. 

In  1860  and  up  to  1872,  a  slight  change  was  made  upon  the 
Reverse  of  this  Ducat,  the  line  "  23|  karat  "  was  altered  to 
"  979  MILES;"  the  rest  remaining  unchanged.  Prior  to  1841, 
and  from  that  time  back  to  1810,  the  Obverse  of  the  Ducat 
bears  only  the  city  gate  with  three  towers :  the  arms  of  Ham- 
burg. Legend :  Same  as  No.  2.  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year 
of  issue.     Weight,  fineness,  and  value :  Same  as  No.  2. 

By  decree  of  the  German  Empire  of  February  15th,  1873, 
the  former  coinage  of  Hamburg,  which  was  in  use  since  1619, 
was  abolished  and  the  conversion  in  Marks  and  Pfennige  or- 
dered. The  gold  coin  of  Hamburg  of  to-day  are  the  20, 10  and 
6  Mark  pieces. 

3.  20  Mark.  Obverse :  Shield  supported  by  two  lions, 
upon  it  a  city  gate  with  three  towers  above  it,  surmounted  by  a 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  681 

helmet,  behind  which  are  seen  flags,  spears,  etc.  Legend : 
"freie  und  hansestadt  HAMBURG"  [Free  and  Hanseatie 
city  of  Hamburg.)  Reverse:  The  Imperial  Eagle  of  Germany. 
Legend:  "deutsches  reich"  {Gei-mdn  Empire).  Exergue: 
"20  MARK."  Around  the  edge"GOTT  mit  uns  "  {God  with 
Us).     Weight:  122.880.     Fineness:   900.     Value:  $4.76. 

4.  10  Mark.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  3.  Re- 
verse and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  3.  Exergue:  "10  mark." 
Weight:  61.440.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $2.38. 

5.  5  Mark.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  3.  Re- 
verse and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  3.  Exergue :  "  funf  mark  " 
{Five  Marks).  Weight:  30.720.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$1.19.     All  the  new  gold  coins  bear  the  mint-mark  "  j." 

SILVER  COINS  OF  HAMBURG. 
1.  Two   Mark   Courant.      Obverse:   Double  headed  eagle. 
Intrinsic  Value:  §0.69.7885. 


TWO  mark  piece  of  1765. 


TWO  mark  piece  of  1780-1800. 
2.  Two   Mark    Courant.     Obverse:   Double   headed  eagle. 
Intrinsic  Value  :  S0.51. 


682  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 

3.  Mark  of  1731.     Obverse:  Double  headed  easle. 


ONE  MARK  PIECE   OF   1731. 


SCHILLINGE 
HAMBURGER 
G  OUR  ANT; 

:•  18  08         ■■: 


TWO  MARKS  OOURANT. 


Intrinsic  Value:  $0.29.S943. 

4.  Half  and  Quarter  Mark.     Obverse :  Same  as  No.  3, 

6.  Two  Marks  Courant  of  32  Sliillings  of  1808-1870. 

Obverse :  A  city  gate  with  three  towers  above.  Reverse : 
"  32  SCHILLINGE  HAMBURGER  COURANT  1808."  Intrinsic 
Value:  ^.50|. 

6.  One  Mark  Courant  of  16  Shillings.  Obverse:  Same  as 
No.  5.  Reverse :  "16,"  rest  same  as  No.  5.  Intrinsic  Value: 
$0.25f. 

7.  8  Shillings  Courant.  Obverse :  Same  as  No.  5.  Re- 
verse :  "  8,"  rest  same  as  No.  5.     Intrinsic  Value :  $0.12. 


8  SHILLINGS  COURANT. 


4  SHILLINGS   COURANT. 


Re- 


8.  4  Shillings  Courant.     Obverse :    Same  as  No.   6. 
verse :  "  4,"  rest  same  as  No.  5.     Intrinsic  Value :  $0.06. 
All  the  silver  coins  aforementioned  have  since  the  15th  of 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  683 

February,  1873,  been  deprived  of  their  value  as  lega.  cender, 
and  being  since  1808  only  562  and  375  fine,  are  almost  value- 
less except  to  the  numismatists. 

9.  5  Marks  of  1872  and  since.  Obverse:  Coat  of  arms  of 
city  of  Hamburg.  Legend:  "freie  UND  hansestadt  HAM- 
BURG."    Mint-mark  "j." 


5   MARKS   PIECE    OF    HAMBURG. 

Reverse :  The  Imperial  German  Eagle.  Legend : 
"  DEUTSCHES  REICH,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Ex- 
ergue: "funf  mark."  Weight:  476  grains.  Fineness: 
900.    Value:  $1.19. 

10.  2  Marks  of  1873  and  since.  Obverse  and  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  9.  Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  fi.  Ex- 
ergue: "ZWEIMARK."  Weight:  190.400  grains:  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $0.47.600. 

11.  1  Mark  of  1874 and  since.  Obverse:  The  German  Im- 
perial Eagle. 


ONE    MARK   OP   HAMBURG. 

Reverse:  "1  mark"  surrounded   by  oak  branches  crossed 


684 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA 


and  tied.  Legend:  "deutsches  reich."  Exergue:  Date  of 
year  of  issue.  Weight:  95.200  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value  :  $0.23.8. 

12.  50  Pfennig.     Obverse  :    Imperial  German  Eagle. 
Reverse  :  "  60."  Legend  :  deutsches  reich,"  and  the  dat€ 

of  the  year  of  issue.  Exergue:  "pfennig."  Weight:  47.600 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.11.90. 

13.  20  Pfennig.     Obverse:  Same  as  No.  12. 

Reverse :  "  20,"  rest  same  as  No.  12.  Weight :  19.040  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.04.76. 

The  Nickel  and  Bronze  coins  circulating  in  Hamburg  are 
those  of  the  German  Empire. 

D.  L-abeck. 

The  coinage  of  Lubeck  has  been  limited  to  silver,  of  some- 
what inferior  standard,  none  above  750  fine  and  again  as  low 
down  as  562  fine.     (Billon.) 

1.  Three  Mark  Piece  of  1752  only  750  fine,  weighing 
424.587  grains. 


3   MARKS  OR  48   SHIIXING8  OP  LUBECK  OF   1752. 

Intrinsic  Value:  $0.91.2468;  being  out  of  circulation  for 
nearly  one  hundred  years,  its  value  among  numismatists  is  con- 
siderable. 

2.  Mark  piece  of  16  Shillings.  Obverse:  Double  headed 
eagle;  upon  its  breast  "16"  inclosed  in  a  circle. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  686 

Reverse ;  Shield,  coat  of  arms  of  the  city  of  Lubeck,  above 
"16,"  surrounded  by  paltn  branches.  Weight:  141.529 
:,-rains.     Fineness:  750.     Value:  $0.30.4156. 

3.  Half  Mark  of  8  Shillings.     Obverse  :  Same  as  No.  2. 


.^ATV^ 


HALF   MARK   OP   8   SHILLINGS  OF   LUBECK. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  2.  Weight:  84.908.  Fineness: 
625.     Value :  S0.13|. 

4.  4  Shillings.  Obverse :  Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse :  Same 
as  No.  2.  Weight :  47.176  grains.  Fineness :  562.450. 
Value:  $0.08.1108. 

All  the  afore-described  coins  have  been  deprived  of  their 
value  as  legal  tender  by  act  of  July  1st,  1872.  Lubeck  as  a 
free  city  has  the  right  to  coin  gold  and  silver  money;  but  must 
conform  to  the  standard  weight,  devices  and  legends  of  the 
German  Empire. 

HESSE. 

A-fter  various  changes  and  divisions,  the  Landgraviate  of 
Hesse  was  divided  into  three  parts,  of  whicii  Hesse-Cassel's 
Landgraf  was  made  Elector  in  1803;  Hesse-Darmstadt  a  Grand 
Duchy  in  1806,  and  Hesse-Homburg  remained  a  Landgraviate, 
each  being  so  distinguished  from  the  name  of  its  capital.  The 
coinages  of  these  three  States  have  been  interchangeable,  being 
distinguished  only  by  the  titles  of  the  reigning  princes. 

Since  1872  their  respective  coinage  has  been  called  in,  and 
since  1873  the  German  Reichs-Mark  in  gold  and  silver  has 
taken  their  place. 

The  Electorate  of  Hesse-Cassel  and  the  Landgraviate  of 


686  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Hesse-Homburg  have  oeased  to  issue  coins;  only  the  Grand 
Duchy  of  Hesse-Darmstadt  has  tlie  privilege  to  coin  gold  and 
silver  Reichs-Marks,  and  their  mint-mark  is  the  letter  "  H  " 
and  their  mint  at  Darmstadt. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  HESSE-CASSEL. 

1.  Double  Wilhelm's  D'Ors  of  10  Thalers  of  Wilhelm  T. 
Obverse:  Head  of  Wilhelm  I.  Legend  :  "wilhelmus  i 
ELEcrr  HASS  LANDGR  M  D  FUL.D  "  ( William  I.  Elector  of  Hesse, 
Landgraf  and  Grand  Duke  of  Fulda).  Reverse :  Crowned 
shield  bearing  the  arras  of  Hesse.  Legend  :  "zehn  thaler." 
Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  206.221  grains. 
Fineness:  902.779.     Value:  $8.00.9348. 

2.  Wilhelm's  D'Or  of  5  Thalers.  Obverse  and  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Legend:  "6 
THALER."  Weight:  103.110.  Fineness:  902.779.  Value: 
$4.00.4674. 

3.  Double  Wilhelm's  D'Or  of  10  Thalers  of  Wilhelm  II. 
Obverse:  Bust  of  Wilhelm  II.  in  uniform.  Legend:  "wil- 
helm II.  KURF.  S.  L.  V.  H  ESSEN  G.  H.  V.  FULDA  "  (  Wilhelm  II. 
Kurfurst  Souverain  Landgraf  Von  Hessen,  Gros-Herzog  Von 
Fulda;  William  II.,  Elector  Sovereign  of  Hesse,  Grand  Duke  of 
Fulda).  Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight: 
206.221  grains.     Fineness:  902.779.     Value:  $8.00.9348. 

4. , Wilhelm's  D'Or  of  5  Thalers  of  Wilhelm  II.  Obverse 
and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  3.  Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as 
No.  2.  Weight:  103.110.  Fineness:  902.779.  Value: 
$4.00.4674. 

6.  Double  Wilhelm's  D'Or  of  10  Thalers  of  Wilhelm  II., 
Elector,  and  Friedrich  Wilhelm,  Electoral  Prince  and  Co-Re- 
gent. Obverse :  Coat  of  arms  of  Hesse-Cassel,  surmounted  by 
a  crown,  from  which  an  order  chain  surrounds  the  whole.  Le- 
gend:   "wilhelm    IL    KURF.    U.    FRIEDR.    WILH.    KURPR.    U. 

uitb.^g"  {WiUiam  II.,  Elector,  and  Frederick  William,  Electoral 
Prince  and  Co-Regent).  Reverse:  "x  thaler,"  and  the  date 
of  the  year  of  issue.     Legend  :  "kurfurstenthdm  hessen" 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  687 

{Electorate  Hesse).     Weight :  206.221  grains.     Fineness :  902- 
.778.     Value:  $8.00.9348. 

6.  Wilhelm's  D'Or  of  5  Thalers  of  Wilhelm  II.,  and  Fried- 
rich  Wilhelm.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same  as' No.  6.  Re- 
verse :  "  V  THALER,"  rest  same  as  No.  5.  Weight :  102.825 
grains.     Fineness:  899.306.     Value:  $3.98.0910. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  HESSE-CASSEL. 

1.  Thaler  of  Wilhelm  I.  Obverse:  Head  of  Wilhelm  I. 
Legend  :  "wilhelm  lkuef.  souv.  landgra.  z.  hessen.  gr. 
H.  V.  fulda."  Reverse :  "  ein  thaler,"  and  the  date  of  the 
year  of  issue,  inclosed  in  wreath  of  laurel.  Around  the  edge: 
"KUR.  HESS,  land-munze"  {Electorate  of  Hesse  Staie-Money). 
Weight:  285.784  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.72. 

2.  Thaler  of  Wilhelm  II.  Obverse:  Head  of  Wilhelm  II. 
Legend:  " WILHELM  II.,"  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Revei-se  and 
Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight,  Fineness  and  Value:  Same 
as  No.  1. 

3.  Thaler  of  Wilhelm  II.  and  Frederick  Wilhelm,  Co-Re- 
gent. Obverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Hesse-Cassel, 
surrounded  by  an  order  chain.  Legend  :  "  WILH.  II.  KURP.  U. 
PRIEDR.  WILH.  KUR  PR.  U.  MIT  REGENT." 


THALER  OF   WILLIAM   II.   AND   FREDERICK   WILLIAM, 
(X)-REGENT. 

Reverse:  "1  thaler,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Legend:  " kurfurstenthum  hessen."  Weight:  285.784 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.72. 


688  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

4,  Double  Thaler  or  3|  Gulden  or  Florin  of  Frlederich  Wil- 
helra  I.  Obverse:  Head  of  Friederich  Wilhelm.  Legend: 
"  FRiEDE,  WILHELM  I  KURFURST  V.  HF.SSEN."  Reverse : 
Shield  bearing  arms  of  Hesse-Cassel,  Surrounded  by  an  order 
chain ;  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine  draped  from  a  crown.  Le- 
gend :  "  2  THALER  VII  EINE  F.  MARK  3 J  GULDEN  "  {Two 
Thalers  or  Dollars,  seven  to  weigh  one  Mark,  fine  silver,  S^  Gul- 
den or  Florins).  Exergue:  "vereins-munze,"  and  the  date 
of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  672.847  grains.  Fineness :  900. 
Value:  $1.45.9950. 

5.  Vereins-Thaler  of  If  Gulden  or  Florins  of  Friedrich 
Wilhelm  I.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  4.  Reverse : 
Same  as  No.  4.  Legend:  "ein  vereins-thaler  xxx  ein 
PFUND  fein"  {One  Convention  Thaler  or  Dollar,  30  to  weigh 
one  pound,  fine  silver).  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight :  285.784  grains.     Fineness  :  900.     Value :  $0.72. 

The  Billon-silver  money  of  Hesse-Cassel  is  the  One-third 
Thaler,  marked  "3  einen  thaler"  {three  to  make  one  Thaler). 
Weight:  137.486  grains.     Fineness:  625.     Value:  $0.24. 


A^  EiNEX  TV: 

MiTH^ALER.*'^ 


J  thaler.  I  thaler. 

The  One-sixth  of  a  Thaler,  marked  "6  einen  thaler"  {six 
to  make  one  Thaler).  Weight:  82.485  grains.  Fineness:  520- 
.333.  Value:  $0.12.  All  the  afore-described  coins  of  Hesse- 
Cassel  are  no  legal  tender. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  HESSE-DARMSTADT. 

1.  Carolin  of  Ernest  Ludwig.  Obverse:  Head  of  Ernest 
Louis.  Legend:  "ernest  lvd.  hass.  landg.  pr.  hersf" 
{Ernest  Louis  Landgrave  of  Hesse,  PHnce  of  Hirschfeld). 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 


689 


Reverse :  A  cross  formed   by  four  crowns,  and  the  letters 
"  E.  L."  four  times  repeated:  in  the  centre  an  "X."  (10  Gulden 


CAROLIN  OP  ERNEST  LOUIS  OP   HESSE. 

or  Florins).  Legend;  "occulta  patebvjsT "  {Hidden  thinga 
shall  be  brought  to  light).  Intrinsic  value :  $4.75;  but  being  out 
of  circulation  since  1806,  it  is  highly  prized  by  numismatists. 

2.  The  Half  Carolin.  Obverse,  Reverse  and  Legend:  Same 
as  No.  1,  with  the  exception  that  in  the  centre  of  the  letters 
"E.  L."  a  "V"  (5  Gulden  or  Florin)  in  place  of  an  "X"  ap- 
pears.    Intrinsic  value:  $2.37|.     (Also  very  scarce.) 

3.  The  Quarter  Carolin.  Obverse,  Reverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  1,  only  "i"  instead  of  "X." 


-     3L 


IE  ,i 


QUARTER  CAROLIN  OP  ERNEST   LOUIS  OF   HES8B. 

Intrinsic  value :  $1.68f;  also  very  scarce. 

4.  Ducat  of  Ludwig.     Obverse:    Head  of  Ludwig. 


Le- 


gend 


LUDWIG  GROSHERZOG  VON  HESSEN. 


DUCAT  OP   LUDWIG  OF    HESSE. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield  with  the  arms  of  Hesse-Darmstadt. 
2B 


690  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Weight:    56.652   grains.      Fineness:    937.5   grains.     Value: 
$2.27. 

5.  10  Gulden  Piece  of  Ludwig  II.  Obverse:  Head  of  Lud- 
wig  II.  Legend:  "ludwig  ii  grosherzog  von  hessen." 
Reverse :  Shield  bearing  coat  of  arms  of  Hesse-Darmstadt,  sur- 
mounted by  a  cuirasse,  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a 
crown  above.  Legend  :  "zehn  gulden"  (Ten  jPZorms).  Ex- 
ergue: Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  104.153  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value :  $4.03.7723, 

6.  5  Gulden  Piece  of  Ludwig  II.  Obverse  and  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  5.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  5.  Legend:  "funp 
GULDEN."  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight: 
56.652  grains.     Fineness:  937.500.     Value:  $2.28.6237. 

All  the  afore-described  gold  coins  are  no  longer  a  legal  tender 
in  Germany,  and  are  now  being  exchanged  for  Reichs-Marks 
of  the  German  Empire. 

7.  20  Marks  of  Hesse-Darmstadt  of  1873  and  since.  Ob- 
verse: Head  of  Ludwig  III.  Legend:  "ludwig  hi  gros- 
herzog VON  HESSEN."  Exergue :  Mint-mark  "H"  of  the 
mint  located  in  Darmstadt.  Reverse:  The  German  Imperial 
Eagle.  Legend:  "deutsches  reich,"  and  the  date  of  the 
year  of  issue.  Exergue:  "20  mark."  Weight:  122.880 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $4.76. 

8.  10  Marks  of  Hesse-Darmstadt  of  1874  and  since.  Ob- 
verse and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  7.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  7. 
Legend:  "deutsches  reich."  Exergue:  "10  marks." 
Weight:  61.440  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $2.38. 

9.  5  Marks  of  Hesse-Darmstadt  of  1874  and  since.  Ob- 
verse and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  7.  Reverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  7.  Exergue:  "FtJNF  mark."  Weight:  30.720 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.19. 

SILVER  COINS  OF   HESSE-DARMSTADT. 
1.  The  3J  Gulden  or  Florin  of  2  Thalers  of  Ludwig  II. 
Obverse:  Head  of  Ludwig  II.     Legend:  "ludwig  ii  gros- 
herzog VON  HESSEN." 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 


691 


Reverse :  "  vereins  "  "  munze,"  and  the  date  of  the  year 
of  issue,  in  three  parallel  lines,  the  whole  surrounded  by  heavy 
oak  branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend:  "3|  gulden,"  a 
star,   "2  THALER."      Exergue:    "vii  EiNE  feine  mark." 


3^  GULDEN  OP  2  THALERS  OP   HESSE-DARMSTADT. 


{Seven   to   weigh  one  Mark  of  fine  silver).     Weight :    572.847 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.45.9950. 

2.  The  3J  Gulden  or  Florins  of  2  Thalers  of  Hesse-Darm- 
stadt.    Obverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Hesse-Darmstadt. 
Legend:  3 J  gulden  vii  eine  f.  mark  2  thaler." 
Exergue:  "vereins  munze,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of 
issue.     Weight,  fineness,  and  value:  Same  as  No.  1. 

3.  Crown  Thaler  of  Ludwig  II.  of  Hesse-Darmstadt  Ob- 
verse and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1. 

Reverse:  Shield  bearing  arms  of  Hesse-Darmstadt,  above  it 
a  Helmet,  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  the  whole  draped  from  a 
crown  above.  Legend  :  "  ein  kronen  thaler."  Exergue : 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  455.068  grains.  Fineness : 
868.056.     Value:  $1.01.7823. 

4.  Vereins  Thaler  of  Ludwig  III.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Ludwig  III.  Legend:  "ludwig  hi.  grosherzog  von 
hessen."  Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Hesse- 
Darmstadt,  supported  by  two  crowned  lions.     Legend :  "  ein 


692  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA.' 

VEREINS  THALER  XXX  EiN  PFUND  FEIN "  {One  Convention 
Thaler  or  Dollar,  thirty  to  weigh  one  pound  fine  silver).  Exer- 
gue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  285.784  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.72.9975. 


CROWN  THALER  OF   LUDWIG   H. 

5.  Two  Gulden  Piece  of  Ludwig  III.  Obverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  4.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  4.  Legend:  "zwei 
GULDEN "  {Two  Florins).  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of 
issue.  Weight:  327.335  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.83.3894. 

6.  Gulden  or  Florin  of  Ludwig  III.  Obverse  and  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  4.  Reverse :  "  1  gulden,"  and  the  date  of  the 
year  of  issue ;  8urrounde<i  by  heavy  branches  of  oak,  crossed 
and  tied.  Weight:  163.675  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.41.6947. 

7.  Half  Gulden  or  Florin  of  Ludwig  III.  Obverse  and 
Legend:  Same  as  No.  4.  Reverse:  "^  gulden;"  rest  same  as 
No.  6.  Weight:  81.837  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.20.8473. 

All  the  afore-described  coins  have  been  deprived  of  their 
value  as  legal  tender  by  act  of  the  German  Empire,  April, 
1872. 

8.  Five  Mark  Piece  of  1873  and  since.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Ludwig  III.  facing  to  the  right :  all  the  former  coins  of  Hesse- 
Darmstadt,  the  effigies  of  the  reigning  princes  fece  the  left. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  693 

Legend:  "ludwig  hi  geosherzoq  von  hessen."    Exergue : 
"  H."  Mint-mark  of  Darmstadt. 

Reverse:  The  German  Imperial  Eagle.  Legend:  "deut- 
SCHES  REICH,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Exergue : 
"FiJNFMARK.  Weight :  476  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$1.19. 

9.  Two  Mark  Piece  of  1874  and  since.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  8.  Reveree  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  8. 
Exergue:  "zwei  mark."  Weight:  190.400  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $0.47.6. 

10.  One  Mark  Piece  of  1874  and  since.  Obverse:  The 
German  Imperial  Eagle  and  the  Mint-mark  "  H." 

Reverse :  "  1  mark,"  surrounded  by  oak  branches,  crossed 
and  tied.  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight : 
95.200.     Fineness:   900.     Value:  $0.23.800. 

11.  50  Pfennig  of  1874  and  since.  Obverse:  Same  as  No. 
10.  Reverse :  "  50."  Legend  :  "  deutsches  reich."  Ex- 
ergue: "pfennig."  Weight:  47.600  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $0.11.900. 

12.  20  Pfennig  of  1874  and  since.  Obverse:  Same  as  No. 
10.  Reverse:  "20,"  rest  same  as  No.  10.  Weight:  19.040 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.04.760. 


6   KREUTZERS   of  HESSE-DARMSTADT. 


The  Nickel  and  Bronze  Coins  circulating  in  Hesse-Darm- 
stadt are  those  of  the  German  Empire 

HESSE-HOMBURG. 
SILVER  COINS  OF  HESSE-HOMBURG. 
1.  Vereins-Thaler  of  Ferdinand  of  Hesse-Homburg.     Ob- 


6&4  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

verse:  Head  of  Ferdinand.  Legend:  "Ferdinand  souv. 
LANDGRAF  V.  HESSEN "  [Ferdinand  Sauvereign  Landgrave  of 
Hessen).  Reverse:  Shield  bearing  the  arms  of  Hesse-Cassel 
and  Hesse-Horaburg,  upon  a  shield  of  pretence  bearing  the 
lion  rampant  of  Hesse-Darmstadt,  the  whole  upon  a  mantle  of 
ermine,  draped  from  a  crown  from  above.  Legend :  "  EIN 
VEREINS-THALER  XXX  EIN  PFUND  FEIN "  {One  Convention 
Thaler  or  Dollar,  thirty  to  toeigh  one  pound  fine  silver).  Exer- 
gue: Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  285.784  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.72. 

Hesse-Cassel  and  Hesse-Homburg  exist  no  longer  as  inde- 
pendent sovereign  states,  Prussia  having  annexed  the  same  in 
1864 ;  they  form  now  only  a  province  of  the  German  Empire. 


LIPPE. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  LIPPE. 

1.  Double  Thaler  of  3 J  Gulden  of  Lippe.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Paul  Alexander  Leopold.  Legend:  "paul  Alexander 
LEOPOLD  FURST  ZUR  LIPPE."  Reverse :  Shield  bearing  arms 
of  the  Principality  of  Lippe,  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped 
from  a  crown  above.  Legend :  "  2  thaler  vii  eine  f.  mark 
3 J  gulden"  [Two  Thaler  or  Dollars  of  3^  Gvlden  or  Florins j 
seven  to  weigh  one  Mark, fine  silver).  Exergue:  "vereins," 
date  of  the  year  of  issue,  "munze."  Weight :  572.847  grains. 
Fineness:  900.    Value:  $1.45.995. 

2.  Vereins-Thaler  of  Paul  Alexander  Leopold.  Obverse  and 
Legend :  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse :  Same  as  No.  1.  Legend  : 
"eln  vereins-thaler  XXX  EIN  PFUND  pein"  {One  Canven- 
don  Thaler  or  Dollar,  thirty  to  weigh  one  pound,  fine  silver). 
Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  285.784  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  ^0.72. 

3.  Double  Thaler  of  3 J  Gulden  of  Lippe.  Obverse :  Head 
of  Paul  Friedrich  Emil  Leopold.  Legend:  "paul  friedrich 
emil  LEOPOLD  FURST  z  LIPPE."     Reverse,  Legend  and  Ex- 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  695 

ergue:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  572.847  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     VAlue:  $1.45.995. 

4.  Vereins-Thaler  of  Lippe.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same  as 
No.  3.  Reverse,  Legend  and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  2. 
Weight:  285.784  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.72. 

All  the  afore-described  coins  have  been  deprived  of  their 
value  as  legal  tender,  by  Act  of  the  German  Empire,  July  1st, 
1873. 

LIPPE-SCHAUMBURG. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  LIPPE-SCHAUMBURG. 

1.  Double  Thaler  of  3|  Gulden  of  Georg  Wilhelm.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Georg  Wilhelm.  Legend:  "georg  wilhelm  PtJRST 
zu  SCHAUMBURG-LIPPE."  Reverse:  "nach  funfzig  jahri- 
GER  REGIERUNG,  1857  "  {After  fifty  years  of  reign,  1857).  Le- 
gend :  "ein  doppel-thaler" — a  star — "xv  ein  pfund 
FEIN  "  (One  Double  Thaler  or  Dollar,  fifteen  to  weigh  one  pound, 
fine  siher).  Weight :  572.847  grains.  Fineness :  900.  Value : 
$1.45.995. 

By  Act  of  Parliament  of  the  German  Empire  this  coin  has 
been  deprived  of  its  legal  tender  value. 

MECKLENBURG-SCHV7ERIN. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN. 

1.  Double  Pistolen  Piece  of  10  Thalers  of  Friedrich  Franz. 
Obverse :  Head  of  Frederick  Francis.     Legend  :  "  friederich 

FRANZ  GROSSHERZOG  V.  MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN."    Reverse: 

Crowned  shield  bearing  the  arms  of  Mecklenburg-Schwerin, 
supported  by  an  ox  and  griffin,  rampant,  upon  a  mantle  of  er- 
mine, draped  from  a  crown  from  above.  Legend:  "zehn 
THALER."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight : 
205.542  grains.     Fineness :  895.833.     Value :  $7.92.8390. 

2.  Double  Pistolen  Piece  of  10  Thalers  of  Paul  Friedrich. 


0C  DTETS  com  ESCYCLOFMDIA, 

Obfoae:  Head  of  FmiI  Fkcdriek.    liqeead:  "pahi.  noBD- 

BKB  GBOBSHXXBOG  T.  MiargT.ltgyBIIBG-MaiWKMJI.'' 


OODBLS  PISTOLfi  GV  10  TlffaTJOBL 

Sum  as  Xa.  1.  Wogbt:  a(^u542  grans.  Fine- 
■»:  »SL833L    Value:  f7J9SJ8390. 

3u  Fialolle  of  5  Thalers  of  Fkiediieh  EnniL  Obvcne  and 
lAftiiis  SaaK  as  Sol  1.  Bevcne:  Gniwned  slucid  benng 
tke  anas  of  lleddcabn^-Schwcrin,  ufoa  a  Biande  of  cnaiiM^ 
doped  fiom  a  down  fioaa  abore.  lityd;  ^'Forr  thai-KB." 
Esosw:  SWte  of  the  jear  of  one.  Weiglit:  102.771  graim. 
fiMws:  SaSuSSSu    Value:  $3JW.4195l 

4.  FfaioleofdThalosofFMilFriediieii.  Obvene and  Le> 
gead :  Saine  as  ]!6o.  2.  Beverae  and  Le^jend :  SaaK  as  No.  3. 
Emsiie:  SMbeortkeTcarof  ioML  Wc^:  102.771  gnins. 
FiBOMs:  S99JS33L    Valw:  ^LS6.419S. 

5l  HalfFfaiofear^Tliaknof  PaolFriedridi.  Obvoae: 
Head  of  Full  Frederick.  Legend :  "  paitl.  fkeedkks  gbobb- 
MHJtMW  T.  iiiwiT«i»lciiBUias-«!»wicm3!.''  BcTcrse:  Crowned 
aUeld  bearing  lliearBis  of  Mfrtlmbmg-Schwerin,  npon  a  man- 
tle of  cnaine,  draped  frotn  a  crown  liom  above.  Legecd: 
"xvn  msD  SIT  iloji  tbaucb."  We^;iift:  51^33§  gniu. 
FinoKfls:  8Sid.SS3w    Valne:  $1.9a.3(M&. 

The  afiMV-deecribed  goU  coins  aie  now  cxebaaged  in  Gcnnaa^r 
fiarBcieba-lIarisay  of  ibe  GcrawB  Faapiie;  barii^ been  deprived 
of  fbeir  \iffl  tends  vnlne  lor  pi^nMnlB  of  aebia,  pdblie  and 
privaie,  anee  Jolr,  1S73L 

SILVER  COINS  OF  MECKLEXBUBG-SCHWERIN. 
1.  TValo-  of  Friedrieb  Franz.     Obroae:  Head  of  Find- 


GERHAN  EMPIRK  697 

Fnack.  L^^nd:  "jrBSE^mca  f2asz  GaoBEEHSBoe 
T.  ]ll)CKl.JCSm.  SCHW.^  Bevcflse:  Cro'iroed  iiikild,  beariag 
anM  of  IfwklwJwwg-SJiwqia,  aHrr&antded  by  a  kmrd  -wreath. 
lif^gend :  "  szsr  twai.eb  jtt  edee  f.  iL"  Exer^oe :  I>a;te  cf 
the  jcar  of  ksne.  Wd^gbt:  S43u72  graiss.  FiDeoeB:  7J0. 
Yalw:  I0.72J975. 

2.  Florin  <^  Pan]  Fnedr>c3iL  CHsvcrae :  Uadraped  hast  of 
Pud  Flradenek.  Le^endi:  '"pactl.  fbi£s>&.  GX»3SSHEBaoG  ▼. 
MwrgijaBUMGhBtaiwiCKnL* 


WUOBJS  CMP  PACl,  FEEDE&3CK. 


Bevose:   Suae  »  Bio.  1.    Legend:  *xvin  stuck  qste 
(dofe  ^l&e ^ooBr  ^iMie)  xai^  fedc  silbes."     Weagiit :  203- 

JS30gnk&.     Fiaeoess:  8»a.lll.     Valoe:  |!0.56.6650. 

3L  Flonn  of  Friedrich  Frant.     Obverse :  Head  of  Prederick 
F^rm^L     Legend:  Same  a?  Na  1. 


n/OSfS  OF  I i.JLL'EJ^JtCK  FEAifcas. 


Bevose:  SuDe«5No.2.     Wri^t:  303.330  grains.     Fhie- 
893.111.    V*!oe:  $0.5«.665a 


698  DYE'S  COIN  ENGYCLOPJEDIA. 

4.  32  Shilling  Piece  of  Friederich  Franz,  1797.  Obverse  : 
Large  figure  "32"  "schilling."  "courant."  "Mecklen- 
burg." "SCHWERIN."  "munze."  "1797,"  in  seven  parallel 
lines.  Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Mecklenburg- 
Schwerin.  Legend :  "  fried  franz  v.  g.  g.  herzoq  zu 
MECKLENBURG-scHWERiN."  Weight:  283.059  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 750.     Value:  $0.59.8171. 

»  The  silver  coins  of  Mecklenburg-Schwerin  are  no  longer  legal 
tender,  neither  are  they  receivable  for  taxes  since  1874.  The 
silver,  nickel  and  bronze  money  now  in  circulation  throughout 
Mecklenburg,  are  the  Reichs-Mark  and  Pfennige  of  the  German 
Empire,  described  on  page  642. 

NASSAU. 

Nassau,  up  to  1864  an  independent  Duchy,  forms  now  only  a 
province  of  Prussia,  and  therewith  part  of  the  German  Em- 
pire. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  NASSAU. 

1.  Double  Thaler  of  3J  Gulden  or  Florins  of  Adolph  from 
1840  to  1847.  Obverse :  Head  of  Adolph.  Legend  :  "adolph 
HERZOG  zu  NASSAU  "  {Adolph  Dulce  of  Nassau). 

Reverse :  "  3J  gulden  2  thaler,"  and  the  date  of  the  year 
of  issue ;  surrounded  by  heavy  oak  branches,  crossed  and  tied. 
Legend :  " vereins  munze."  Exergue:  "  vii  eine  f.  mark " 
{Seven  to  weigh  one  Mark  fine).  Weight:  572.847  grains. 
Fineness  :  900.     Value:  $1.45.995. 

2.  Double  Thaler  of  3^  Gulden  or  Florins  of  Adolph  of 
1847  to  1860.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1.  Re- 
verse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Nassau,  upon  a  mantle 
of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown  from  above.  Legend:  "3| 
gulden,  vii  eine  f.  mark.  2  THALER."  Exerguc :  "vereins 
MUNZE."  Weight :  572.847  grains.  Fineness :  900.  Value : 
$1.45.995. 

3.  Vereins-Thaler  of  If  Gulden  of  Adolph  of  1849-1864. 
Obverse  and  Legend:   Same  as  No.  1.     Reverse:   Crowned 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  699 

shield,  upon  it  a  lion  rampant;  the  shield  supported  by  two 
crowned  lions.  Legend:  "ein  vereins-thaler.  xxx  ein 
PFUXD  FEIN."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight: 
285.784  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.72. 

4.  Two  Gulden  Piece  of  Adolph  of  Nassau.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Adolph  facing  to  the  right.  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1. 
Reverse:  Same  as  No.  3.  Legend:  "zwEi  gulden"  {Two 
Florins).  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight: 
327.335  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.83.3894. 

5.  Gulden  of  Adolph  of  Nassau.  Obverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  4.  Reverse:  "  1  gulden,"  and  the  date  of  the 
year  of  issue ;  surrounded  by  heavy  branches  of  oak,  crossed 
and  tied.  Weight:  163.675  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
60.41.5677. 

6.  Half  Gulden  of  Adolph  of  Nassau.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Adolph  facing  to  the  right.  Legend;  "adolph  herzoo  ZU 
NASSAU." 


HALF  GULDEN  OR  FLORIN  OF  NASSAU. 

Reverse :  "  |  gulden,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue ; 
surrounded  by  heavy  branches  of  oak,  crossed  and  tied. 
Weight:  81.652  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value:  $0.20.7838. 
The  Billon  money  of  Nassau,  the  6  Kreutzer  and  the  3  Kreut- 
zer  Piece  weigh  40  and  20  grains  respectively,  and  are  of  only 
333.333  fineness :  their  value,  therefore,  2f  and  If  cents  each. 

OLDENBURG. 
SILVER  COINS  OF  OLDENBURG. 
1.  Thaler  of  Paul  Friedrich  August  of  Oldenburg.     Ob- 


7W  DYFPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 

verse:  Head  of  Paul  Fredrick  August.  Legend:  "paul 
FRiEDR.  AUGUST.  GB.  H.  V.  OLDENBURG."  Reverse:  Crowned 
shield,  bearing  arms  of  the  Grand  Duke  of  Oldenburg;  sur- 
rounded by  oak  and  laurel  branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend: 
"ein  thaler.  XIV  EiNE  F.  m"  {One  Thaler  or  Dollar,  four- 
teen to  weigh  one  Mark  fine  silver).  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year 
of  issue.  Weight:  343.72  grains.  Fineness:  750.  Value: 
$0.72.9975. 

2.  Vereins-Thaler  of  Nicolaus  Friedrich  Peter.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Nicolas  Fredrick  Peter.  Legend:  "nicolaus  friedr. 
PETER  GR.  H.  V.  OLDENBURG."  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1. 
Legend:  "ein  vereins-thaler  xxx  ein  pfund  fein" 
{One  Convention  Thaler  or  Dollar,  thirty  to  weigh  one  pound  fine 
silver).     Weight:  285.784  grains.     Value:  $0.72. 

The  Billon  money  of  2|  Groschen  of  Oldenburg  is  only  375 
fine,  and  weighs  49f  grains ;  its  value  quite  nominal  at  6J 
cents. 

All  the  afore-described  coins  of  Oldenburg  are  no  longer 
legal  tender,  and  the  coins  now  circulating  are  the  Reichs- 
Mark  in  gold  and  silver  of  the  German  Empire. 

PRUSSIA. 

About  1320  Prussia  was  but  a  small,  unimportant  duchy, 
just  recovering  from  a  fifty  years'  religious  quarrel  and  blood- 
shed between  the  Teutonic  Christian  knights  and  the  Borussi, 
the  original  inhabitants  of  that  part  of  Germany.  At  the  ac- 
cession of  Fredrick  VL,  of  Nuremburg,  in  1415,  it  was  raised 
to  an  Electorate ;  since  then  it  has  been  steadily  augmenting 
both  in  extent  and  influence,  and  now  ranks  among  the  first 
powers  of  Europe.  It  was  raised  to  the  rank  of  a  kingdom 
during  the  reign  of  Frederick  III.,  who,  in  an  assembly  of 
nobles  from  the  different  German  principalities,  put  a  royal 
crown  upon  his  own  head,  and  upon  the  head  of  his  consort, 
proclaimed  himself  King  of  Prussia,  dropping  the  name  of 
Frederick  III.,  and  assuming  the  title  of  Frederick  I.,  King 
of  Prussia. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  701 

From  that  time,  and  up  to  1871,  the  sovereigns  of  Prussia 
bore  the  title  "King;"  but  on  January  18,  1871,  Prince  Bis- 
mark,  in  the  name  of  the  other  German  sovereigns,  and  the 
German  people,  at  Versailles,  France,  offered  the  Imperial 
Crown  of  Germany  to  the  now  Emperor  Wilhelm,  who  still,  as 
Emperor  of  Germany,  maintains  his  royal  title  of  Prussia. 

The  coinage,  both  gold  and  silver,  of  Prussia  is  very  impor- 
tant and  varied. 

GOLD  COINS  OF   PRUSSIA. 

1.  Double  Frederick  D'Or  of  1776  of  Fredrick  II.,  sur- 
named  Frederick  the  Great.  Obverse :  Bust  of  Frederick  the 
Great.  Legend  :  "  fridekicus  boruessorum  rex  "  {Frederick 
King  of  the  Boi-^issia  or  Prussia).  Reverse  :  An  eagle's  wings 
expanded,  martial  emblems,  etc.  Legend :  Date  of  the  year 
of  issue.  Weight:  206  grains.  Fineness:  902.  Value: 
$7.92. 

2.  Frederick  D'Or  of  Frederick  the  Great,  from  1752  to  1770. 
Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1 . 


FREDERICK  d'OR  OF  FREDERICK  THE  GREAT. 

Reverse :  Crowned  eagle,  wings  expanded,  flags  and  stand- 
ards, saltiere  wise,  the  eagle  resting  on  a  shield  upon  which  the 
letter  "a,"  mint-mark  of  Berlin.  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year 
of  issue.  AVeight:  103  grains.  Fineness:  902.  Value: 
$3.96. 

3.  Frederick  D'Or  of  Frederick  the  Great,  of  1776  to  1786. 
Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  1. 

Reverse:  Crowned  eagle,  wings  expanded,  flags  and  martial 
emblems.     Legend :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.     Exergue :  Let- 


702  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

ter  "a,"  mint-mark  of  Berlin.     Weight:  103  grains.     Fine- 
ness: 902.     Value:  $3.96. 


V     ^ 


x^flfJli'? 


FREDERICK  d'oR  OF  FREDERICK  THE  GREAT. 

4.  Double  Frederick  D'Or  of  Frederick  William  III.  Ob- 
verse :  Bust  of  Frederick  William  III.  in  military  uniform,  the 
hair  tied  in  a  queiie,  head  facing  to  the  left.     Liegend :  "  friedr. 

WILHELM  ni.  KOENIQ  VON  PREUSSEN." 


DOUBLE  FREDERICK  d'oR  OF  FREDERICK  WILLIAM  III. 

Reverse:  Crowned  eagle,  wings  expanded,  perched  upon 
cannon,  flags  and  other  martial  emblems;  in  his  dexter  talon  a 
sceptre,  in  his  sinister  the  royal  globe,  surmounted  by  the  Coptic 
cross.  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue,  and  beneath  the 
letter  "a,"  mint-mark  of  Berlin.  Weight:  206.221  grains. 
Fineness:  902.778.     Value:  37.96. 

5.  Frederick  D'Or  of  Frederick  William  III.  Obverse  and 
Legend:  Same  as  No.  4.  Reverse:  Eagle  without  a  crown, 
perched  upon  a  flag.  No  Legend.  Exergue:  "17  A.  98." 
Weight:  103.110  grains.     Fineness:  902.778.     Value:  $3.98. 

6.  Frederick  D'Or  of  Frederick  William  III.,  of  1810.  Ob- 
verse :  Bust  of  Frederick  William  III.  facing  to  the  right,  no 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  703 

qtwie.  Legend:  "friedrich  wilhelm  hi.  koenig  von 
PREUSSEN."  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  4.  Exergue:  "1810." 
"a."  Weight:  103.110  grains.  Fineness:  902.778.  Value: 
$3.98. 

7.  Frederick  D'Or  of  Frederick  William  III.,  of  1813.  Ob- 
verse and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  4.  Reverse :  Same  as  No.  4. 
Exergue:  "1813"  "A."  Weight:  103.110  grains.  Fineness: 
902.778.     Value:  $3.98. 

8.  Frederick  D'Or  of  Frederick  William  IIL,  of  1813.  Ob- 
verse :  Laureated  bust  of  Frederick  William  III.  facing  to  the 
right,  no  queue.  Legend :  "  friedr.  wilhelm  hi.  koeniq  v. 
PREUSSEN."  Reverse:  Crowned  eagle,  perched  upon  flags, 
saftiere  wise,  a  cannon  beneath.  Legend:  "5  thaler."  Ex- 
ergue: "18  A.  15."  Edge  dotted.  Weight:  103.110  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.98. 

9.  Frederick  D'Or  of  Frederick  William  III.,  of  1818.  Ob- 
verse :  Bust  of  Frederick  William  III.  in  uniform,  facing  to 
the  left.  Legend :  "  friedr.  wilh.  hi.  koenig  v.  preussen." 
Reverse :  Crowned  eagle,  perched  on  martial  emblems.  No  le- 
gend. Exergue:  "1818,"  beneath  letter  "a,"  mint-mark  of 
Berlin.  W^eight:  103.110  grains.  Fineness:  902.778.  Value: 
$3.98. 

9.  Frederick  D'Or  of  Frederick  William  IIL,  of  1825  to 
1839.     Obverse:  Bust  of  Frederick  William  III.     Legend: 

"  FRIEDR.  WILH.  III.  KOENIG  V.  PREUSSEN." 


FREDERICK   d'oR  OF   FREDERICK  WILLIAM   III. 


Reverse :  Crowned  eagle,  flags  and  martial  emblems,  saUiere. 
Exergue  :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  103.1 10  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.98. 


704  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

10.  Half  Frederick  D'Or  of  Frederick  William  III.  Ob- 
verse: Bust  of  Frederick  William  III.  in  full  military  uniform, 
hair  in  a  qiLeue,  and  tied  with  a  ribbon.  Legend:  "friedr. 
WILH.  III.  KOENiG  V.  PREUSSEN."  Reverse :  Crowned  eagle, 
in  his  dexter  talon  a  sceptre,  in  his  sinister  a  royal  globe, 
surmounted  by  the  Coptic  cross.  Exergue:  "1802"-"  1816." 
Weight:  103.110  grains.     Fineness:  902.778.     Value:  $3.98. 

11.  Half  Frederick  D'Or  of  William  III.  Obverse:  Bust 
of  Frederick  William  III.,  no  queue.  Legend:  "friedr. 
WiLHELM.  III.  KOENIG  V.  PREUSSEN."  Reverse:  Crowned 
eagle,  perched  upon  flags  and  martial  emblems,  the  left  wing 
embraces  a  flag.  Exergue:  "  1817-1832."  Weight:  103.110 
grains.      Fineness:  902.778.     Value:  $3.98. 

12.  Half  Frederick  D'Or  of  Frederick  William  III.  Ob- 
verse: Head  of  Frederick  William  III.  facing  to  the  right. 
Legend :  "  friedr.  wilh.  hi.  koenig  v.  preussen."  Re- 
verse :  A  rather  high  shouldered  crowned  eagle,  perched  upon 
a  cannon,  flags  saltiere  wise,  behind.  Exergue:  "1833  to 
1840."  Weight:  51.55  grains.  Fineness:  902.778.  Value: 
$1.99. 

13.  Double  Frederick  D'Or  of  Frederick  William  IV.,  from 
1841  to  1858.  Obverse :  Head  of  Frederick  William  IV.  fac- 
ing to  the  right.  Legend:  "friedr.  wilhelm  iv.  koenig 
V.  PREUSSEN."  Exergue :  The  letter  "a,"  Mint-mark  of  Ber- 
lin. Reverse :  High  shouldered  crowned  eagle,  wings  ex- 
panded, perched  upon  a  cannon.  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year 
of  issue.  Weight:  206.220  grains.  Fineness:  902.778. 
Value:  $7.96. 

14.  Frederick  D'Or  of  Frederick  William  IV.  Obverse 
and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  13.  Reverse  and  Exergue:  Same  as 
No.  13.  Weight:  103.110  grains.  Fineness :  902.778.  Value: 
$3.98. 

15.  Half  Frederick  D'Or  of  Frederick  William  IV.  Ob- 
verse and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  13.  Reverse  and  Exergue: 
Same  as  No.  13.  Weight:  51.55  grains.  Fineness:  902.778. 
Value:  $1.99. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  705 

16.  Krone  or  Crown  of  Frederick  William  IV.,  of  1859- 
1860.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Frederick  William  IV.  Legend: 
"friedr.  avilhelm  IV.  KOENiG  V.  PREUSSEN."  Exergue : 
Letter  "a."  Reverse:  "1  krone,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of 
issue;  surrounded  by  heavy  branches  of  oak,  crossed  and  tied. 
Legend:  "vereins  munze"  [Convention  money).  Exergue: 
"50  EIN-  PFUND  fein"  {Fifty  to  weigh  one  pound,  fine  gold). 
Weight:  17L467  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  ^6.64.5810. 

17.  Half  Krone  or  Crown  of  Frederick  William  IV.  Ob- 
verse and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  16.  Reverse:  "|  kfjone." 
Legend  :  Same  as  No.  16.  Exergue:  "  100  ein  pfund  fein." 
Weight:  85.733  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.32.2905. 

18.  Krone  or  Crown  of  William.  Obverse:  Head  of  Wil- 
liam facing  to  the  right.  Legend:  "wiliielm  koenig  von 
PREUSSEN."     Exergue:  Letter  "a." 

Reverse:  "  1  krone,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue ;  sur- 
rounded l)y  branches  of  oak,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend: 
" VEREINS  munze"  [Convention  money).  Exergue:  "50  EiN 
PFUND  FEIN  "  [Fifty  to  weigh  one  pound  of  fine  gold).  Weight : 
17L467  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $6.64.5810. 

19.  Half  Krone  or  Crown  of  William.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend: Same  as  No.  18.  Reverse:  "|  krone."  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  18.  Exergue:  "100  ein  pfund  fein"  [One 
hundred  to  weigh  one  pound  fine  gold). 

20.  Twenty  Mark  Gold  Piece  of  1871  and  since.  Obverse: 
Head  of  William.     Legend:  "wilhelm  deutscheb  kaiser 


20  MARKS  OF   WILLIAM   OF  PRUSSIA. 

konig  v.   PREUSSEN "   ( William,  German  Emperor,  King  of 
Prussia).     Exergue:  Either  A.,  B.,  or  c:  if  coined  at  the  Ber- 

2S 


706  DYIPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

lin  mint,  the  letter  "a  ;"  if  at  Hanover,  the  letter  "b;"  and 
if  at  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  the  letter  "c." 

Reverse:  The  German  Imperial  Eagle,  "20"  at  the  left 
of  it,  and  "m"  at  the  right.  Legend:  "deutscher  reich" 
{German  Empire).  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  122.880  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $4.76. 

21.  Ten  Mark  Piece  of  1872  and  since.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  20.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No. 
20.  Exergue:  "10  M."  at  each  side  of  the  eagle,  and  the  date 
of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  61.440  grains.  Finenes;* :  900. 
Value:  $2.38. 

22.  Five  Mark  Piece  of  1873  and  since.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  20.  Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  20. 
Exergue:  "  5  M."  "5  mark,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  30.720  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.19. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  PRUSSIA. 

1.  Florin  of  Brandenburg.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Frederick 
III.,  in  armor,  as  Elector  of  Brandenburg,  and  the  last  coin  is- 
sued by  him  prior  to  his  self-coronation  as  King  of  Prussia, 
A.  D.  1701.     Lejicend:  "fridbr.  hi  d.  g.  m.  b.  r.  r.  i.  arc.  & 


FIBRIN   OF   FREDERICK   III.    OF   BRANDENBURG. 

EL  "  {Fridericus  III.,  Dei  GralicE  Marcgraviae  Brandenburgiae 
Sancto  Romani  Archithesauriua  et  Elector — Frederick  III.,  by 
the  Grace  of  God  Markgrave  of  Brandenburg,  Arch-Treasurer 
and  Elector  of  the  Holy  Roman  Empire). 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 


707 


Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Hohenzollern. 
Legend:  "moxeta  xova  brandenb.  1691"  {Money  of  New 
Brandenburg).  Intrinsic  value :  46  cents,  but  being  out  of  cir- 
culation for  more  than  150  yeai-s,  it  commands  a  high  premium. 

2.  Florin  of  Frederick  William  I.  of  Prussia.  Obverse: 
Laureated  Bust,  in  armor.     Legend :  "  frid.  wilh.  d.  g.  rex 

BORUSSr^." 


FLORIN  OF   FREDERICK   WILLIAM  L 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Prussia;  at  the 
left  of  it  "17"  and  at  the  right  "18.  No  Legend,  no  Ex- 
ergue. Intrinsic  value  about  45J  to  46  cents,  but  \mng  out  of 
circulation  for  more  than  a  hundred  years,  it  is  a  favorite  coin 
with  numismatists  in  Europe,  and  commands  a  high  premium. 

3.  Florin    of   Silesia   of  Frederick    William    I.     Obverse: 


FLORIN   OF  SILESIA   OP  FREDERICK    U'lLLIA.M. 


Arms  of  Prussia.     TiCgend  :  "  fried R.  wilh.  koenig  v.  pr.  m. 
ZU.  BRAND.  D.  H,   R.  R.   E.  KU.   KURF."  {FHedevich  Wilhclm, 


708 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


Koenig  Von  Preussen,  Markgraf  Zu  Brandenburg,  des  Hdligen 
Romischen  Reiches  Erz-Kammerherr  Und  Kurf'drd — Frederick 
William,  King  of  Prussia,  Marquis  of  Brandenburg,  High 
Cliamberlain  and  Elector  of  the  Holy  Roman  Empire). 

Reverse:  Large  "  |."  Legend:  "18  stuck  eine  mark 
fein"  (18  pieces  to  weigh  one  Mark  fine  silyei-).  Exergue: 
"1801."  Intrinsic  value:  46  cents.  {Commands  a  high 
premium.) 

4.  Reichs  Thaler  of  Frederick  the  Great.  Obverse:  Bust  of 
Frederick    tiie   Great,   iu   uniform.     Legend:    "  fredericus 

BORVSSO^VM  REX." 


KEICHS  THALER  OP  FREDERICK   THE  GREAT. 

Reverse:    Crowned  eagle,  ])erched  upon   military   trophies. 
Legend  :  "ein  reicits  thaler."     Exergue:  "  1750"  "  1764" 


REICHS-THALER  OF    1764. 

and  the  letter  "a,"  Mint-mark  of  Berlin.     Intrinsic  value:  69 
cents.     {Commands  a  high  premium.) 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 


709 


5.  Reichs  Thaler  of  Frederick  the  Great  of  1764  to  1786. 
Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  4. 

Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  4.  Value:  Same  as 
No.  4. 


ONE-THIRD  OF   A    RIX   DOLLAR.  * 

6.  Reichs  Thaler  of  Frederick  William  II.  Obverse:  Bust 
of  Frederick  William  II.  Legend:  "fried,  wilheijji 
KOENiG  VON  PREUSSEN  "  {Frederick  WUMam,  King  of  Frussia). 


REICHS   THALER   OF   FREDERICK    WILLIAM  11. 


Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  the  Prussian  eagle,  sup- 
portefl  by  two  wild  men,  emblematic  of  tlio  ancient  inhabitants 
of  the  Hartz  Mountains,  in  the  north  of  Germany,  each  holding 
a  large  club  in  his  right  hand.  Exergue:  "ein  thaler,"  and 
the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  341.760  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 750.     Value:  $0.71.200. 

7.  Thaler  of  Frederick  William  IIL,  of  1812.     Obverse: 


yio 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


Bust  of  Frederick  William  IH.  Legend:  "  friedr.  wil- 
HELM  KOEXIG  VON  PREUSSEN."  Reverse:  Oval  shield,  bearing 
arms  of  Prussia,  surmounted  by  a  crown;  surrounded  by  palm 
branches,  crossed.  Legend:  "18"  "12."  Weight:  340 grains. 
Fineness:  745.     Value:  $0.68.300. 

8.  Reichs  Thaler  of  Frederick  William  III.  Obverse:  Bust 
of  Frederick  William  III.,  facing  to  the  right.  Legend : 
"friedr.  wilhelm  III.  KOFNTo  VON  PREUSSEN."     Exergue : 

"A." 


>     EIK 
jj  REICHS 

\(7  thaler' 

18  14 


BEICHS  THALER  OF   FREDERICK   WILLIAM   lU. 

Reverse:  "ein  reichs  thaler,"  the  date  of  the  year  of 
i&sue  and  "a,"  in  five  parallel  lines,  surrounded  by  oak  branches, 
crossed  and  tied.  Legend:  "vierzehn  eine  feine  mark" 
{Fourteen  to  weigh  one  Mark,  fine  silver).  Weight :  341  grains. 
Fineness:  748.     VaUu-  $0.68.700. 


thaler  op   FREDERICK   WILLIAM    Hi. 

9.  Thaler  of  Frederick  William  III.     Obverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  8. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 


711 


Reverse  :  Crowned  eagle,  perched  on  martial  emblems.  Le- 
gend: "ein  thaler."  Exergue:  "1820."  Weight:  341 
grains.     Fineness:  748.     Value:  $0.68.700. 

10.  T!i:il(r  of  Frederick  William  III.  Obverse  and  Legend: 
Same  :is  N...  8. 


THALER   OF   FREDERICK  WILLIAM    III. 


Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Prussia,  encircled 
by  a  laurel  wreath  and  the  Collar  of  the  Black  Eagle.  Legend : 
"ein  thaler  XIV  EiXE  F.  M."  {One  Thaler  or  Dollar,  fourteen 
to  weigh  one  3fark,  fine  silver).  Exergue  :  Date  of  the  year  of 
issue.  Weight:  343.72  grains.  Fineness:  750.  Value: 
$0.69.300.     This  Thaler  was  coined  from  1823  to  1831. 

11.  Thalerof  Frederick  William  IIL  Obverse  and  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  8. 


/♦^SEGENDES^I 
i3:MANSFELDERW| 
'^  BERGBAUES/^/ 


THALER  OP  FREDERICK   WILLIAM   III. 

Reverse  :  "segen  des  mansfelder  bergbaues  "  (Blessing 
of  the  Mansfield  mines),  in  three  distinct  lines,  occupying  the 
field.     Legend  :  "ein  thaler  xiv  eine  peine  mark."     Ex- 


712  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

ergue:   Date  of  the  year  of  issue.     Weight:   343.72  grains. 
Fineness:  750.     Value:  $0.69.3Q0. 

12.  Double  Thaler  of  Z\  Gulden,  Convention  money  of 
Frederick  William  IV.  Obverse:  Head  of  Frederick  William 
IV.  Legend :  '*  FRIEDR.  wilhelm  iv.  koenig  von  preus- 
8EN."     Exergue:  Letter  "a/' Mint-mark  of  Berlin. 


11 


DOUBLE  THALER  OF   FREDERICK   WILLIAM  IV. 

Reverse:  Shield  bearing  the  arras  of  Pru&sia,  surrounded  by 
the  Collar  of  the  Black  Eagle,  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped 
from  a  crown  from  above.  Legend:  "2  thaler  vil  einb 
F.  MARK  3 J  gulden"  [Two  Thalo's,  seven  to  weigh  one  Mark  of 
fine  silver  =  3|  Gulden).  Exergue :  "  vereins,"  the  date  of  the 
year  of  issue,  "munze"  {Convention  money).  Weight:  572- 
.847  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.45.995. 

13.  Convention  Double  Thaler  of  William  of  Prussia.  Ob- 
verse: Head  of  William  IV.  Legend:  "wilhelm  koenig 
VON  PREUSSEN."  Exergue :  Letter  "a,"  Mint-mark  of  Berlin 
Mints.  Reverse:  Crowned  Prussian  eagle,  wings  spread,  from 
his  neck  the  chain  and  order  of  the  Black  Eagle  are  suspende<l; 
in  his  dexter  talon  a  sceptre,  in  his  sinister  the  royal  globe  sur- 
mounted by  a  large  Coptic  cross.  Legend:  "zwei  vereins 
THALER  XV  EiN  PFUND  FEIN  "  {Two  Convention  Thalei'j fifteen  to 
weigh  one  pound,  fine  silver).  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  572.847  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.45.995. 

14.  Thaler  of  Frederick  William  IV.,  of  1848.     Obverse: 


GERM  AX  EMPIRIC.  713 

Head  of  Frederick  William  IV.  Legend:  "friedr.  wilhelm 
IV  KOENIG  V.  PREUSSEN."  Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearin*;: 
arms  of  Prussia,  surrounded  by  laurel  branches,  and  encircled 
by  the  order  chain  of  the  eagle  of  Prussia.  Legend:  "ein 
THALER  XIV  EiNE  F.  M."  {One  Thaler,  fourteen  to  weigh  one 
Mark,  fine  silver).  Exergue :  Date  of  t he  year  of  issue.  Weight : 
343.72  grains.     Fineness :  750.     Value:  $0.69.300. 

15.  Convention-Thaler  of  Frederick  William  IV.  Obverse 
and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  14.  Reverse:  Crowned  eagle,  upon 
its  breast  a  shield  of  pretence,  upon  the  same  the  monogram  F. 
W.  R.  [Friederich  Wilkelm,  Rex,  Frederick  William,  King), 
from  the  neck  of  the  eagle  is  suspended  the  order  chain  of  the 
Black  Eagle  of  Prussia;  in  his  dexter  talon  a  sceptre,  in  his 
sinister  a  royal  globe  surmounted  by  a  large  Coptic  cross.  Le- 
gend:  "EIN  VEREINS  THALER  XXX  EIN  PFUND  FEIX."  Ex- 
ergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  285.784  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  S0.72. 

16.  Convention-Thaler  of  Frederick  William  IV.  Obverse 
and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  14.  Reverse:  "segex  des  mans- 
FELDER  bergbaues  "  [Blessing  fi'om  the  Manffeld  mines).  Le- 
gend :  "ein  thaler  XXX  ein  pfusd  FEIN."  Exergue : 
"1859." 

17.  Coronation  Thaler  of  1861  of  Wilhelm  and  Augusta. 
Obverse:  Crowned  Busts  of  William  and  Augusta  of  Prussia. 

Legend  :    "  WILHELM    KOEMG    AUGUSTA    KOEXIGIN  V.   PREUS- 

SEN."  Obverse:  In  the  middle  of  the  field  the  Prussian  eagle, 
over  his  head  a  crowned  "  w,"  beneath  the  eagle  also  a  crowned 
"w,"  at  the  left  and  right  of  the  eagle  a  crowned  "a,"  the 
whole  forming  a  cross ;  in  the  angles  of  the  same,  four  times  the 
letter  "  R."  Legend:  "suuM  cuique  "  {Let  each  have  his 
ovm).  Exergue:  "kroenungs  thaler  1861"  {Coronation 
Thaler  of  1S6\).  Weight:  285,784  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.72. 

18.  Convention  Thaler  of  William  of  1861.  Obverse: 
Head  of  William.  Legend  :  "wilhelm  koenig  von  preus- 
sen."     Exergue:    "a."     Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No. 


714 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


16.  Weight:  285.784  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.72. 

19.  Convention  Thaler  of  William  of  1861 ;  the  third  kind 
struck  in  the  same  year,  and  continued  with  same  devices  and 
legend  till  1871  inclusive.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No. 
18.  Reverse:  Crowned  eagle  of  Prussia,  upon  its  breast  a 
shield  of  pretence  with  the  monogram  "  w.  R."  upon  it  (  Wil- 
helm  Rex,  WUliam,  King).  Legend :  "  ein  vereixs  thaler 
XXX  EIN  PFUND  FEIN."  Weight:  285.784  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $0.72. 

All  the  afore-described  silver  coins  are  no  longer  legal  tender 
and  are  exchangeable  at  the  Imperial  Treasury  at  the  rate  of 
3  Marks  per  Thaler. 

BILLON  COINS  OF  PRUSSIA. 

All  the  billon  coins  of  Prussia  as  well  as  the  other  subsidiary 
coins,  called  "SCHEIDE  munze,"  are  no  longer  in  circulation  in 
Grermany, 


ONE-THIRD  OP   A  THALER  OF   PRUSSIA. 

Value  entirely  nominal  at  23  and  24  cents. 


FOUR  GOOD   GROSCHEN. 

Value  entirely  nominal  at  12  cents. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 


715 


FIVE  SILVER   GROSCHENS  OF   1822-1827. 

Value  entirely  nomiual  at  12  centa.  Large  numbers  of  the 
billon  coins  have  been  melted  up  and  the  silver  extracted. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  THE  GERMAN  EMPIRE 
AND  OF  PRUSSIA. 

1.  Five  Mark  Piece.  Obverse:  Head  of  William.  Le- 
gend: "WILHELM  DEUTSCHER  KAISER  KOENIG  V.  PREUSSEN  " 
{William,  German  Emperor,  King  of  Prussia).  Exergue:  The 
Letters :  "  a."  "  B."  or  "  c."  mint  marks,  of  Berlin  (a.),  of  Han- 
over (b.),  and  of  Frankfort  (c.) 

Reverse :  The  German  Imperial  Eagle,  a  crown  above  its 
head.  Legend  :  "  deutsches  reich,"  and  the  date  of  the 
year  of  issue.  Exergue:  " fOnf  mark."  Weight:  476 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.19. 

2.  Two  Mark  Piece.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1. 
Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue:  "zwei 
MARK."  Weight:  190.400  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.47.60. 

3.  One   Mark  Piece.       Obverse:    The  German    Imperial 


ONE  MA^K   OF   PRUSSIA,    (elec.) 

Eagle,  a  crown  above  its  head.     No  Legend.     Exergue :  Same 
fis  No.  1. 


716  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Reverse :  "  1  mark,"  surrounded  by  heavy  oak  branches, 
crossed  and  tied.  Legend:  "deutsches  reich  "  {German 
Empire).  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight: 
95.200  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Vahie :  $0.23.80. 

4.  50  Pfennig  of  Prussia.  Obverse:  German  Imperial  eagle. 
No  legend.  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  Large  figure 
"  50  "  in  the  middle  of  the  field.  Legend :  " DEUTSCHES  reich." 
Exergue:  "pfennig."  Weight:  47.600  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $0.11.90. 

5.  20  Pfennig  of  Prussia.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as 
No.  4.  Reverse:  "20;"  rest  same  as  No.  4.  Weight:  19.040 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.05.95. 

All  the  silver  coins  of  the  present  day,  of  Prussia,  the  6,  2 
and  1  Mark  Pieces,  as  well  as  the  50  and  20  Pfennig,  are  legal 
tender  only  to  the  amount  of  20  Marks,  or  $4.76,  in  pay- 
ment of  debts,  public  and  private,  and  to  any  amount  in  pay- 
ment of  taxes  to  the  Government.  i 

NICKEL  COINS  OF  PRUSSIA. 

1.  10  Pfennig  of  Prussia.  Obverse:  German  Imperial  eagle. 
No  legend.     Exergue :  "a,"  "b"  or  "c." 


]0   pfennig  op  PRUSSIA. 

Reverse:  Large  figure  "10"  in  the  middle  of  the  field.  Le- 
gend :  "deutsches  rkich."  Exergue:  "pfennig."  Weight: 
61.728  grains.  Composition,  25  parts  nickel  and  75  parts  cop- 
per.    Value:  2J  cents,  nominally. 

2.  5  Pfennig  of  Prussia.  Obverse  and  Exergue:  Same  as 
No.  1. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  717 

Reverse :  "5;"  rest  same  as  No.  1.     Weight:  38.580  grains. 
Composition  :  Same  as  No.  1.     Value :  1 J  cents,  nominally. 


PFENNIG  OP  PRUSSIA. 


BRONZE  COINS  OF  PRUSSIA. 

1.  2  Pfennig  of  Prussia.  Obverse:  German  Imperial  eagle. 
Reverse:  "2."  Legend:  "deutsciies  reich,"  Exergue: 
"pfennig."     Value:  entirely  nominal  at  $0.00.476. 

2.  1  Pfennig  of  Prussia.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Re- 
verse: "1."  Legend  and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1.  Value: 
entirely  nominal,  at  $0.00.238. 

HEUSS  SENIOR  BHANOH. 
SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Double  Thaler  or  3|  Gulden,  Convention  money,  of  Henry 
XX.  Obverse:  Head  of  Henry  XX.  Legend:  "  heinrich 
XX.  V.  G.  G.  aelt,  i.in.  souverain  furst  reuss"  [Henry  XX., 
by  the  grace  of  God,  Senior  Branch,  Sovereign  Prince  of  Reuss). 
Reverse:  Shield,  quartered,  bearing  the  arms  of  Reuss,  upon  a 
mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown  from  above.     Legend  : 

"2    THALER    VII    EINE    F.    MARK,    3|    GULDEN"    {TwO  ThaleVS, 

seven  to  weigh  one  Mark  of  fine  silver,  3  J  Gulden  or  Florins). 
Exergue :  "  vereins,"  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  "munze" 
[Convention  money).  Weight:  572.847  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $1.45.995. 

2.  Vereins  Thaler  of  Henry  XX.  Obverse  and  Legend  : 
Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Legend:  "  ein 
VEREINS  THALER  XXX  EIN  PFUND  FEIN."  Exergue:  Date  of 
the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  285.784  grains.  Fineness  :  900. 
Value:  $0.72. 


718  Z)FjE7^  coin  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

REUSS  JUNIOR  BRANCH. 

1.  Double  Thaler  or  ^  Gulden  or  Florin  of  Henry  LXII. 
Obverse:  Head  of  Henry  LXII.     Legend:  "heinrich  lxii. 

itJNG.  LIN.  UND  STAMM  ALTEST  FURST  REUSs"  {IIein7ich  LXII. 

Junior  Line  and  Prince  of  oldest  branch  of  Reuss).  Reverse  : 
Shield  bearing  arms  of  Reuss,  supported  by  two  crowned  lions, 
upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown  from  above. 
Legend:  "2  thaler  vii  eine  f  mark  3|  gulden."  Ex- 
ergue: "VEREiNS,"  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  "munze." 
Weight:  572.847  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.45.995. 

2.  Vereins  Thaler  of  Henry  LXII.  Obverse  and  Legend  : 
Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  Arms  of  Reuss,  crowned,  supported 
by  two  lions,  also  crowned.  Legend  :  "ein  vereins  thaler 
XXX  EIN  PFUND  FEIN."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight :  285.784  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value :  $0.72. 

.  3.  Double  Thaler  or  ^  Gulden  of  Henry  LXVII.  Ob- 
verse: Head  of  Henry  LX VI I.  Legend  :  "heinrich  lxvii. 
V.  G.  G.  REG  FURST  REUSS  I.  L."  [Heinrich  LXVII.,  Von  Gottes 
ffnaden  Regierender  Furd  Reuss  lunger e  Linie,  Henry  IjXVIL, 
by  the  grace  of  God,  reigning  Prince  of  Reuss,  Junior  Branch). 
Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  572.847  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $1.45.995. 

4.  Vereins  Thaler  of  Henry  LXVII.  Obverse:  Same  as 
No.  3.  Reverse :  Same  as  No.  2.  Weight :  285.784  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.72. 

5.  Double  Thaler  or  3i  Gulden  of  Henry  LXXII.  Ob- 
verse :  Head  of  Henry  LXXII.  Legend  :  "  heinrich  lxxii 
liJNG.  LIN.  FiJRST  REUSS."  [Heinrich  LXXII.,  liingere  Linie 
Furst  Reuss,  Henry  LXXII.,  Prince  of  Reuss,  Junior  Branch). 
Revei-se:  Shield  bearing  arms  of  Reuss,  supported  by  two 
crowned  lions,  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown 
from  above.  Legend:  "2  thaler  vii  eine  f  mark  3|  gul- 
den." Exergue :  "  vereins,"  date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
"munze"  [Convention  money).  Weight:  572.847  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.45.995. 

6.  Vereins  Thaler  of  Henry  LXXII.     Obverse  and  Legend: 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  719 

Same  as  No.  5.  Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of 
Reuss,  surrounded  by  a  ribbon  upon  which  is  inscribed  "iCH 
BAU  AUF  gott"  [I  trust  in  God),  the  whole  suppoi-ted  by  two 
crowned  lions.  Legend:  "ein  vereins  thalkr  xxx  ein 
PFUND  FEIN."  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight: 
285.784  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value :  00.72. 

All  the  afore-described  coins  are  now  called  in,  and  ex- 
changed for  3  Marks  of  the  German  Empire  to  the  Vereins 
Thaler. 

By  Act  of  July  9th,  1873,  the  Sovereigns  of  Reuss  are  priv- 
ileged to  have  their  effigies  and  titles  struck  upon  the  Obverse 
of  the  German  Reichs  Marks,  gold  and  silver,  coined  from  the 
metal  furnished  by  them  to  the  Imperial  Mint  of  the  German 
Empire,  and  described  on  page  642. 

SAXONY. 

One  of  the  principal  states  of  Germany  was  originally  a 
Duchy,  but  was  raised  to  an  Electorate  in  1423.  In  1806 
Saxony,  having  espoused  the  cause  of  Napoleon,  was  advanced 
to  a  kingdom,  and  made  chief  of  the  then  newly-created  Duchy 
of  Warsaw.  Upon  Napoleon's  downfall  in  1814,  the  Polish 
territory  was  restored  to  Russia,  and  the  Saxon  dominions  cur- 
tailed by  cessions  to  Prussia. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  SAXONY. 
1.  Ten  Thalers  of  Frederick  Augustus  III.  from  1784  to 


TEN  THALERS,  OR   DOUBLE   AUGUSTUS   d'OR  OF  SAXONY, 

1784-1800. 
1800.     Obverse:  Bust  of  Frederick  Augustus  III.     Legend: 


720  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

"  FRiD.  AUGUST.  D.  G.  DUX  SAX,  ELECTOR ''  {Frederick  Augus- 
tus, by  the  Grace  of  God,  Duke  and  Elector  of  Saxony). 

Reverse:  Crowned  oval  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Saxony 
and  Wettin  ;  surrounded  by  palm  branches  crossed  and  tied. 
No  Legend.  Exergue :  "  10  THALER,"  and  the  date  of  the 
year  of  issue.  Weight:  204.50  grains.  Fineness:  896. 
Value:  $7.89.10. 

2.  Ten  Thalers  of  Frederick  Augustus  III.,  as  king,  from 
1808  to  1817.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Frederick  Augustus  III. 
Legend  :  "frid.  AUGUST.  REX.  saxoniae"  {Frederick  August, 
King  of  Saxony). 


TEN  THALERS,  OR   DOUBLE  AUGUSTUS   d'oR  OF  SAXONY, 

1808-1817. 

Reverse :  Crowned  oval  shield,  bearing  only  the  arms  of 
Saxony;  surrounded  by  palm  branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Le- 
gend: The  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Exergue:  "zehn 
thaler"  (Ten  Thalers  or  Dollars).  Weight:  204.50  grains. 
Fineness:  896.     Value:  $7.89.10. 

3.  Ten  Thaler  of  Frederick  Augustus  III.  of  1818  to  1826. 
Obverse:  Bust  of  Frederick  Augustus  III.,  in  uniform.  Le- 
gend: "friedrich  AUGUST  KOENIG  V.  SACHSEN."  Reverse: 
Same  as  No.  2.  Weight:  205  grains.  Fineness:  898.  Value: 
$7.92.80. 

4.  Five  Thalers  of  Frederick  Augustus  III.  of  1784  to 
1800.     Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  1.  * 

Reverse:  Two  oval  shields,  crowned  by  one  large  electoral 
crown,  the  left  bearing  the  arms  of  Wettin,  and  the  right  those 
of  Saxony,  both  surrounded  by  laurel  wreaths.     Exergue:  "5 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  721 

THALERS,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.     Weight:  102.26 
grains.     Fineness:  896.     Value:  §3.94.55. 


FIVE  THALER,  OR  AUGUSTUS  d'oR  OP' SAXONY,  1784  TO  1800. 

5.  Five  Thalers  of  Frederick  Augustus  III.,  of  1808-1818, 
Obverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse  and  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  2.  Exergue:  "funf  thaler."  Weight:  102.25 
grains.     Finene&s:  896.     Value:  $3.94.55. 

6.  Five  Thaler  of  Frederick  Augustus  III.  of  1818-1839. 
Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  3. 


FIVE  THALERS,  OR  AUGUSTUS  d'oR  OF  RAXOXY  OF  1818-1839. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Saxony;  sur- 
rounded by  laurel  branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend:  Date 
of  the  year  of  issue.     Exergue:  "FiJNF  thaler." 

9.  Double  Pistole  of  Frederick  Augustus.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Frederick  Augustus.  Legend:  '^friedr.  AUG.  v.  G.  G. 
KOENIG  V.  SACHSEN."  Reverse:  Shield  bearing  the  arms  of 
Saxony,  surrounded  by  an  order  chain,  from  which  hangs  a 
cross,  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown  from  above. 
Legend:  "zehn  thlr"  {Ten  Thalers).  Exergue:  Date  of  the 
year  of  issue.  Weight:  205  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$7.94.600. 

7.  Double  Pistole,  or  Anton  D'Or  of  10  Thalers  of  Anton, 
1830-1836.  Obverse:  Head  of  Anton.  I^end  "anton  V. 
2T 


722  DYfPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 

G,  G.  KOENIQ  VON  SACHSEN."  Reverse :  Crowned  shield, 
bearing  arms  of  Saxony,  inclosed  between  two  olive  branches, 
crossed  and  tied.  Legend:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Ex- 
ergue: "zeun  thaler."  Weight:  205.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $7.94.600. 

8.  Pistole,  or  Anton  D'Or  of  5  Thalers  of  Anton,  1830-1836. 
Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  iJo.  7.  Reverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  7.  Exergue:  "  funf  thaler."  Weight: 
102.500  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  ^3.97.300. 

10.  Ducat  of  Frederick  Augustus  III.  of  Saxony.  Obverse: 
"AUGUSTUS  III.  REX  POLONIARUM  "  {Augustus  III.,  King  of 
Poland).  Reverse:  "sac.  ROM.  imp.  archim.  "Et  elect" 
{Grand  Marshal  and  Elector  of  the  Holy  Roman  Empire).  In 
the  middle  of  the  field  the  arms  of  Saxony,  Wettin,  and  Poland. 
Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  53.70  grains. 
Fineness:  979.     Value:  $2.26.400. 

11.  Pistole  of  5  Thaler  of  Frederick  Augustus  IV.  Ob- 
verse :  Head  of  Frederick  Augustus  IV.  Legend  :  "  fried- 
rich  AUGUST  IV  KOENIG  V.  SACHSEN  "  {Frederick  August  IV., 
King  of  Saxony). 


PISTOLE  OF   5  THALERS  OF   FREDERICK   AUGUSTUS   IV. 

Reverse :  Shield,  bearing  arms  of  Saxony,  upon  a  mantle  of 
ermine,  draped  from  a  crown  from  above.  Legend:  "funf 
THLR."  {Five  Thalers).  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  103.110.     Fineness:  902.778.      Value':  $3.99.3200. 

12.  Krone  or  Crown  of  Johann.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Johann  facing  to  the  left.  Legend  :  "johann  v.  G.  g.  KOENIG 
V.  SACHSEN  "  {Johann  Von  Goties  Gnaden  Koenig  Vo7i  Sachficn 
— John,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  King  of  Saxony).     Reverse  :  "  1 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  723 

KRONE,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue ;  surrounded  by 
heavy  brandies  of  oak,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend  :  "  vereiks 
munze"  {Convention  money).  Exergue:  "50  ein  pfunD 
fein"  (50  to  weigh  one  pound  fine  gold).  Weiglit:  171.467' 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Vahie:  $6.64.5815. 

13.  Half  Crown  or  Krone  of  Johan.  Obverse  and  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  12.  Reverse:  "|  krone,"  rest  same  as  No.  12. 
Weight:  85.742.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.32.0418. 

All  the  afore-described  coins  are  no  longer  legal  tender,  and 
are  exchanged  for  Reichs  Marks  at  the  rate  of  three  Marks  to 
the  Thaler. 

14.  20  Mark  piece  of  Albert  of  Saxony.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Albert  facing  to  the  right.      Legend  :    "albert   KOENia 

VON  SACHSEN." 

Reverse:  The  German  Imperial  Eagle.  Legend:  "deut- 
6CIIES  REICH  "  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Exergue: 
"20  MARK."  Weight:  122.880  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $4.76. 

15.  10  Mark  piece  of  Albert.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Samd 
as  No.  14.  Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  14.  Exergue: 
"10  MARK."  Weight:  61.440  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  ^2.38. 

16.  5  Mark  piece  of  Alliert.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same 
as  No.  14.  Reverse  and  legend:  Same  as  No.  14.  Ex- 
ergue: "funf  mark."  Weight:  30.720  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $1.19. 


SILVER  COINS  OF  SAXONY. 

The  silver  coins  of  Saxony  are  numerous,  and  have  had 
a  large  circulation.  The  " Crown-Thalers,"  "Florins"  and 
"Specie-Thalers"  have  be.en  famous  in  their  day,  but  are  novr 
superseded  by  the  money  of  the  German  Empire. 

1.  Thaler  of  the  Sons  of  Johan  George  I.  Obverse:  Bust 
of  Christian,  Johan  Georg  and  Augustus,  above  their  heads 
"  1600,"  the  whole  surrounded  by  a  circle,  above  which  are  a 


7^4 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA 
Legend 


CHRISTIAN   JOUAN    GEOEG  ET 


cro6S  and  a  globe. 

AVGVSTVS." 

Eeverse :  Shield  bearing  arms  of  Saxony,  Wettiu,  Lithu- 
aaia,  Poland,  Lusatiae,  Magdeburg,  etc.  Legend  :  "  frat  et 
DUCES  SAXON "     {Frotres  Et  Duees  Saxoniae   Brothers  and 


TTTAT.V.R  OF  THE  .SONS  OF  JOUAK  GEORGE  I. 

Dukes  of  Saxony).     Intrinsic  Value  about  72|  cents,  but  at 
a  high  premium  with  collectors  of  coins. 

2.    Crown-Thaler   of    Ernest  Augustus,  Duke  of  Saxony, 
Jnliers,  Cleves,  Berg  and  Meissen. 


CROWN-THALER  OP  ERNEST   AUGUSTUS- 


^  Intrinsic  Value :  fO.97.     Very  scarce. 

3.  Crown  Thaler  of  Johan  Greorg,  Duke  of  Saxon,  of  the 
Poly  Roman  Empire  Arch  Marshal  and  Elector. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 


726 


CROWN-THALEU    uh'    JOMAN  GEORG,    1613.  / 

Intrinsic  Value :  $0.97.     Scarce. 

4.  Crowu-Thaler  of  Johan  George  of  1621,  With  the  shield 
of  Cleves  upon  it,  concentric  circles  like  the  hub  of  a  wl>eel, 
eight  staves  radiating  like  spokes,  each  marked  by  projections 
and  terminating  in  a  triangle,  supjKjrted  by  men  with  wings, 
each  holding  in  his  hand  a  shield,  one  l)earing  the  arms  of 
Juliers  and  the  other  the  arms  of  Monti. 


CROWN-THALER  OF  JOHAN   GEORGE,   1621. 


Intrinsic  Value:  $0.97.     Scarce. 

6.  Crown-Thaler  of  Johan  Georg  II.  Obverse:  Johan 
George  II.  on  horseback,  a  sword  in  his  dexter.  Legend: 
"deo  et  patriae,  1657"  (GoJ  and  Fatherland).  Exergue: 
Oval  shield  jjearing  arms  of  Wettin  and  Saxony. 


726 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


Reverse:  Upon  the  field,  in  twelve  parallel  running  lines: 
By  the  grace  of  God,  Johan  George  II.,  Diike  of  Saxony,  Ju- 


en^ 


'-  DUX  sax:  1 C  HU  0  NT  '. 
:^  ,S  R I M  PAR  GHI MELE  CT  \ 
; ATQ  P  0  STEXC ES SDIVIIVP ; | 

rTERiaN  lllATi  G  Vicar  1 5 :, 

•LANDG-THITRMARML?  :"' 
^.NI/E5UP8CINF  LUSATI^  c^' 
tBUKqd-MAGDCOMDFi/ 
\-.  MARCSfRAVENSB  .T 
IMINRAVI 
'-     STEltSll     ->' 


CROWN-THALER   OF  JOHAN   GEORGE   11. 

iiers,  Cleves  and  Berg,  of  the  Sacred  Koman  Empire  Arciinian 
shal  and  Elector,  Delegate  August  to  the  divine  Emperor 
Ferdinand  III.,  landgrave  of  Thuringia,  Marquis  of  Meist^en, 
Uj>|)er  and  Lower  Lori-aine,  Burggrave  of  Magdeburg,  Mark.- 
jj^rave  of  Ravensburg,  and  of  the  house  of  Ravenstein.  1  ntrinsic 
value:  $1.05.     Very  scarce. 

6.  Crown-Thaler  of  Johan  George  IV.,  Duke  of  Saxony, 
Juliers,  Cleves  and  Berg.  An  angel  supporting  the  arms  of 
VVettin  and  Saxony. 


CROWN-THALER  OF  JOHAN  GEORGE  IV. 


Intrinsic  value :  $0.97. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 


727 


7.  Crown-Thaler  of  Xavier,  Rtgcnt  of  Saxony.  Frederick 
III.  succeetled  to  the  throne  in  17(J3,  ar  tlie  age  of  thirteen  years  j 
his  uncle,  Francis  Xavier,  assumed  the  regency  during  the  mi- 
nority of  the  young  priuce.  The  titles  and  effigy  of  Fretlerick 
III.  were,  however,  placed  upon  the  coinage  as  a  general  rule, 
although  some  pieces  have  been  struck  bearing  those  of  Xavier. 
Obverse:  Bust  of  Xavier  in  full  uniform  and  armor.  Legend: 
"XAVIERUS  D.  G.  UEG.  PR.  POL.  &  LiTH.  DUX  SAX  "  {Xavier  by 
the  grace  of  God,  Prince  Regent  of  Poland  and  Lithimnia,  Duke 
of  Saxony). 


CROWN-THALER   OF   XAVIER   AS    REGENT,    1707-1768. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arras  of  Saxony,  Poland, 
etc.;  at  the  left  of  it  "x  eine,"  and  at  the  right  "marck  p  " 
{Ten  to  weigh  one  Mark, fine  diver).  Intrinsic  value:  $1.01^. 
Verv  scarce  and  valuable. 


species-thaler   of    IKEDKRICK    AUGUST   III. 

.8.  Species-Thaler  of  Frederick  Augustus  III.,  fron)  1764  to 


7*28 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 


1806.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Frederick  August  III.  Legend: 
'•PRID.  AUGUST  D.  o.  DUX  SAX  ELECTTOR  "  [Fredei^ick  Avgust, 
inf  the  grace  of  God,  JJuke  of  Saxony  and  Elector). 

Reverse:  Sliield  bearing  tlie  arms  of  Saxony  and  AYettin,  sur- 
mounted by  the  electoral  crown.  Legend:  "x  eine  mark  f." 
Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  431  grains. 
Fineness:  835.     Value:  $0.96.90. 

9.  Florin  of  Johan  George  III.,  of  1686.  Obverse:  Bust  in 
arraor  of  Johan  George  III.  Legend  :  "  JOH.  georg  hi.  d.  g. 
D.  SAX.  I.  c.  M.  A.  &  w  "  {Johan  George  III.,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
Duke  of  Saxony,  Julicrs,  Cleves,  Monti,  Asconia  and  Weitin). 


ILOUIN    OF   JOHAN    GEORGE   III.,    1 686-1 G89. 

Reverse :  Shield  bearing  arms  of  Wettin  and  Saxony,  sur- 
mounted by  an  electoral  crown.  Legend :  "  SAC.  ROM.  imp. 
>IRCHIM.  ET  ELECT,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue  {Sacred 
Roman  Empire,  Arch-Marshal  and  Elector).  Exergue:  "f." 
Intrinsic  value :  $0.46. 

10.  Florin  of  Frederick  August  as  King  of  Poland.  Ob- 
verse :  Bust  of  Frederick  August  in  full  armor.  Legend :  "  D. 
o.  FRiD.  august  rex  poloniarum"  {By  the  grace  of  God, 
Frederick  August,  King  of  Poland). 

Reverse:  Two  shields,  one  bearing  the  arms  of  Poland  and 
Lithuania,  and  the  other  the  arms  of  Saxony,  inclosed  between 
palm  branches,  and  surmounted  by  a  crown.  Legend:  "DUX. 
rax.  I.  c.  M.  A.  &  w.  s.  R.  I.  arch  &  EL.,  1707"  (Duke  of  Saxony, 
Juliers,  Cleves,  Monti,  Asconia,  and  Wettin ;  of  the  Sacred  Ro- 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  729 

man   Empire,   Arch-Marshal  and  Elector).     Intrinsic   value: 
$0.46. 


PLOillN   OF   FREDERICK    AUGUST,   KING   OF   POLAND. 

In  1697  Frederick  was  elected  King  of  Poland;  but  in  1704 
lie  was  tleposed  through  the  influence  of  Charles  XII.  of 
tSweden,  and  Stanislaus  Seszcynski  was  elected,  at  the  Diet  of 
Warsaw,  to  fill  his  place.  Frederick  of  Saxony,  however,  con- 
tinued to  issue  coins  bearing  the  titleofKinj]^  of  Poland.  After 
the  battle  of  Pultowa,  in  1709,  Frederick  was  restored,  and 
continued  to  reign  until  his  death,  in  1733;  and,  after  an  inter- 
val of  eight  mouths,  his  son,  Frederi(^k  Augustus  1 1.,  succeeded 
him,  and  reigned  until  1763,  when  he  died,  and  another  inter- 
regnum of  eleven  months  intervened,  at  the  exjjiration  of  which 
Stanislaus  Augustus  Poniatowski  was  elected  to  succeed. 

11.  Florin  of  Frederick  August  I.     Obverse:  Bust  in  armor 


FLORIN   OF    FREDERICK   AUGUST   I. 

of  Frederick  August  I.     Legend:  "frid.  august  d.  Q.  dux. 


730  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

SAX.  I.  c.  M.  A.  &  w."  {Frederick  Aiigust,  by  the  Grace  of  God, 
Duke  of  Saxony,  Jaliers,  Cleves,  Berg,  Asconia,  and  Wettin). 

Reverse :  Two  swords,  saltiere-wise,  the  arras  of  Wettin,  in 
each  angle  a  crowned  shield,  the  whole  forming  a  cross  within 
a  cross;  first,  shield,  top,  the  arms  of  Saxony;  second,  the  arms 
of  Berg,  at  the  bottom  ;  third,  at  left  hand,  the  arms  of  Juliers ; 
and  fourth,  at  the  right,  the  arms  of  Cleves;  inside  of  crossed 
swords  the  figures  2  and  3  appear  one  above  the  other,  which 
signifies  §  of  a  Thaler  and  means  one  Florin.  Legend :  "  sac. 
ROM.  IMP.  ARCHIM  &  EL  " — and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Intrinsic  Value :  $0.46. 

12.  Florin  of  Frederick  Augustus  I.  of  ^696.  Obverse 
and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1 1 . 


FLORIN   OF   FREDERICK    AUGUSTUS    I.    OF    1696. 

Reverse :  Oval  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Wettin  and  Sax- 
ony, crowned  by  an  electoral  crown,  surrounded  by  palm 
branches,  crossed,  and  tied.  liCgend :  Same  as  No.  11.  In- 
trinsic value :  $0.46. 

13.  Florin  of  Xavier,  as  Regent  for  Frederick  III.  Ob- 
verse :  Bust  of  Xavier,  in  armor.  Legend:  "xaverius  d.  g. 
REG.  PR.  POL  &  LiTH.  DUX.  SAX."  {Xavier,  by  the  Grace  of  God, 
Prince  Regent  of  Poland,  Lithuania,  I}uke  of  Saxony). 

Reverse:  Two  oval  shields,  one  bearing  the  arms  of  Wettin 
and  the  other  of  Saxony  ;  surrounded  each  by  a  laurel  wreath, 
surmounted  by  an  electoral  crown.    Legend  :  "xx  eine  MAftCK 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 


731 


p."     Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.     Intrinsic  value: 
10.48.580. 


FLORIN  OP   XAVIER  AS   REGENT. 

14.  Half  Florin  of  Xavier  as  Regent.     Obverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  13. 


HALF   FLORIN   OF   XAVIER  AS   REGENT. 

Reverse  and  Legend:    Same  as  No.  13.     Intrinsic  value: 
$0.24. 


I    HALF  SPECIES-THALER   OF   FREDERICK    AUGUSTUS   IIL 

15.  Half  Species-Thaler  of  Frederick  August  III.     Ob- 
verse :  Bust  of  Frederick   August   III.,  in   armor.     Legend : 


732  DYB'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 

"fbid.  august  d.  g.  dux.  sax.  elector."     Exergue:  Date 
of  the  year  of  issue. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Wettin  and  Sax- 
ony, hung  with  laurel,  and  inclosetl  between  two  palm  branches. 
Weight:  215.500 grains.     Finene.«=.s:  835.     Value:  §0.48.450. 

16.  Species-Thaler  of  Frederick  August  III.  of  1790. 
Obverse:  Bust  of  Frederick  Augustus  III.     Legend:  "frid. 

AUG.  D.  G.    dux.  sax.  ELECTOR    &   VICARIUS    IMPERII"  {Fred- 

mck  Atigustiut,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  Duke  of  Saxony,  Elector 
and  Delegate  of  the  Empire).  Reverse :  The  double-headed 
eagle,  bearing  upon  its  breast  a  crowned  shield  with  the  arms 
of  Wettin  and  Saxony.  Legend:  "SAC  ROM  imp  provisor 
itehum."  Exergue:  "x  eine  mark  f."  Weight:  431 
grains.  Fineness:  835.  Value:  §0.96.90.  (Very  scarce.)  ' 
In  1790,  when  Joseph  IL,  Em})eror  of  Germany  and  Rome, 
died,  Frederick  Augustus  III.,  like  two  of  the  preceding 
Saxon  Dukes,  claimed  the  succession  to  the  Imperial  throne  of 
Germany,  and  was  equally  unsuccessful  in  his  efforte^to  attain 
that  dignity ;  still  he  put  the  double-headed  imperial  eagle 
upon  his  coins  of  that  year  (1790). 

17.  Half  Species-Thaler,  or  Florin  of  Frederick  Augustus 
III.  of  1790.     Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  16. 


HALF   SPECIES-THALKK,  OU    FLORIN    OF    1790. 

Reverse  and  Ijegend  :  Same  as  No.  16.  Exergue:  "xx 
EINE  MARK  Fj"  above  it  "§."  Weight:  215.500  grains. 
Fineness:  835.     Value:  $0.48.450.  (Scarce.) 

18.  Thaler  of  Frederick  August  III.  of  1806,  and  the  last 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  733 

of  his  coinage  as  Duke  of  Saxony.  Obverse :  Bust  of  Frederick 
August.  Legend  :  "  frid.  august  d.  g.  dux.  sax.  elector." 
Reverse;  Crowned  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Wettin  and 
Saxony,  hung  with  laurel,  and  inclosed  between  two  palm 
branches.  Legend:  "x  eine  mark  f."  In  the  same  vear 
(1806),  there  was  struck  a  Thaler  similar  to  the  afore-described 
only  with  the  additional  Exergue:  "der  segen  des  berg- 
BAUES  "  {The  blessing  of  the  mines).  These  two  Thalers  are  the 
last  which  bear  the  arms  of  Wettin.  (Two  swords  saltiere-wise.) 

The  Duke  of  Saxony  having  been  crowned  King  of  Saxony, 
in  1807,  the  arms  of  Saxony,  consisting  of  a  Bairy  often,  that 
is,  ten  divisions  formed  by  bars,  with  a  bend  or  arched  trefle, 
green,  that  is,  the  curving  bar  is  ornamented  with  trefoils. 

This  design  was  suggested  by  Frederick  Barbarossa  (Fre<l- 
erick  with  the  red  beard),  A.  D.  1140,  when  confirming  the 
Dukedom  of  Saxony  to  Bernard  of  Anhalt.  The  new  Duke 
asked  for  some  device  to  distinguish  his  arms  from  those  of  his 
ancestors.  Frederick  Barbarossa  plucked  a  chaplet  of  trefoil 
from  the  ground  and  laid  it  across  the  field,  with  its  Barry  of 
ten,  where  it  still  remains.  The  national  colors  of  Saxony  have 
ever  since  remained  white  and  green  interwoven. 

19.  Species-Thaler  of  Frederick  August,  King  of  Saxony. 
Obverse:  Head  of  Frederick  August.     Legend:    "frid  AU- 


SPECIES-THALER   of   FREDERICK   AUGUST,    KINO  OF  SAXONY. 

GUST  D.  G,  REX  SAXONI^  "  {Freda'ick  August,  by  the  Grace  of 
Godf  King  of  Saxony). 


734  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA, 

Reverse:  Crowned  oval  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Saxony, 
hung  with  laurel,  and  enclosed  between  two  branches  of  palms. 
Legend  :  "  zehn  eine  feine  mark  "  and  the  date  of  the  year  of 
issue.    Weight :  432  grains.   Fineness :  835.  Value  :  $0.97.100. 

20.  Florin  of  Frederick  Augustus  of  1813.  Obverse  and 
Legend:  Same  as  No.  19.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  19.  Le- 
gend: "ZWANZIG  EiNE  FEINE  MARK  "  [Twenty  to  Weigh  one 
Mark  jine  silver).  Weight:  214  grains.  Fineness:  833. 
Value:  $0.47.875. 

21.  Species-Thaler  of  1819-1820.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Fred- 
erick Augustus.  Legend  :  "  friedrich  august  koenig  v. 
8ACHSEN."  Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  19.  Around 
the  edge :  " gott  segne  sachsen  "  {God bless  Saxo'iiy),  With 
the  issue  of  the  Species-Thalers  of  1819  this  inscription  appears 
first  upon  the  edge  of  the  coins  of  Saxony,  and  has  been  con- 
tinued upon  all  the  larger  pieces  up  to  1872  inclusive. 

22.  Species-Thaler  of  1821,  1823.  Obverse  and  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  21.  Reverse  same  as  No.  21.  Legend:  "der 
segen  des  bergbaues."  Exergue :  "  zehn  eine  feine 
mark,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  432  grains. 
Fineness:  835.     Value:  $0.97.100. 

23.  Species-Thaler  of  1824.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as 
No.  21.     Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  which  has  heretofore  been 


species-thaler  of   FREDERICK   AUGUSTUS,    1826. 

of  an  oval  shape,  underwent  a  change  and  appears  nearly  square, 
with  the  sides  and  top  made  concave;  while  the  base  is  arched 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  735 

or   made   convex.      Legend :    "  zehn    einp:    feine    mark." 
Weight :  430  grains.     Fineness :  834.     Value :  $0.96.600. 

24.  Species-Tiialer  of  1826  and  tiie  last  issue  of  Frederick 
Augustus.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Frederick  Augustus  in  uniform 
and  facing  to  the  left.     Legend  :  "  FRIEDR.  august  koenig  v. 

8ACHSEN." 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arras  of  Saxony.  Le- 
gend:  "zeiin  eixe  feine  mark."  Exergue:  "1826." 
Weight:  430  grains.     Fineness:  834.     Value:  $0.96.600. 

25.  Florin  of  Anton.     Obverse:  Head  of  Anton.     Legend: 

"ANTON  V.  G.  G.  KOENIG  VON  SACHSEN." 


FLORIN   OP   ANTON   OF    1827. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield  of  Saxony,  surrounded  by  branches 
of  laurel.  Legend:  "zwanzig  eine  feine  mark."  Ex- 
ergue: Date  of  the  year  of  issue  and  %  between  the  date. 
Weight:  214  grains.     Fineness:  834.     Value:  $0.46.600. 

26.  Species-Thaler  of  Anton  King  of  Saxony.  Obverse  and 
Legend  :  Same  as  No.  25. 


SPECIES-THAT.ER  of   ANTON  KING  OF  SAXONY. 
Reverse :  Crowned  shield  of  Saxony,  surrounded  by  laurel 


736  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

branches.  Legend:  "zehneine  feixe  mark."  Exergue: 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  432  grains.  Fineness: 
834.     Value:  $0.97. 

27.  Species-Thaler  of  Anton  King  and  Frederick  August 
Co-I\egeut.  Obverse:  Heads  of  Anton  and  Frederick  August, 
facing  .to  the  right.  Legend :  "anton  koeniq  und  fkied- 
BiCH  AUGUST  MIT  REGEKT."  Exergue :  "von  sachsen" 
{Anton  Kino  and  Friedrich  August  Co-Regent  of  Saxony). 


SPECIES-THALER   OF  ANTON   AND  FREDERICK    AUGUSTUS. 

Reverse  :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Saxony,  encircled 
by  laurel  branches.  Legend  :  "segex  des  bergbaus"  {Bless- 
ing oj  the  mines).  Exergue:  "x  eine,"  date  of  the  year  of 
issue,  "f.  mark."  Weight:  433.078.  Fineness:  833.333. 
Value:  $0.97. 

This  was  the  last  of  the  Species-Thalers  of  Saxony.  This 
Species-Thaler  is  equal  to  1 J  Thaler  of  Saxony,  also  IJ  Con- 
vention-Thaler of  Germany  and  Austria. 

28.  Double-Thaler  or  3^  Gulden  of  Frederick  August.  Ob- 
verse: Head  of  Frederick  August.  Legend:  "  friederich 
AUGUST  V.  G.  G.  KOENIG  V. SACHSEN."  Reverse:  Shield  bear- 
ing arms  of  Saxony,  jn  plac^  of  the  usual  olive  branches  the 
ribbon  and  order  of  the  White  Eagle  encompasses  the  same; 
the  whole  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown  from 
above.  Legend:  "  2  titaler  vii  eine  f.  mark.  3|  gulden*." 
Exergue:  "vkreins,"  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  "  munze." 
Weight:  572.847  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.45.995. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  737 

29.  Thaler  of  Frederick  August.  Obverse  and  Legeud : 
Same  as  No.  28.  Reverse :  Same  as  No.  28.  Legend  :  "  eim 
TiiALEK  XIV  EiN  F.  M."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of 
issue.  Weight:  343.72  grains.  Fineness:  750.  Value: 
$0.72. 


THALER  OF  FREDERICK  AUGUST. 

30.  Convention-Thaler  of  Frederick  August,  struck  in 
memory  of  his  death  August  9th,  1854,  and  issued  as  late  as 
1858,  for  general  circulation.  Obverse:  Head  of  Frederick 
August.    Legend :  "  friederich  august  ii  "  (a  star)  "  koenig 

VON  SACHSEN." 

This  King  is  known  as  Frederick  August  II.  as  King  of 
Saxony,  also  Frederick  August  IV.  as  Duke  of  Saxony.  Ex- 
ergue :  A  cross,  "  D.  9  AUG.  1854  "  {Died  9th  of  A^l(jru8t,  1854). 
Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Saxony,  encircled 
by  the  ribbon  and  order  of  the  White  Eagle;  the  whole  upon 
a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown,  from  above.  This 
is  one  of  the  few  Thalers  of  Saxony,  with  two  crowns  one  above 
the  other,  upon  the  reverse.  Legend  :  "segen  des  bergbaus." 
Exergue  :  "  xxx  ein,"  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  "  pfund  f." 

31.  Double-Thaler  or  3J  Gulden  of  Johann.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Johann,  facing  to  the  left.  Legend  :  "  JOHANN  v.  G.  O. 
koenig  von  SACHSEN."  Reverse :  Same  as  No.  30 ;  with  the 
double  crown.  Legend:  "zwEi  vereins  thaler  XV  ein 
pfund  FEIN."  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  is.sue,  1857  to 
1860.  Weight:  571.568  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
81.45.490. 

2U 


738  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

From  1857  to  1870,  Saxony  coine<l  the  Double  Thaler  of 
571.568  grains,  inst€ad  of  572.847  grains,  as  agreed  upon  in 
Convention  of  1855;  preserving  the  fineness  of  900  fine. 

32.  Double  Thaler  of  Johann  of  1861.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  31.  Reverse,  a  complete  change,  two  lions 
supporting  crowned  shield  bearing  the  arras  of  Saxony,  beneath 
a  scroll  with  :  "  providenti^  memor."  inscribed  upon;  the 
whole  surrounded  by  a  raised  double  circle,  inside  of  which  the 
Legend:  "zwei  vereins  thaler"  (a  fancy  arabesque),  "xv 
EiN  PFUND  FEIN,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  as  Exergue, 
between  two  stars.  Weight:  571.568  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $1.45.490. 

33.  Thaler  of  Johann  of  1855.  Obverse:  Head  of  Johann. 
Legend :  "  johann  v.  g.  g.  koenig  v.  sachsen.  Reverse : 
Two  female  figures  seated,  the  left  one  representing  justice, 
with  sword  in  hand,  and  the  right  one  representing  respectful 
devotion  or  love  with  a  branch  and  flower  in  her  hand,  between 
them  and  higher  in  the  field,  the  shield  with  arms  of  Saxony; 
the  whole  surrounded  by  a  double  circle,  upon  which  as  Le- 
gend :  "  ER  8EETE  GERECHTIGKEIT  UND  ERNTETE  LIEBE " 
{He  sowed  justice  and  reaped  devoted  love),  "  hosea  x.  12." 
This  motto  has  allusion  to  Frederick  August,  deceased  August, 
1854,  father  of  Johann,  and  is  the  only  coin  of  Saxony,  having 
a  quotation  from  the  Bible.  Weight :  285.784  grains.  Fine- 
ness :  900.     Value:  $0.72. 

34.  Vereins  Thaler  of  Johann.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same 
as  No.  33.  Reverse:  Crowned  shield  of  Saxony  supported  by 
two  miners  in  their  working  dress.  Legend :  "segen  des 
bergbaus."  Exergue :  "  ein  thaler,"  and  the  year  of  issue, 
1870-1871,  "XXX.  ein.  pf.  f."  Weight:  285.784  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.72. 

35.  Friedens  Thaler  of  1871,  struck  in  commemoration  of 
the  peace  of  that  year.  Obverse :  Same  as  No.  33.  Reverse  : 
The  Herald  of  Peace  on  horseback,  in  his  right  hand  a  flag, 
with  a  laurel  wreath  upon  the  staff,  and  the  German  Imperial 
Eagle  upon  tlie  flag  itself;  in  his  left  a  laurel  and  olive  branch 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  739 

entwined.  Legend:  "ein  thaler  xxx  ein  pp.  f."  Ex- 
ergue: 1871,  behind  the  same  martial  emblems,  saltier-wise. 
Weight:  285.784  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.72. 


THAJ.i:u  y  f 


ONE-THIED  OF  A   THALER  OP  SAXONY, 

All  the  above  silver  coins  of  Saxony  are  no  longer  legal 
tender,  but  are  still  exchanged  for  the  Imperial  Reichs-Marks 
at  the  rate  of  three  Marks  to  the  Tlialer.  The  Billon  coins 
and  the  Scheide-miinze,  subsidiary  money  of  Saxony,  are  no  longer 
admitted  of  circulation,  and  of  no  value  since  July,  1873. 

36.  Five  Mark  Piece  of  Albert,  King  of  Saxony.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Albert,  facing  to  the  right.  Legend:  "albert 
KOENIQ  VON  sacfisen."  Exergue:  "e."  mint-mark  of  the 
Dresden  Mint.  Rever*se:  The  Imperial  German  Eagle.  Jje- 
gend :  "  deutsches  reich,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Exergue:  "funf  mark."  Weight:  476  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $1.19. 

37.  Two  Mark  Piece  of  Albert.  Obverse,  Legend  and 
Exergue:  Same  as  No.  36.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No. 
36.  Exergue:  "ZWEI  MARK."  Weight:  190.400.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $0.47.60. 


5   NEU   GROSCHEN  OP  SAXONY. 

38.  One  Mark  Piece  of  Albert.     Obverse:  Imperial  German 


7^  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Eagle.  No  Legend.  Exergue:  "e"  mint-mark  of  Dresden. 
Reverse:  "1  mark,"  enclosed  by  heavy  oak  branches.  Ex- 
ergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

39.  50  Pfennig  of  Saxony.  Obverse  and  Exergue:  Same  as 
No.  38.  Reverse:  "50"  in  the  middle  of  the  field.  Legend  : 
"deutsches  REICH."  Exergue:  "pfennig."  W'eight : 
47.600  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.11.90. 

40.  20  Pfennig  of  Saxony.  Legend  and  Exergue:  Same  as 
No.  39.  Reverse:  "20  "in  the  middle  of  the  field,  rest  same 
i^No.  39.  Weight:  19.040 grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
00.04.76. 

The  Nickel  coins  of  10  and  5  Pfennig,  and  the  Bronze  coins 
df  2  and  1  Pfennig,  circulating  in  Saxony,  are  the  coins  of  the 
German  Enjpire,  described  on  pages  642,  643. 


INDEPENDENT   DUKEDOMS    OF 
SAXONY. 

West  of  the  Kingdom  of  Saxony,  having  no  connection 
whatever  therewith,  are  several  small  so-called  "Dukedoms  of 
Saxony,"  consisting  of:  1.  Saxe-Altenburg ;  2.  Saxe-Coburg- 
Gotha;  3.  Saxe-Meiningen,  and  4.  Saxe- Wei  mar-Eisenach. 
As  a  general  rule,  in  olden  times,  they  depended  on  Prussia  and 
Saxony,  proper,  for  their  circulating  gold  and  silver  currency. 
Of  late  years  they  have  coined  the  "  Double  and  Single  Ver- 
eins,  or  Convention  Thaler ; "  but  by  act  of  the  Imperial  Ger- 
man Parliament,  July  9,  1873,  they  were  enjoined  from  that 
prerogative.  By  the  same  act  they  are  privileged  to  affix  their 
effigies  and  respective  titles  upon  the  Obverse  of  the  20, 10,  and 
5  Mark  gold  pieces,  also  upon  the  5  and  2  Mark  silver  pieces, 
to  be  coined  for  them  under  the  general  rules  and  regulations  of 
the  mint  act  of  1873,  from  the  metals  furnished  by  them  to  the 
coiners  of  the  difi^erent  Imperial  German  Mints.  Said  Reichs- 
Marks,  gold  and  silver,  as  well  as  the  subsidiary  coins  now  cir- 
culating in  their  dominions,  and  the  German  Empire  in  general, 
are  fully  described  in  proper  place. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  741 

1.  Saxe-Altenburg. 

SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Double  Thaler,  or  3^  Guldea  of  Joseph  of  Saxe-Alten- 
burg.  Obverse :  Head  of  Joseph.  I^egend :  "  Joseph  herzoo 
zu  SACHSEN-ALTENBURG "  (Joseph,  Duke  of  Saxe-Altmburg). 
Reverse :  Shield,  bearing  arms  of  Saxony,  upon  a  mantle  of 
ermine,  draped  from  a  crown  from  above.  Legend  :  "  2  thaleb 
Vir  EiNE  F.  MARK.  3|  GULDEN."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year 
of  issue.  Weight :  572.847  grains.  Fineness :  900.  Valued: 
$1.45.995. 

2.  Thaler  of  Joseph  of  Saxe-Altenburg.  Obverse  and  L^ 
gend :  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Legend': 
"ein  THALER  XIV  EINE  F.  M."  [One  ThaUr,  fourteen  to  weigh 
one  Mark,  fine  silver).  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  343.72  grains.     Fineness:  750.     Value:  $0.72. 

3.  Convention  Thaler  of  Ernst  of  Saxe-Altenburg.  Ob- 
verse :  Head  of  Ernst.  Legend :  "  ernst  herzog  von  sach- 
8EN  altenburq."  Reverse:  Shield,  bearing  the  arms  of 
Saxony,  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown  from 
above.  I^egend :  "ein  vereins  thaler  xxx  ein  pfund 
fein"  (One  Convention  Thaler,  thirty-one  pound  fine).  Ex- 
ergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

All  the  afore-described  coins  are  no  longer  legal  tender  in 
Germany,  and  are  exchanged  for  Imperial  Reichs-Marks  at  th^ 
rate  of  three  Marks  for  one  Tha^pr.  A 

4 

2.  Saxe-CobTirg-Gotha.  " 

» 

SILVER  COINS. 
1.  Double  Thaler  or  3^  Gulden  of  Ernst  I.  of  Saxe-Coburg- 
Gotha.  Obverse :  Head  of  Ernst  facing  to  the  left.  Legend.: 
"ernst  herzog  zu  sachsen-coburo-gotha "  (Ei^nst  Duke  of 
Saxe-Coburg-Gotha).  Reverse:  A  shield  bearing  the  arms  of 
Coburg,  Gotha,  Hanover,  Brunswick,  etc.,  upon  it  a  shield  of 
pretence  bearing  the  arms  of  Saxony;  the  whole  upon  a  mantle 


T42  DYES  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown  from  above.     Legend:  "2 

THALER  VII  EINE  P.  MAEK  3|  GULDEN."      Exergue:   "VERE- 

INS,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  "munze."     Weight: 
672.847  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value:  $1.45.995. 

2.  Double  Thaler  or  3|  Gulden  of  Ernst  II.  Obverse  and 
Legend :  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse,  Legend  and  Exergue : 
Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  572.847  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $1.45.995. 

3.  Thaler  of  Ernst  of  Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.  Obverse  and 
Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  Shield,  bearing  arms  of 
Saxony,  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown  from 
above.  Legem]:  " ein  thaler  xiv  eine  p.m."  Exergue: 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  343.72  grains.  Fineness : 
900.     Value:  $0.72. 

4.  Thaler  of  Ernst  II.  Obverse :  Head  of  Ernst  II.  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  3.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  3. 
Weight :  285.784  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value :  $0.72. 

The  afore-described  coins  are  no  longer  legal  tender  in  Ger- 
many, and  are  only  exchangeable  at  the  Imperial  treasuries  at 
the  rate  of  three  Marks  to  the  Thaler. 

3.  Saxe-Meiningen. 
SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Double  Thaler  or  3^  Gulden  of  Bernhard  of  Saxe-Mein- 
ingen.  Obverse:  Head  of  Bernhard  facing  to  the  left.  Le- 
gend: "bernhard  herzog  zu  sachsen-meiningen."  Re- 
verse: Shield,  bearing  the  arras  of  Saxe-Meiningen,  upon  it  a 
shield  of  pretence,  bearing  the  crowned  arms  of  Saxony,  proper, 
the  whole  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine.  Legend :  "  3|  gulden 
VII  eine  p  mark,  2  thaler."  Exei^ue:  "vereins,"  date 
of  the  year  of  issue,  "mIjnze."  Weight:  572.847  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.45.995. 

2.  Two  Gulden  or  Florin  Piece  of  Bernhard.  Obverse  and 
Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Legend: 
"  ZWEI  gulden."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  327.335  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.83.3894; 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  743 

3.  Vereins  Thaler  of  If  Gulden' or  Florin  of  Bernhard. 
Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse:  Shield,  bear- 
ing the  arms  of  Saxony,  proper,  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine/ 
draped  from  a  crown  from  above.  Legend :  "  ein  verein^ 
THALER  XXX  EIN  PFUND  fein"  [One  ConveMtlon  Thaler,  thirti/ 
to  weigh  one  pound,  fine  silver).  Weight :  285.784  grains. 
Finenass:  900.     Value:  $0.72. 

4.  Gulden  of  Bernhard.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No. 
2.  Reverse :  "  1  gulden,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue 
upon  the  middle  of  the  field,  surrounded  by  heavy  branches  of 
oak,  crossed  and  tied;  no  legend;  no  exergue.  Weight:  163- 
.675  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.41.5677. 

5.  Half  Gulden  of  Bernhard.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same 
as  No.  2.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  4.  Weight:  81.837  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.20.7838. 

6.  Double  Thaler  of  George  of  Saxe-Meiningen.  Obverse : 
Head  of  George.  Legend:  "georg  herzog  zu  sachsen- 
meiningen."  Reverse :  Shield,  bearing  arrae  of  Saxony  and 
Saxe-Meiningen,  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown 
from  above.  Legend:  "3J  gulden  vn  eine  f.  mark,  2 
THALER."  Exergue:  "vereins.  mDnze,"  and  the  date  of  the 
year  of  issue.  Weight:  572.847  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $1.45.995.  ^ 

7.  Convention  Thaler  of  George.  Obverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  6.  Reverse:  Shield,  bearing  arms  of  Saxony,  upon 
a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown  from  above.  Legend ; 
"ein  vereins  thaler  XXX  EIN  PFUND  FEIN."  Weight: 
285.784  grains.     Fineness  :  900.     Value  :  $0.72. 

All  the  afore-described  coins  are  only  exchangeable  at  the 
different  treasuries  of  the  German  Empire,  at  the  rate  of  threcf 
Marks  per  Thaler. 

4.  Saxe- Weimar- Eisenach. 
SILVER   COINS. 
1.  Thaler  of  1815.     Obverse:  Pointed  shield,  crowned.     Le- 
gend: "grosherzogthum  sachsen"  [Grand  Ihichy  of  Sax- 


744 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


any).  Exergue:  "10  eine  feine  mark"  {Ten  to  weigh  one 
Markjfine  silver).  Revei*se:  "dem  vaterlande,  1815,"  oc- 
cupying the  middle  of  the  field,  inclosed  in  a  wreath,  formed  of 
two  oak  branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Weigiit :  341  grains. 
Fineness:  748.     Value:  $0.68.700. 

2.  Thaler  of  Carl  Friederich.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Carl  Fried- 
rich.  Legend:  "carl  friederich  grosherzog  z.  sachsen 
w.  E."  {Charles  Frederick,  Grand  Duke  of  Saxe- Weimar-Eisen- 
ach). Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bedecked  with  the  collar  and 
badge  of  the  order  of  the  "White  Eagle;"  a  shield  of  pretence 
Burmounted  by  a  crown,  and  bearing  the  arms  of  Saxony,  pro- 
per. Legend:  "ein  thaler  xiv  eine  f.  m."  Exergue: 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

3.  Double  Thaler  or  3|  Gulden  of  Carl  Friederich.  Legend: 
"carl  friederich  grossherzog  zu  sachsen  weim.  eis." 


DOUBLE  THALER  OF  CARL   FRIEDRICH. 


Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  the  arras  of  Weimar, 
Eisenach,  etc.,  upon  it,  a  shield  of  pretence,  with  the  arras  of 
Saxony,  proper,  surmounted  by  a  small  crown ;  the  whole  upon 
a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  larger  crown  from  above. 
Legend:  "2  thaler  vii  eine  f.  mark,  3|  gulden."  Ex- 
ergue :  "  vereins  MtJNZE,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  572.847  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  ^1.45.995. 

4.  Vereins  Thaler  of  Carl  Friedrich.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Carl  Friedrich.     Legend  :  Same  as  No.  3.     Reverse:  Crowned 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  745 

shield,  hearing  the  arms  of  Saxony,  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine, 
draped  from  a  crown  from  above.  Legend:  "ein  thaler 
XXX  EIN  PFUND  FEIN."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  285.784  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.72. 


SCHWARZBUHG-IIUDOLSTADT. 
SILVER   COINS. 

1.  Species  Thaler  of  Frederick  Gunther.  Obverse:  Un- 
draped  bust  of  Frederick  Gunther.  Legend:  "friederich 
GUNTHER  FURST  zu  scHWARZBURG  RUDOLSTADT."  Reverse : 
"ein  specify  THALER,  1812,"  upon  the  middle  of  the  field, 
inclosed  in  a  wreath  composed  of  two  branches  crossed  and  tied. 
Legend:  "x  eine  feine  mark  conventions  MtJNZE."  In- 
trinsic value:  $1.02|.     Very  scarce. 

2.  Double  Thaler  or  3i  Gulden  of  Frederick  Gunther.  Ob- 
verse :  Undraped  bust  of  Frederick  Gunther.  Legend : 
"friedr  gunther  FURST  ZU  SCHWARZBURG."  Reverse: 
Shield,  surmounted  by  six  helmets,  and  supported  by  a  wild 
man  and  a  wild  woman  of  the  Hartz,  each  holding  a  lance.  Le- 
gend :  "  2  THALER  VII  EINE  F  MARK,  3 J  GULDEN."  Exergue: 
"VEREINS,"  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  "munze."  Around  the 
outer  edge:  "gott  mit  uns"  (God  with  us).  Weight:  572.847 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.45.995. 

3.  Vereins  Thaler  of  Friedrich  Gunther.  Obverse:  Bust 
of  Frederick  Gunther.  Legend  :  "  friedr  gunther  fOrst 
ZU  SCHWARZBURG."  Reverse :  Crowned  double  headed  eagle, 
a  shield  of  pretence  upon  its  breast,  bearing  a  royal  crown. 
Legend:  "ein  vereins  thaler  xxx  ein  pfund  fein." 
Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  285.784  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  |0.72. 

4.  Gulden  or  Florin  of  Frederick  Gunther.  Obverse  and 
Legend :  Same  as  No.  3.  Reverse :  "  1  gulden,"  and  the  date 
of  the  year  of  issue,  the  whole  inclosed  by  wreath  of  oak 
branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Weight:  163.675  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  SO.41.5677. 


746  DYE'S   COIN   ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 

5.  Double  Thaler  of  George.  Obverse :  Bust  of  George. 
Legend:  "georg  furst  zu  schwarzburg."  Reverse:  Same 
as  No.  2.  Weight :  572.847  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$1.45.995. 

6.  Vereins  Thaler  of  George.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same 
as  No.  5.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  3.  Weight : 
285.784  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.72. 

All  the  afore-described  coins  are  no  longer  legal  tender,  and 
are  only  exchangeable  for  the  Reichs-Marks  at  the  rate  of  three 
Marks  to  the  Thaler. 

SCHWARZBURG-SONOEIISHAUSEN. 

SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Double  Thaler  or  3|  Gulden  of  Giinther  Friederich  Carl. 
Obverse:  Bust  of  Giinther  Friederich  Carl.     Legend:  "GtJNTH. 

FRIEDR.    CARL    FURST    ZU    SCHWARZB.    SONDERSH  "    {GuntheV 

Fredeinck  Charles,  Prince  of  Schwarzburg-Sondershmisen).  Re- 
verse :  Shield,  surmounted  by  six  helmets,  and  supported  by  a 
wild  man  and  a  vnld  woman  of  the  Hartz,  each  holding  a  lance. 
Legend :  "  2  thaler  vii  eine  f.  mark.  3^  gulden."  Ex- 
ergue: "vereins,"  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  "munze." 
Weight:  572.847  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.45.995. 

2.  Vereins  Thaler  of  Giinther  Friedrich  Carl.  Obverse  and 
Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  Double  headed  eagle 
crowned,  with  a  shield  of  pretence  upon  its  breast.  Legend : 
"ein  vereins  thaler  XXX  EiN  PFUND  FEIN."  Exergue : 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  285.784  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $0.72. 

The  afore-described  coins  are  only  exchangeable  for  the 
Reichs-Marks,  at  the  rate  of  three  Marks  per  Thaler. 

V^ALDECK. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  WALDECK. 

1.  Ducat  of  Charles.  Obverse :  Head  of  Charles.  Legend: 
"CAROLUS  D.  G.  PR.  WALDECXJIAE "  {Charles,  by  the  Grace  of 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  747 

God,  Prinee  of  Waldeck).  Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing 
a  star.  Legend :  "ardua  ad.  gloeiam  via."  Exergue : 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.     Value :  $2.24. 

2.  Half  Ducat  and  Quarter  Ducat  of  Charles,  bear  the  same 
devices  and  legends,  and  are  only  distinguishable  by  their  size 
and  weight,  their  Value:  $1.12  and  $0.56  respectively. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  WALDECK. 

1.  Thaler  of  Frederick.  Obverse  :  Crowned  shield,  bearing 
the  arms  of  Waldeck  and  Pyrniont,  inclosed  between  two 
branches  of  laurel,  crossed.  Legend  :  "  fridericus  pr.  wal- 
decciae  com  pyr."  Reverse :  "  x  eine  peine  mark,"  and 
the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  432  grains.  Fineness : 
835.     Value:  $0.97.100. 

2.  Thaler  of  George  Henry.  Obverse:  "ein  kronen 
THALER,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  occupying  the  mid- 
dle of  the  field,  and  inscribed  in  four  lines,  between  two 
branches  of  palm,  crossed  and  tied,  surmounted  by  a  crown. 
Legend :  "  georg  heinr  furst  z.  waldeck  u.  pyrmont." 
Reverse :  A  palm  tree  with  its  top  depressed ;  against  its  trunk 
a  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Waldeck  and  Pyrmont.  Legend: 
"PALMA  LUB.  pondere  crescit."  Weight:  432  grains. 
Fineness:  835.     Value:  $0.97.100. 

3.  Double  Thaler,  or  3|  Gulden,  Convention-money  of  George 
Henry.  Obverse:  Shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Waldeck  and 
Pyrmont,  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown  from 
above.  Legend:  "GEORGE  heinrich  FiJiteT  zu  waldeck  u. 
pyrmont."  Reverse:  "2  thaler  3J  gulden,"  and  the  date 
of  the  year  of  issue,  occupying  the  field,  inscribed  in  five  lines; 
the  whole  surrounded  by  heavy  branches  of  oak,  crossed  and 
tied.  Legend  :  "  vereins  munze."  Exergue :  "  vii  eine  f. 
MARK."  Weight:  572.847  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$1.45.995. 

4.  Vereins  Thaler  of  George  Henry.  Obverse  and  Legend  : 
Same  as  No.  3.  Reverse :  "  veeeins-thaler,"  and  the  date 
of  the  year  of  issue,  occupying  the  field,  surrounded  by  branches 


748  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

of  oak,  crossed  and  tied.     Legend  :  "  xxx  EIN  pfund  FEIN." 
Weight:  285.784  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.72. 

The  afore-described  coins  are  no  longer  current  in  Germany, 
and  only  exchangeable  for  the  new  coinage  of  the  Empire  at 
|Jie  rate  of  3  Marks  to  the  Thaler. 

WURTEMBERG. 

Upon  the  decline  of  the  Roman  Empire  Wurtemberg  was 
erected  into  a  dukedom,  but  near  the  end  of  the  eleventh  cen- 
tury the  dukedom  was  again  dissolved,  and  apportioned  out  to 
a  number  of  counts,  who  declared  themselves  independent.  At 
the  end  of  the  fifteenth  century  Wurtemberg  was  again  united 
into  a  single  duchy.  During  the  reign  of  Frederick  William, 
who  succeeded  his  father  as  Duke  of  Wurtemberg,  in  1797,  the 
duchy  became  the  theatre  of  war,  and  was  overrun  by  the 
French  armies.  William,  however,  afterward  gained  the  favor 
<tf  the  Em{)eror  Napoleon  I.,  together  with  a  large  accession  of 
territory,  and,  in  1803,  was  raised  by  him  to  the  rank  of  an 
elector,  and,  in  1806,  was  still  further  honored  by  the  title  of 
King.  Upon  the  final  arrangement  of  the  German  States  by 
the  Congress  of  Vienna,  the  territorial  accessions  were  confirmed, 
and  the  kingly  title  finally  recognized.  Since  1871  Wurtem- 
berg forms  part  of  the  German  Empire. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  WURTEMBERG. 

(•  ■ 

1.  Carolin  of  Eberhard  Louis.     Obverse:    Bust  of  Eber- 

hard  Louis  in  armor.  Legend  :  "  eber.  lud.  d.  g.  dux  wurt. 
&  T."  {Eberhard  Louis,  Duke  of  Wurt  or  Wirtemherg,  and  Te- 
censis  or  Teck).  Reverse:  Shield,  bearing  arms  of  Wurt  and 
Teck,  surmounted  by  an  electoral  crown,  and  encircled  with  the 
order  and  chain  of  the  order  of  the  "  Golden  Eagle."  Legend : 
"cum  DEI  ET  die"  {With  God  and  Time).  Exergue:  1732 
to  1751.     Intrinsic  value:  $4.80. 

2.  The  Half  and  Quarter  Carolin  of  Eberhard  Louis,  bear 
the  same  devices  and  legends,  and  differ  only  in  size  and  weight. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  749 

The  half  carol in'g  intrinsic  value  $2.37^,  and  the  quarter,  about 
$1.18. 

3.  The  Carolin  of  Charles  Alexander  of  1790  to  1800.  Olv 
verse :  Bust  in  armor  of  Charles.  Legend  :  "  carol  alexand. 
D.  G.  DUX  WUR  &  T."  {Charles  Alexander ,  Duke  of  Wurtemberg 
and  Teck). 


CAROLIN   OF   CHARLES   ALEXANDER. 

Reverse :  Shield,  bearing  the  arras  of  Wurtemberg  and  Teck, 
surmounted  by  an  electoral  crown,  beneath,  palm  and  laurel 
branches,  cro&sed.  Legend:  "per  ardua  virtus"  {Valor 
through  difficulty).  Some  of  tiiese  Caroiins  have  as  Legend : 
"  PROVIDE  et  constanter  "  {Providently  and  Constantly).  Ex- 
ergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.     Intrinsic  value :  $4.80. 

4.  Half  and  Quarter  Carolin  of  Charles  Alexander,  bear 
the  same  devices  and  legends,  and  are  only  distinguishable  by 
their  size  and  weight.     Intrinsic  value:  $2.37|  and  $1.18. 

5.  Ducat  of  Frederick  William  as  Duke  and  Elector.  Ob- 
verse: Bust  of  Frederick  William.  Legend:  "fred.  wil.  D. 
Or,  DUX  ET  EL  WURT.  &  T."  Reverse :  Shield,  bearing  arms  of 
Wurtemberg  and  Teck,  surmounted  by  an  electoral  crown,  in- 
closed between  palm  and  olive  branches,  crossed.  Legend: 
"provide  et  constanter"  {Providently  and  Constantly). 
Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  53.858  grains. 
Fineness:  980.     Value:  $2.23.700. 

6.  Half  Ducat  of  Frederick  William,  bears  the  same  devices 
and  legends  as  the  Ducat.  Weight:  26.929  grains.  Fineness: 
980.     Value:  $1.11.850. 

7.  Ducat  of  Frederick  William  as  King  of  Wurtemberg. 


750  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Obverse:  Head  of  Frederick  William.  Legend:  "friedrich 
I  KOENIQ  VON  WURTEMBERG  "  [Frederick  L,  King  of  Wurtem^ 
berg).  Reverse :  Shield,  surmounted  by  the  royal  crown,  and 
supported  by  a  stag  a-nd  a  lion,  each  carrying  a  flag.  Exergue: 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  63.858  grains.  Fineness : 
980.     Value:  $2.23.700. 

8.  Half  Difcat  of  Frederick  I.  as  King,  bears  the  same  de- 
vices and  legends  as  the  Ducat,  and  is  only  distinguishable  by 
its  size  and  weight.  Weight :  26.929  grains.  Fineness :  980. 
Value:  $1.11.850. 

9.  Ducat  of  William,  son  of  Frederick  I.  Obverse:  Un- 
draped  bust.     Legend:  "wilhelm  koenig  von  wurttem- 

BERG." 


DUCAT  OF  WILLIAM. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  supported  by  a  lion  and  a  stag. 
Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  63.858  grains. 
Fineness:  980.     Value:  $2.23.700. 

10.  Half  Ducat  of  William.  Obverse  and  Reverse :  Same 
as  No.  9.  Weight:  26.929  grains.  Fineness:  980.  Value: 
$1.11.850. 

11.  6  Gulden  Piece  of  William.  Obverse:  Head  of  William 
facing  to  the  right.  Legend:  "wilhelm  koenig  v.  wurt- 
TEMB."  Reverse:  Pointed  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Wurtemberg 
and  Teck,  surmounted  by  a  royal  crown,  surrounded  by  laurel 
branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  61.659  grains.  Fineness:  895.833.  Value:  $1.98- 
.4620. 

12.  Ducat  of  William  IL  Obverse:  Head  of  William  II. 
Legend:  "wilhelm  koenig  v.  wurttemberg." 

Reverse:   Oval  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Wurtemberg,  sur- 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  751 

mounted  by  a  helmet  and  a  crown,  supported  by  a  lion  and  a 
stag,  with  their  hind  feet  resting  upon  a  scroll,  which  bears  the 


DUCAT  OP  WILHELM  H. 


motto :  "  FUECHTLOS  UND  TREU  "  {Fearless  and  true).  Legend : 
"1  DUCATEN  67  EiNE  M.  z.  23|  K."  (1  Ducat,  sixty-seven  to  weigh 
one  Mark,  fine  gold,  of  23|  Carats).  Exergue :  Date  of  the 
year  of  issue.  Weight:  63.858  grains.  Fineness:  986.111. 
Value:  $2.28.6242. 


6  GULDEN  OF  WUETEMBERG. 

The  afore-described  coins  are  no  longer  legal  tender,  since 
July,  1873,  and  are  exchanged  for  Reichs-Marks  in  gold,  at  the 
rate  of  If  Mark  to  the  Gulden  or  Florin. 

13.  Twenty  Mark  Piece  of  Karl,  of  1872  and  since.  Ob- 
verse :  Head  of  Charles  facing  to  the  right.  Legend  :  "  KARL 
KOENIG  VON  WURTTEMBERQ."  Exergue:  "f,"  the  Mint-mark 
of  the  Stuttgart  Mint.  Reverse:  Imperial  German  eagle,  "20" 
at  thQ  left  of  it,  and  "m"  at  the  right  (20  Marks).  Legend: 
"  DEUTSCHES  REICH."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  122.880  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $4.76. 

14.  Ten  Mark  Piece  of  Karl,  of  1873  and  since.  Obverse 
and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  13.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  13.  Le- 
gend :  "DEUTSCHES  REICH,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Exergue:  "10  mark."  Weight:  61.440  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $2.38. 


752  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 

15.  Five  Mark  Piece  of  Karl,  of  1874  and  since.  Obverse 
and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  13.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  13. 
Legend:  Same  as  No.  13.  Exergue:  "6  mark."  Weight: 
30.720  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  ^1.19. 


SILVER  COINS  OF   WURTEMBERG. 

1.  Convention  Thaler  of  1770  to  1776.  Obverse:  Bust  of 
Charles  Eugene.  Legend  :  "carolus  d.  g.  dux  wurt.  &  t." 
Reverse :  Shield,  surmounted  by  the  electoral  crown,  and  in- 
closed betAveen  branches  of  palm  and  laurel,  crossed.  Legend: 
"provide  et  constanter."  Weight:  428  grains.  Fineness: 
836.     Value:  $0.96.400. 

2.  Convention  Thaler  of  1777  to  1790.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend: Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  Oval  shield,  surmounted  by 
the  electoral  crown,  and  draped  with  the  band  and  star  of  the 
order  of  the  "Golden  Eagles,"  inclosed  between  branches  of 
palm  and  laurel,  crossed.  Legend :  "  provide  et  constanter." 
Weight :  429  grains.     Fineness :  836.     Value :  $0.96.400. 

3.  Convention  Thaler  of  Frederick  William,  from  1797  to 
1806.  Obverse:  Head  of  Frederick.  Legend:  "fred.  wil. 
D.  G.  DUX  WURT  &  T.  ET.  EL  "  {Frederick  William,  by  the  grace 
of  God,  Duke  of  Wurtemberg  and  Teck,  and  Electoi').  Reverse : 
Shield,  bearing  arms  of  Wurtemberg  and  Teck,  surmounted  by 
an  electoral  crown.  Legend :  "  provide  et  constanter." 
Exergue:  "x  eine  peine  mark."  Weight:  434.750  grains. 
Fineness:  875.     Value:  $1.01.8975. 

4.  Kronen  or  Crown  Thaler  of  Frederick  I.,  as  King  of 
Wurtemberg.  Obverse :  Head  of  Frederick  I.  Legend : 
"frid ERICH  I  KOENIG.  VON  WURTEMBERG."  Reverse:  Shield, 
surmounted  by  the  royal  crown,  and  supported  by  a  lion  and 
stag,  each  carrying  a  flag.  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Around  the  edge:  "kronen  thaler,"  a  star  at  each  end, 
" KOENIG L.  wurttemb."  [Crovm  Thaler  of  the  Kingdom  of 
Wurtemberg).  Weight :  454.340  grains.  Fineness  :  875. 
Value:  $1.06.9950. 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 


750 


5.  Crown  Thaler  of  William.     Obverse  :  Undraped  bust  of 
William.     Legend :  "  wilhelm  koenig  von  wurttemberg." 


CROWN  THALER   OF   WILLIAM. 


Reverse:  "ein  kronen  thaler"  and  the  date  of  year  of 
issue,  in  four  lines,  surmounted  by  a  rt)yal  crown ;  the  whole 
inclosed  in  a  wreath  formed  of  a  single  branch  of  laurel,  tied 
with  a  ribbon.  Weight:  454.340  grains.  Fineness:  875. 
Value :  $1.06.9950. 


GULDEN  OR  FLORIN  OF  WILLIAM. 

6.  Gulden  of  William.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as 
No.  5. 

Reverse:  Circular  shield,  surmounted  by  a  crown  and  in- 
closed in  a  wreath  of  oak.  Legend:  "kon.  wurttemb  ein 
GULDEN  ST."  {Kosiiglich  Wurttemberg ith  Ein  Gulden  Stuck, 
Royal  Wurtemberger  one  florin  piece).  Around  the  edge : 
"furchtlos  und  treu"  {Fearless  arid  true).  Exergue: 
"1821."  Weight:  195.300  grains.  Fineness:  750.  Value: 
$0.39.400. 

2V 


754  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

7.  Double  Gulden  of  1824  of  William.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend: Same  as  No.  6.  Reverse:  Crowned  shield  bearing  arms 
of  Wurtemberg.  Legend:  "ZWEI  gulden."  Exergue: 
"1824."  Weight:  392.600  grains.  Fineness:  750.  Value: 
$0.79.200. 

8.  Kronen  or  Crown  Thaler  of  William  of  1831-1837.  Ob- 
verse: He*d  of  William,  facing  to  the  right.  Legend:  "wiL- 
HELM  KOENIG  VON  WUKTTEMBERG." 


CROWN  THALER  OF  WILLIAM. 

Reverse :  Pointed  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Wurt  and  Teck, 
surmounted  by  a  royal  crown  ;  surrounded  by  a  branch  of  oak 
and  laurel,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend:  "kronen  thaler." 
Exei^ue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  455.068  grains. 
Fineness:  868.056.     Value:  §1.01.5289. 

9.  Kronen-Thaler  of  1833,  known  as  the  "zollverein" 
Thaler  of  Wilhelm  {Customs-League-Thaler).  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  8.  Reverse :  Aquarius ;  Goddess  of  Trade  ; 
and  a  horn  of  plenty.  Aquarius  in  a  reclining  posture,  leaning 
upon  his  water-jug,  from  which  the  water  flows,  while  the  god- 
dess of  trade  carries  a  Mercury  wand  in  her  left  hand,  and  a 
sealed  packet,  extendwl,  in  the  other ;  the  horn  of  plenty  ap- 
pearing to  the  right  of  the  field.  I..egend :  "  handels  freiheit 
DURCH  eintracht"  (Trade  free  under  this  union).  Exergue : 
"1833."  This  Thaler  was  coined  throughout  1833  in  com- 
memoration of  the  treaty  with  the  rest  of  Germany,  so  far  as 


GERMAN  EMPIRE.  765 

the  duties  on  customs  were  concerned,  known  as  the  "  Customs 
League;"  by  which  freedom  of  trade  is  permitted  between  the 
different  States  of  the  League,  no  duties  being  charged  upon 
merchandise  transported  from  one  State  to  another,  after  it  has 
passed  the  frontiers  of  the  first  State,  and  having  paid  a  duty 
there.  The  significance  of  the  device  being  that.  Trade  will 
prosper  under  the  auspices  of  tliat  treaty — the  treaty  being 
the  document  which  the  goddess  holds  in  her  right  hand. 
Weight  455.068  grains.  Fineness  :  868.056.  Value:  $L01- 
.5289.  As  this  Thaler  was  coined  during  a  few  months  only, 
it  has  become  already  scarce  and  is  much  sought  after  by  col- 
lectors of  coins. 

10.  3|  Gulden  or  2  Thaler  piece  of  William  II.     Obverse: 
Head  of  William  II.,  facing  to  the  left.     Legend:  "wilhelm 

KONIG  V.  WURTTEMBERG." 

Reverse:  "3|  gulden.  2  thaler,"  and  the  date  of  the 


DOUBLE  gulden   OF   WILLIAM   IL 

year  of  issue;  inscribed  upon  the  field  in  five  lines,  surrounded 
by  a  heavy  wreath  of  oak  branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend : 
"  VEREINS  MUNZE "  ( Convention  money).  Exergue  :  "  vii 
EiNE  F.  MARK."  Weight:  572.847  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $L45.995. 

A.  Double  Gulden  of  William  II.  Obverse  :  Head  of  Wil- 
liam II.     Legend:  "wilhelm  konig  v.  wIjrttemberg." 

Reverse :  Oval  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Wurt  and  Teck,  sur- 
mounted by  a  helmet,  above  which  a  royal  crown,  supported  by 


766  DYIPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

a  crowned  lion  and  a  stag,  their  hind  feet  resting  upon  a  scroll 
upon  which  the  motto :  "  furchtlos  und  treu  "  {Fearless  and 
true).  Legend:  "zwey  gulden."  Exergue:  Date  of  the 
year  of  issue.  Weight:  327.335  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.83.3900. 

B.  Vereins  or  Convention  Thaler  of  William  II.  Obverse : 
Head  of  William  II.  Legend  :  "  wilhelm  konig  v.  wurt- 
TEMBERG."  Reverse :  Arms  of  Wurt  and  Teck,  supported  by 
a  stag  and  a  crowned  lion.  Legend :  "  vereins  thaler,"  a 
star,  "xxx  ein  ppund  fein."  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year 
of  issue.  Weight:  285.784  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.72. 

C.  Gulden  of  William.  Obverse :  Head  of  William.  Le- 
gend :   "  WILHELM  KONIG  V.  WURTTEMBERG." 

Reverse :  "  1  gulden,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue ; 
surrounded  by  a  heavy  wreath  of  oak  branches,  crossed  and 
tied.  Weight:  163.675  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.41.6677. 


GULDEN  OP  THE  26TH  ANNIVERSARY  OP  THE  REION  OF 
WILLIAM.  • 

D.  Florin  of  William  of  1841 ;  issued  during  that  year  in 
celebration  of  the  25th  year  of  the  reign  of  King  William.  Ob- 
verse :  Laureated  head  of  William,  facing  to  the  left.     Legend : 

"  WILHELM  KONIG  V.  WURTTEMBERG." 

Reverse :  A  female  seated,  a  staff  in  her  right  hand,  her  left 
supporting  a  shield,  upon  which  are  the  arms  of  Wurt  and 
Teck,  at  the  left  side  a  boy  holding  a  horn  of  plenty,  and  at  the 
right  of  her  another  boy  holding /oaces  in  his  hands.     Legend : 


GERMAN  EMPIRE. 


757 


"  ZUR  FEYER  25  J^HRIGER  REGIERUNG  "  {At  the  celebrcUion  of 
the  25th  year  of  the  reign).  Weight:  163.675  grains.  Fine-' 
ness:  900.     Value:  $0.41.6677. 

E.  Double  Thaler  of  Karl.  Obverse:  Head  of  Charles 
facing  to  the  right.  Legend:  "karl.  koenig  von  wueet- 
temberg"  {Charles,  King  of  Wurtemberg). 


double  thaler  op  CHARLES   OF    1869. 


Reverse :  The  Cathedral  of  Ulra  in  "Wurtemberg.     Legend  : 

"  ZUR  ERINNERUNQ  AN  D.  WIEDEBHERSTELLUNG  D.  MUNSTERS 

IN  ULM  1869"  {In  commemoration  of  the  reconstruction  of  the 
Cathedral  in  Ulm,  1869).  Exergue:  "zwEi  thaler." 
Weight :  572.847  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value :  $1.45.995. 

F.  Double  Thaler  or  3J  Gulden  of  Karl.  Obverse  and 
Legend  :  Same  as  No.  E.  Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No. 
10.  Weight:  572.847  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
^1.45.995. 

G.  Double  Gulden  of  Karl.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as 
No.  E.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  A.  Weight : 
327.335  grains.      Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.83.3900. 

H.  Gulden  of  Karl.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  E. 
Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  C.  Weight:  163.675 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.41.5677. 

I.  Half  Gulden  of  Karl.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as 
No.  E.     Reverse :  "  J  gulden,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of 


758  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

issue.  Weight:  81.652  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value; 
$0.20.7708. 

All  the  above-described  coins  are  no  longer  legal  tender,  and 
are  only  exchangeable  at  the  different  Imjjerial  treasuries  at  the 
rate  of  If  Mark  to  the  Gulden,  and  3  Marks  per  Thaler. 

J.  5  Mark  Piece  of  Karl  of  1873  and  since.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Charles.  Legend:  "karl  koenig  von  wuerttem- 
BERQ."    Exergue :  "  F."  mint-mark  of  the  Stuttgart  Mint. 


/ 


FIVE  MARKS  OP  CHARLES  OP  WURTEMBERG. 

Reverse :  The  German  Imperial  Eagle.  Legend  :  "  deut- 
SCHES  REICH,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Exergue : 
"piJNFMARK."  Weight :  476  grains.  Fineness :  900.  Value: 
$1.19. 

K.  Two  Mark  piece  of  Charles  of  1874  and  since.  Ob- 
verse and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  J.  Reverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  J.  Exergue  :  "  zwei  mark."  Weight :  190.400 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.47.600. 

L.  Mark  Piece  of  Charles  of  1874  and  since.  Obverse: 
The  German  Imperial  Eagle.  No  Legend.  Reverse :  "  1 
MARK,"  surrounded  by  heavy  branches  of  oak.  Legend : 
"deutsches  REICH."  Excrgue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  95.200  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value-  $0.23.800. 

M.  50  Pfennig  of  Charles  of  1874  and  since.  Obverse: 
Same  as  No.  L.     Reverse :  "  50,"  in  the  middle  of  the  field. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  759 

Legend :  "  deutsches  reich."  Exergue :  "  pfennig." 
Weight :  47.600  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value:  $0.11.900. 

N.  20  Pfennig  of  Charles  of  1874  and  since.  Obverse: 
Same  as  No.  L.  Reverse:  "20,"  in  the  middle  of  the  field. 
Legend  and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  M.  Weight :  19.040  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.04.760. 

The  Nickel  coins  of  10  and  5  Pfennige,  and  the  Bronze  coins 
of  2  and  1  Pfennig  are  the  subsidiary  money  of  the  German 
Empire. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSES- 
SIONS. 

GOLD  COINS. 

The  first  allusion  to  Britain  on  a  Roman  coin  occurs  in  the 
reign  of  Claudius,  A.  D.  46.  It  was  struck  in  commemoration 
of  the  erection  of  the  triumphal  arch  decreed  to  him  by  the 
Senate  on  the  conquest  of  Britain,  but  minted  four  years  after 
that  event.  Upon  the  Obverse :  Laureated  head  of  the  Emperor 
Claudius.  Legend:  "ti  clavd.  caesar.  aug.  p.  m.  tr.  p. 
Vim.  IMP.  XVI "  {Tibaius  Claudius  Ccesar  Augustus,  Fontifex 
Maximus,  Trihunitia  Potestate  nonum  Imperator  decimum  sextum, 
which  means :  TibeHus  Claudius  Ccesar  Augustus,  holding  office 
of  Pontifex  Maximum,  or  High  Pontiff  for  the  ninth  time,  and 
Imperator  or  Emperor  for  the  sixteenth  time).  "  Emperor  for 
the  sixteenth  time "  refers  to  the  historical  fact  that  the  first 
Itomau  emperors  were  not  declared  iraperators  for  life,  but  only 
for  a  certain  period,  after  the  manner  of  the  ancient  dictator- 
ship; such  declarations  being,  however,  renewed  by  the  Senate 
at  the  expiration  of  each  period.  These  renewals  are  thus  re- 
corded on  the  coinage  till  the  title  became  hereditary. 

The  Reverse  of  this  coin  bears  a  triumphal  arch,  surmounted 
by  an  equestrian  statue  between  trophies,  a  representation  of 
the  one  decreed  by  the  Roman  Senate.  Upon  the  arch  is  in- 
scribed "  de  britana." 


760  DYKS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

The  first  gold  coin  of  England  was  issued  a.  d.  1257  by 
Henry  III.  In  the  archives  of  the  city  of  London  appears  the 
following  passage :  "  It  may,  perhaps,  appear  strange  that 
Henry  III.,  in  the  height  of  his  distress  for  want  of  money, 
should  be  the  first  prince  that  ever  struck  gold  coins  in  Eng- 
land. 

"  The  piece  he  caused  to  be  struck  was  of  pure  gold,  and 
weighed  two  sterlings ;  it  was  to  pass  in  the  usual  proportion 
of  gold  to  silver  at  that  time  for  twenty  sterlings  or  pennies  in 
silver." 

Displeased  with  gold  as  a  medium  for  money,  in  less  than 
three  months  after  its  issue,  on  Sunday,  November  4th,  1257, 
the  citizens  of  London  made  a  clamorous  representation  against 
it.  King  Henry  III.  was  so  willing  to  oblige  them  that  he 
published  a  proclamation,  declaring  that  nobody  was  obliged  to 
take  it,  and  whoever  did  might  bring  it  to  his  exchange,  and 
receive  there  the  value  at  which  it  had  been  made  current,  a 
half-penny  only  being  deducted  for  the  coinage.  Henry,  in  his 
straits  for  money,  was  forced,  twelve  years  later  (21st  July, 
1269),  to  issue  another  proclamation,  giving  this  coin  a  forced 
circulation  of  24  instead  of  the  original  20  pennies. 

The  Obverse  exhibits  the  King,  Henry  III.,  on  a  chair  or 
throne,  in  his  royal  robes,  crowned,  having  in  his  right  hand  a 
very  neat  sceptre,  which  passes  under  his  arm,  and  is  formed  of 
six  pearls  or  pellets;  in  his  left  hand,  outstretched,  he  holds  a 
royal  globe,  surmounted,  but  not  touched,  by  a  Coptic  cross, 
composed  of  four  pearls  or  pellets,  and  a  sort  of  mosaic  work 
api)ears  at,  behind,  and  under  his  feet.  Legend  :  "  hexricus 
REX  III."  (Henry  III.,  King).  The  Reverse  has  a  long  cross 
extending  to  the  edge  of  the  piece,  in  order  to  prevent  filling  or 
clipping;  dividing  the  lettered  circle,  in  the  interstices  of  the 
cross,  are  four  very  neat  roses  between  three  small  pellets.  Le- 
gend :  "  WILLEM  ON  LUND."  The  miuter  name  and  London, 
the  city  where  minted.  Weight :  45  grains.  Fineness :  995. 
Value:  $1.92.825.  As  this  gold  penny  weighed  2  silver  pen- 
nies, and  was  current  for  20  of  silver,  had  they  been  of  as  fine 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  761 

silver  as  that  was  of  fine  gold,  the  proportion  would  have  been 
as  1  to  10;  but,  as  the  silver  penny  contained  no  more  than  37 
parts  in  40  of  fine  silver,  therefore  it  was  of  no  more  than  1  to 
9 J.  Finally,  when  the  gold  penny  was  raised  from  20  pennies 
to  2  shillings,  the  proportion  raised  as  1  to  IIt'o. 

The  next  gold  coinage  occurs  in  the  eighteenth  year  of  the 
reign  of  Edward  III,,  1344,  and  was  called  the  "Florin," 
which  had  upon  the  field  of  the  Obverse  two  leopards,  and  the 
Half  Florin,  which  had  but  one,  while  the  Quarter  Florin,  a 
royal  helmet  with  a  lion  guardant-passant  at  the  top,  the  whole 
upon  a  mantle  strewn  with  lilies  of  France.  Legend:  "edwr. 
R.  ANGL.  z.  FRANC.  D.  piiber"  (Edwurdus  Rex  Angliae,  Fran- 
ciae  Dominus  Hiberniae,  Edward,  King  of  England  and  France, 
Master  of  Ireland).  Reverse:  A  cro&5  composed  of  treble  linos 
of  pearls  or  pellets,  with  a  small  rose  in  the  centre.  Legend  : 
"exaltabitur  in  gloria"  [He  shall  he  exalted  in  glory). 
Weight  of  the  Florin:  108  grains;  Half  Florin:  54  grains; 
and  the  Quarter:  27  grains  troy.  Fineness:  995.  Value: 
$4.62.780  the  Florin;  $2.31.390  the  Half;  and  $1.15.695  the 
Quarter. 

This  Florin  was  current  for  six  soldz  or  shillings;  the  Half 
for  three  shillings;  and  the  Quarter  Florin  for  eighteen  deniers 
or  pence.  It  was  soon  found  that  this  gold  coinage  was  rated 
too  high,  and  was  therefore  recalled  ;  consequently  specimens  are 
very  rare.  Another  gold  coinage  was  then  determined  upon, 
the  famous  one  of  the  "Nobles." 

These  coins  were  not  named  after  a  place  of  mintage,  such  as 
the  Florin,  after  Florence,  but  after  the  nohle  metal  of  which 
they  were  composed,  and  their  purity,  995  fine;  therefore,  su- 
perior to  any  gold  coins  of  the  period  in  Europe. 

Obverse:  A  ship;  the  King,  Edward  III.,  clad  in  armor, 
sword  erect  in  his  right,  and  a  shield,  quartered  with  the  arms 
of  France  and  England,  in  his  left  hand,  standing  upright  in 
the  middle  of  the  ship.  Legend:  "edwar.  d.  gra.  REX. 
ANGL.  z.  FRANC.  DNS  HYB."  {Edvardus  Dei  Gratiae  Rex  An- 
gliae  Ei  Frandae  Dominus  Hiberniae,  Edward,  by  the  grace  of 


7«2  DYES  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

God,  King  of  England  and  France^  Master  of  Ireland).  Dei 
Gratiae  was  then  used  for  the  first  time  on  the  coins  of  England. 

The  device  of  the  ship  was  adopted  in  commemoration  of  the 
great  naval  victory  of  Midsummer  Eve,  1340,  when  two  French 
admirals,  and  thirty  thousand  men  were  slain,  and  two  hundred 
and  thirty  of  their  large  ships  taken,  with  small  loss  on  the 
part  of  the  English. 

The  Reverse  has  a  cross  formed  of  three  lines,  two  of  which 
are  dotted,  and  terminated  with  a  sort  of  a  flourished  ornament 
and  a  lily  of  France,  having  on  its  centre  a  small  rose  or  com- 
partment of  four  leaves  or  arches,  and  four  angles,  whose  points 
terminate  in  three  pellets  in  the  void  spaces  made  by  the  cross, 
which  have  also  in  each  of  those  spaces  a  lion,  with  a  crown 
over  it,  all  contained  within  a  compartment  of  eight  arches 
dotted  like  a  cross.  In  the  centre  the  letter  "e"  (which  stands 
for  Edward).  Legend:  "ihs  autem  transiens  p.  medium 
ILLOKUM  IBAT."  {Jesus  autem  transiens  per  medium  illorum  ibat, 
which  means:  Jesus  passing  through  the  midst  of  them  [alluding 
to  the  Pharisees,  who  intended  to  stone  Him]  went  away). 

There  are  several  opinions  concerning  the  meaning  of  this 
text  (John  viii.,  v.  59) ;  the  first  is,  that  of  the  alchemists, 
who  say  it  alludes  to  the  secret  manner  in  which  gold  was 
made,  being  as  invisible  to  vulgar  eyes  as  Jesus'  passage  through 
the  midst  of  the  Pharisees  was  to  them.  The  second,  these 
words,  as  found  in  Luke  iv.,  v.  30,  have  been  used  as  a  talis- 
man of  preservation  in  battle,  and  also  against  thieves,  if  so  the 
wonderful  preservation  of  the  King,  as  if  by  the  invisible  hand 
of  Providence  he  passed  unhurt  through  the  midst  of  his  ene- 
mies, in  that  extraordinary  sea  fight,  which  the  type  of  this  coin 
was  intended  to  commemorate,  it  was  most  appropriate;  but  if 
the  other  superstition  did  hold  sway,  it  was  decidedly  the  most 
serviceable,  if  not  the  most  elegant  inscription  that  could  be 
put  upon  coins,  but  gold  especially. 

The  Half  Nobles  bear  the  same  Obverse  and  Reverse,  only 
in  some  the  Legend  on  the  Reverse  was  changed  to  "domine 

NE   IN   FVRORE  TUO   ARGUAS   ME,"    Psalm    VI.   and    XXXVIII., 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  763 

part  of  verse  1  (0  Lord,  rebuke  me  not  in  Thy  wrath).  On  one 
of  the  Half  Nobles  in  the  collection  of  coins  in  the  British 
Museum,  the  sense  of  the  motto  is  entirely  changed  by  the  ac- 
cidental omission  of  the  word  "ne/'  reading  "Domine  in  furore 
tuo  arguas  me." 

The  Quarter  Nobles  bear  the  same  Obverse  and  Reverse  as 
the  Noble,  only  on  some  the  Legend  on  the  Reverse  was  changed 
to  "exaltabitur  in  gloria"  {He  shall  be  exalted  in  glory). 
Supposed  to  be  an  allusion  to  Edward's  claim  to  the  crown  of 
France. 

The  "Noble"  was  made  current  to  the  amount  of  the  then 
well-known  sum  of  half  a  Mark,  or  six  shillings  and  eight 
pence;  the  half  or  "Maile  Noble"  for  three  shillings  and  four 
pence;  and  the  quarter  or  "Ferling  Noble"  for  twenty  pence. 

Weight  of  the  Noble:  136.700  grains.  Fineness:  995. 
Value:  $5.85.7595.  The  half  or  "Maile  Noble,"  Weight: 
68.350  grains.  Fineness:  995.  Value:  $2.97.8798;  and  the 
quarter  or  "Ferling  Noble,"  Weight:  34.175  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 995.  Value:  $1.48.9399.  The  proportion  of  gold  to 
silver,  at  that  period,  was  as  1  to  11 ;  at  the  present  day  it  is  as 
1  to  16. 

Some  of  the  Nobles  have  also  the  title  of  "  duke  op  aqui- 
TAiNE,"  and  others  with  a  flag  at  the  stern  of  the  ship,  bearing 
St.  George's  cross ;  others,  struck  after  the  Treaty  of  Bretigny, 
in  1360,  when  Edward  renounced  his  claim  to  France,  omitting 
"  FRANCIAE  "  in  the  titles. 

The  first  grand  coinage  of  Nobles  proved  so  valuable  that 
they  were  secretly  exported  for  profit,  and  a  lighter  coinage  was 
made,  causing,  however,  some  unreasonable  discontent. 

Still  the  fine  gold  coinage  of  Edward  III.  was  rapidly  finding 
its  way  to  France;  to  obviate  which,  he  established  the  compli- 
cated system  of  Staple  towns,  where  only  British  n)erchandise 
could  be  sold  to  the  foreign  merchant  in  the  presence  of  a  gov- 
ernment commissioner,  who  compelled  the  foreigner,  on  the 
sale  of  his  own  merchandise,  to  spend  whatever  moneys  he 
might  have  received  in  the  purchase  of  British  products,  then 
principally  wool. 


764  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

The  coins  struck  in  France  by  Edward  III.  are  the  Guien- 
nois,  the  Leopard,  the  Ecu,  and  the  Mouton.  The  Guiennois, 
coined  in  Guienne,  bears  upou  the  Obverse  the  standing  full 
figure  of  Edward  III.,  in  complete  armor,  except  his  head 
which  is  crowned ;  he  holds  in  his  right  hand  a  sword  and  a 
pointed  shield,  with  the  quartered  arms  of  France  and  England 
in  his  left,  and  seems  to  stand  on  two  lions,  at  the  sides  and 
over  his  head  a  grand  Gothic  portico.  Legend  :  "ed  d.  gra. 
REX  ALIE  DO  AQUITANIE  "  {Edvardus  Dei  Gratiae  Rex  Angliae 
Dominus  Aquitaniae,  which  means :  Edward,  by  the  Grace  of 
God,  King  of  England,  Master  of  Aquitaine).  Upon  the  Re- 
verse: An  ornamented  cross  within  a  compartment  similar  to 
that  on  the  afore-described  "  Nobles."  Legend  :  "  glia  in 
EXELSis  DEO  ET  IN  TERRA  PAX  HOIBUS  "  {Gloria  in  Excclsis  Deo 
Et  in  Terra  Pax  Hominihus,  which  means :  Glory  be  to  God  on 
high,  and  on  earth  peace  to  men).  Weight :  60  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 995.     Value:  $2.57.100. 

The  Leopard  has  on  the  Obverse  a  lion  passant-guardant, 
crowned  and  within  a  compartment  of  arabesques.  Legend: 
"edvvardus  DEI  GRA  ANGLi  FRANCIE  REX."  Reverse:  A 
cross,  whose  ends  terminate  in  acorns  with  leaves,  within  a  rose 
or  compartment  of  four  arches  and  four  angles.  Legend  "XPC. 
VINCIT.  XPC.  REGNAT.  XPC.  IMPERAT  "  {ChristtLS  viucit,  Chris- 
tu8  regnat,  Christtis  Imperat,  which  means :  Christ  conquers, 
Christ  reigns,  Christ  commands).  Weight:  54  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 995.     Value:  $2.31.390. 

The  Ecu  bears  upon  the  Obverse :  King  Edward  III.,  seated 
on  an  ornamented  throne,  with  his  sword  erect  in  his  right  hand, 
and  a  shield,  with  the  lilies  of  France  upon  it,  in  his  left.  Le- 
gend :  "edvvardus  DEI  GRA.  ANGLI  FRANCIE  REX."  Re- 
verse: An  ornamented  cross  within  a  rose  of  four  leaves,  whose 
ornamented  angular  points  terminate  in  the  quarters,  and  the 
same  leaves  issue  also  from  the  legendary  circle  into  the  angles. 
Legend:  Same  as  the  Leopard.  Weight:  66  and  70  grains. 
Fineness  :  995.     Value:  82.82.810  and  $2.99.950  respectively. 

The  Mouton  has  on  the  Obverse,  within  a  compartment,  the 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  766 

"holy  lamb,"  under  which  is  the  king's  name,  " edvard." 
Legend  :  "agn.  del  qui  tolli  pecca  mvndi.  mis.  nos  "  {Agnus 
Dei  qui  tollia  peccata  mundi  miserere  nobis,  which  means :  Lamb 
of  God,  Thou  who  takest  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  have  mercy 
upon  us).  Reverse :  An  ornamented  cross  with  the  lilies  of 
France  in  tlie  angles.  I^egend  :  "  XPC  VINCIT.  XPC.  REGNAT. 
XPC  impePwAt"  {Christ  conquers,  Chist  reigns,  Christ  com- 
mands). Weight:  71  grains.  Fineness:  995.  Value: 
$3.04.235. 

Edward,  Prince  of  Wales,  called  more  frequently  the  Black 
Prince,  was  declared  Prince  of  Aquitaine  by  his  father,  Edward 
III.,  in  1362,  which  he  held  for  ten  years,  when  he  again  re- 
signed it  into  his  father's  hands,  and  diefi  about  four  years  after 
in  1376.  In  this  ca}3acity  of  sovereign  prince  he  issued  five 
different  gold  coins,  two  similar  to  those  of  his  father,  namely  : 
the  Guiennois  and  the  Leopard. 

The  third  is  the  "  Chaise,"  upon  the  Obverse  he  appears  sit- 
ting on  a  Gothic  chair  or  throne.  Legend  :  "  ed.  po.  gns.  regis 
anglie  pxs  aquitanie"  {Edvardus  Primo  Genitus  Regis 
Angliae  Princeps  Aquitaniae,  which  means :  Edward  first  bom 
to  the  King  of  England  Prince  of  Aquitanie).  On  the  Reverse 
is  a  cross  within  a  compartment  of  four  roses  and  four  angles, 
it  has  also  two  lions  and  two  lilies  of  France  in  the  quarters. 
Legend  :  "deus  judex  Justus  fortis  p a ci ens  "(GocI!  the  just, 
powerful,  and  patient  Judge).  Weight :  54  grains.  Fineness : 
995.     Value:  $2.31.390. 

The  fourth  coin  is  known  as  the  gold  "Hardy."  Obverse: 
Bust  of  Edward  in  his  robes,  with  his  sword  in  his  right  hand, 
with  a  compartment.  Legend :  Same  as  the  "  Chaise."  Re- 
verse: A  cross  with  the  lions  and  lilies.  Ltgend  :  "auxiltum 
MEUM  A  DOMINO."  Weight:  60  and  61  grains.  Fineness: 
995.     Value  :  $2.57.100  and  $2.61.385. 

The  fifth  and  last  coin  of  the  Black  Prince  is  the  "Pa- 
vilion;" upon  the  Obverse  of  which  he  is  represented  standing 
in  his  robes  under  a  spacious  pavilion,  with  his  sword  erect, and 
has  two  ostrich  feathers  on  each  side  of  him.     Legend  :  Same  as 


766  DYE'S  COIN  EXCYCLOPJEDIA. 

the  "  Chaise."  Reverse :  A  cross  formed  of  leaved  acorns,  in- 
closed within  a  sort  of  curved  square,  out  of  the  middle  of  the 
four  sides  of  which  issue  the  four  angles  of  a  square.     Legend : 

"DNS  AIVTO.  PTECO.  ME.    IIPO.  SPAVIT    COR    MEUM  "  [DominUS 

adjvio  protector  meus  in  eo  speravit  cor  meum,  which  means: 
Lord,  my  protector  and  help,  I  have  prostrated  my  heart  to  Thee). 
Weight  of  this  coin  differs  more  than  any  of  Aquitanian  gold 
coins.  The  Pavilion  in  possession  of  the  Queen  of  England 
and  that  of  the  Duke  of  Devonshire  weighs  69  grains,  that  in 
Paris  73  grains,  others  have  been  found  to  weigh  83  grains; 
their  fineness,  nevertheless,  995  fine,  known  as  the  old  gold 
standai'd  of  England  from  Edward  III.  until  the  eighteenth 
year  of  Henry  VIII.,* A.  D.  1527,  about  180  years.  Value, 
therefore,  as  from  $2.95.665  to  $3.55.655. 

This  coin  is  interesting  on  accoimt  of  the  detached  ostrich 
feathers  in  the  field — so  placed  in  commemoration  of  the  Black 
Prince  having  displumed  the  helmet  of  John  King  of  Bohemia 
at  the  battle  of  Cressy.  The  crest  of  that  king,  who  was  killed 
in  that  battle,  was :  three  ostrich  feathers,  with  the  motto  "  ICH 
dien"  {I serve);  and  in  memory  of  that  victory,  August  26th, 
1346,  it  has  since  been  adopted  by  the  heirs  to  the  crown  of 
England. 

The  gold  coins  of  Richard  II.,  1377-1399,  upon  the  Obverse 
in  no  way  differ  from  those  of  his  grandfather's  Edward  III., 
with  the  exception  of  the  Legend  "  Ricard  "  instead  of  "  Ed- 
ward," and  upon  the  reverse  the  initial  "R"  replaces  the  "E." 
His  Nobles  were  reduced  to  120  grains,  fineness:  995.  Value: 
$5.14.200.  The  half  Nobles  to  60  grains.  Value:  $2.57.100, 
and  the  quarter  in  the  same  proportion. 

The  gold  coins  of  the  three  Henries,  who  now  succeeded  each 
other,  are  very  difficult  to  distinguish.  These  kings  issued  in 
England  money  of  precisely  the  same  types,  without  any  marks 
of  distinction. 

In  February,  1423,  Henry  VI.  ordered  the  coinage  of  the 
"Salute"  in  France.  Obverse:  Salutation  of  the  Virgin  by 
the  angel  Gabriel ;  the  hands  of  the  angel  are  lifte<l  up,  and 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  767 

those  of  the  Virgin  folded  over  her  breast.  The  word  "AVE  " 
[Hail)  is  in  a  scroll  over  a  crowned  shield,  with  the  arms  of 
France  and  England  quartered  together,  which  stands  between 
them.  Legend :  "  henricus  rex  anglie  et  fran."  The 
reverse  has  a  long  cross  between  a  lion  and  a  lily  of  France, 
within  a  compartment.  Legend:  "xpc  vincit.  xpc  reqnat. 
XPC  IMPERAT."  Weight :  60  grains.  Fineness :  995.  Value : 
62.57.100. 

In  the  same  year,  1423,  September  6th,  a  change  was  made 
in  the  device  of  the  "  Salute ;  "  the  principal  difference  of  which, 
in  its  type,  from  the  other,  is,  that  the  scroll  with  "ave"  is  held 
by  the  angel,  the  Virgin  lias  her  hands  elevated  instead  of 
folded,  and  there  are  two  shields,  neither  of  them  crowned;  one 
at  the  feet  of  the  Virgin,  with  the  arms  of  France  alone,  and 
the  other  contains  France  and  England  quartered.  The  Re- 
verse is  the  same  as  the  preceding  one,  only  an  "  H  "  is  added 
beneath  the  cross.  The  Legends  remained  the  same ;  but  the 
weight  was  reduced  from  60  to  54  grains.  Fineness:  995. 
Value:  $2.31.390. 

Henry  VI.  likewise  afterwards  caused  another  coin,  the 
"Gold  Franc,"  to  be  struck.  On  the  Obverse  the  King  on 
horseback,  in  full  armor  cap-a-pie,  a  crown  upon  his  helmet,  his 
sword  drawn,  his  armor  and  that  of  his  horse  is  strewn  with 
lilies  of  France  and  lions  of  England.  Legend:  "henricus 
D.  G.  FRANC.  AN6L1E  REX."  Reverse:  An  ornamented  cross 
within  a  compartment  of  four  arches.  Legend  :  "  XPS.  vincit. 
XPS.  REGNAT.  XPS.  IMPERAT."  Weight  from  48  to  60  grains. 
Fineness:  995.     Value:  $2.05.68  to  $2.57.100. 

Edward  IV.,  1461-1483,  changed  the  obverse  of  the  Noble 
and  half  Noble,  and  they  differ  from  those  of  all  his  prede- 
cessors, first  in  having  constantly  a  square  flag  on  the  stern  of 
the  ship,  with  the  letter  "  e"  of  his  name  on  it,  which  before 
always  appeared  on  the  centre  of  the  reverse,  and  secondly  there 
is  always  a  large  rose  on  the  side  of  the  ship,  which  none  of 
them  before  ever  had.  The  rose  or  compartment  likewise  on 
the  quarter  Noble  consists  of  but  four  leaves  instead  of  eight,  as 


768  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

all  the  former  ones  had;  an  "e"  appears  on  the  top  of  the 
sliield,  a  rose  on  one  side  and  a  sun  on  the  other,  with  a  lily 
of  France  at  the  bottom.  Legend:  "edwaed  di.  gra.  rex 
AXGL.  z.  FRANC.  DNS.  HYB."  On  the  half  Noble  the  words 
"DNS.  HYB."  are  wanting;  and  on  the  quarter  Noble  the  words 
"  DNS.  HYB."  and  "  FRANC  "  are  omitted.  The  type  of  the  Re- 
verse is  also  changed,  the  cross  witli  its  small  central  compart- 
ment is  now  taken  away,  and  in  its  stead  appears  a  sun,  with  a 
full  blown  rose  in  the  centre,  the  points  or  rays  touching  the 
flourished  ornamented  ends  of  the  cross,  and  also  the  lions  and 
lilies,  which  were  still  left  and  enclosed  within  the  same  com- 
partment of  eight  leaves.  The  legends  still  remained  as  on  the 
aforenlescribed  "  Nobles." 

This  gold  coin  "Noble"  having  continued  for  120  years  at 
its  original  value  of  6s.  8d.  had  given  its  name  to  that  sum  in 
accounts,  but  being  in  1461  made  current  for  half  as  much 
more,  or  ten  shillings,  it  had  the  name  of  "ryal"  given  to  it, 
which  the  French  had  given  to  some  of  the  first  gold  coins  they 
struck,  and  was  thus  called  from  the  figure  of  the  king  in  his 
royal  robes. 

This  coin  is  sometimes  also  called  by  the  name  of  "rose 
ryal,"  but  more  frequently  by  that  of  "  rose  noble,"  which 
seemed  to  be  most  proper  from  the  rose  which  it  carried  both 
on  its  Obverse  and  Reverse.  The  weight,  fineness  and  intrinsic 
value,  notwithstanding  their  advance  from  6s.  8d.  to  10s.,  re- 
mained. Edward  IV.,  in  his  fifth  year,  1465,  began  to  mint  a 
new  kind  of  money  called  the  "angel,"  on  which  appears  the 
archangel  St.  Michael,  having  one  foot  on  the  dragon,  which 
lays  on  its  back,  and  piercing  him  at  the  mouth  with  a  spear, 
whose  end  terminates  in  a  cross  crosslet.  Legend:  "  edward 
DI.  GRA.  REX.  ANGL.  z.  FRAN. ; "  but  on  the  half  Angel,  called 
the  "angelet,"  the  words  "z.  franc."  are  omitted  from  the 
Legend.  Upon  the  Reverse  appears  a  ship,  with  a  large  mast 
in  the  middle  of  it,  the  top  of  wjjich  is  formed  into  a  cross,  the 
royal  shield,  with  the  arms  of  France  and  England  fixed  on 
tins  mast,  having  on  the  right  side  the  letter  "e"  (EdtoarJ),  and 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS  769 

on  the  left  a  rose.  Legend  on  the  Angel :  "  per  cruce  tua 
SALVA  NOS  XPE  REDEMPT."  {By  Thy  cvoss  save  Its,  0  Christf 
our  Redeemer).  Around  the  "Angelet"  the  Legend  reads:  "o 
CRUX  AVE  SPES  UNICA."  {Hail,  Oh  cross,  our  only  hope). 
Weight  of  the  Angel :  80  grains.  Fineness :  995.  Intrinsic 
value  of  to-day:  $3.42.80.  The  weight  of  the  Angelet  is  40 
grains.  Fineness :  995,  and  the  intrinsic  valu^  of  to-day : 
$1.71.40. 

During  the  reign  of  Henry  VII.,  1485-1509,  a  considerable 
change  in  gold  coinage  took  place. 

The  Obverse  of  the  Noble  represents  the  King  as  usual,  in 
armor,  standing  in  a  ship,  with  his  sword  in  his  right  hand,  and 
a  shield  in  his  left,  which  differs  from  that  which  appears  on 
those  of  his  predecessors,  both  in  form  and  position,  covering 
but  little  of  his  body;  a  square  flag  with  a  semi-dragon  appears 
at  the  stern  of  the  ship,  and  another,  for  the  first  time,  at  the 
head,  on  which  is  an  "h."  [Henry).  The  side  of  the  ship  is 
ornamented  with  roses,  and  the  King  is  crowned  with  an  im- 
perial arched  crown,  whereas  on  the  former  ones  it  is  always 
open.  The  Reverse  differs  still  more  from  the  former  Nobles; 
the  ornamented  ends  of  the  cross,  the  lily  of  France,  the  lions 
and  crowns  all  disappeared;  the  whole  area  is  filled  with  a  large 
double  rose  within  a  compartment  of  ten  arches;  in  the  centre 
of  the  rose  is  a  shield  with  arms  of  France  alone,  without  those 
of  England,  which  are  not  to  be  found  thus  on  any  other  piece. 
The  Legends,  Weights  and  Fineness,  as  afore-described.  But 
the  great  feature  of  Henry  VII's  reign  was  the  issue  of  the 
Double  Ryal  or  "Sovereign,"  as  also  the  "Double  Sovereign." 
The  Obverse  of  both  represent  the  King,  Henry  VII.,  sitting 
in  a  chair  of  state,  with  a  sceptre  in  his  right,  and  the  royal  orb 
in  his  left  hand.  Legend  :  "henricus.  dei.  gracia.  anglie. 
FRANCIE.  IBAR.  HiBNE."  Upon  the  Reverse  a  double  full 
blown  rose,  in  its  centre  the  royal  shield,  with  the  arms  of 
France  and  England  quartered;  above  it  a  large  imperial  crown. 
Legend:  "ihesus  aute  tranciens  per  mediu  illoru  ibat" 
{Jesm,  passing  thrmigh  the  midst  of  them,  went  away).  The 
2W 


770  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Double  Sovereign  weighs :  480  grains.  Fineness:  995.  Value: 
$20.56.800.  The  Sovereign  :  240  grains.  Vahie:  $10.28.400. 
The  Double  Sovereign  was  current  for  40  shillings,  and  the 
Sovereign  for  20  shillings,  or  one  pound  sterling;  the  value  of 
silver  to  gold  as  1  to  llHi* 

The  Ryal  of  Henry  VII.  was  worth  10  shillings;  the  Angel 
6  shillings  8  pence;  and  the  Halves  and  Quarters  in  proportion. 

The  avarice  of  Henry  Vll.tiaving  caused  much  light  money 
tabe  made,  and  many  pieces  also  being  clipped,  great  complaints 
arose,  which  were  silenced  in  a  rather  summary'  manner;  it  was 
therefore  enacted  that  no  person  should  refuse  the  King's  coin, 
if  good  gold  and  silver,  on  account  of  thinness,  on  pain  of  im- 
prisonment or  death. 

During  the  reign  of  Henry  VIII.,  1509-1547,  another  gap 
occurs  in  the  coinage  of  Ryals  or  Nobles.  Tije  Sovereign,  up 
to  the  thirty -fourth  year  of  his  reign,  like  that  of  his  father, 
exhibits  the  King  seated  in  a  chair  of  state,  with  his  sceptre  and 
globe,  at  his  feet  the  portcullis,  which  is  not  on  any  of  the  othei's. 
The  Reverse  nearly  as  that  of  his  father,  with  slight  changes  in 
the  compartments  about  the  rose.  In  1544  the  type  of  the  Re- 
verse was  completely  changed,  exhibiting  the  royal  shield  with 
the  quartered  arms  of  France  and  England  crowned  and  sup- 
ported, on  the  right  by  a  lion,  and  on  the  left  by  a  dragon ;  at 
the  bottom  of  the  shield  "h.  r."  In  the  thirty-sixth  and 
thirty-seventh  year  of  Henry  VIII.,  the  Sovereigns  differ  but 
little  from  the  foregoing,  the  King  appearing  fuller  faced  and 
with  a  beard;  a  rose  at  his  feet  instead  of  the  poi'icuUis.  These 
Sovereigns  are  smaller  in  size  and  lighter  in  color;  their  weight 
being  reduced  from  240  to  200  grains,  and  their  fineness  from 
995  to  958,  the  Half  Sovereign  in  proportion.  This  reduction 
brought  its  intrinsic  value  of  to-day  down  to  $8.25.150. 

In  the  thirty-seventh  year  of  his  reign  the  fineness  was  further 
reduced  to  834  fine,  and  its  intrinsic  value  of  to-day  down  to 
$6.91. 

Henry  VIII.  in  his  eighteenth  year  of  reign  coined  the  gold 
"Greorge  Noble"  for  the  first  time;  it  represents  upon  the  Ob- 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  771 

verse:  St.  George  on  horseback,  piercing  tlie  dragon  under  his 
horse  with  a  spear,  but  upon  the  following  mintage  he  has  a 
sword  in  hand,  lifted  ready  to  strike  the  dragon.  Legend : 
'"tai.i  i>icait,  sig.  mes.  fluctuare  neqi."  {2hli  diced  signo 
mens  fluduare  neguit,  which  means,  referring  to  the  device  of 
St.  George  :  Devoted  to  such  an  emblem  the  mind  cannot  waver). 
Reverse:  A  ship,  the  mast  a  cross,  a  large  rose  at  the  foot  of  it; 
the  letters  ''  h  and  r"  at  each  side  of  the  cross.  The  next 
mintage  of  this  lieverse  a  change  was  made:  the  ship  has  three 
masts  or  crosses,  and  the  letters  "h  and  r"  are  removed.  Le- 
gend: "HENRICUS  D.  G.  rex  ANG.  Z.  franc.  DNS  HYB."  This 
is  the  first  instance  where  the  King's  name  and  titles  are  put  on 
the  Reverse,  and  the  sentence  usually  chosen  for  the  Reverse  is 
put  on  the  Obverse.  Weight:  71.112  grains.  Fineness:  995. 
Intrinsic  value  of  to-day  :  $3.04.639. 

Henry  VIIL  also  introduced  the  "Gold  Crown"  into  the 
English  series  of  coinage.  Upon  its  Obverse  a  double  rose, 
crowned  between  the  letters  "  H.  r."  {Henry  Rex).  "  H.  a." 
(Henry  and  Anne).  "  H.  j."  {Henry  and  Jane).  "  H.  K." 
{Henry  and  Katherine).  Some  of  the  gold  "Crowns"  have  a 
rose  fixed  on  the  centre  of  a  cross  Jleury,  with  the  letters  "h. 
R."  crowned  in  two  of  the  quarters,  and  two  lions  in  the  other 
two.  Legend :  "  henric.  viri.  rutilans  rosa  sie  spia." 
{Henrious  VIIL,  Rutilans  rosa  sine  spina,  which  means:  Henry 
VIIL,  the  shining  I'ose  without  a  thorn).  The  Reverse  of  all  of 
them  have  the  royal  shield,  with  the  arms  of  France  and  Eng- 
land crowned.  Some  have  not  any  letters  on  the  sides,  but 
others  have  "h.  r.,"  "h.  a.,"  "h.  j."  and  "h.  k.,"  as  on  the 
Obverse. 

Edward  VI.,  1547-1553.  This  prince  was  little  more  than 
nine  years  of  age  when  he  ascended  the  throne;  but  in  the 
journal  which  he  kept,  in  his  own  writing,  and  which  is  still 
preserved  in  the  British  Museum,  he  made  several  entries  re- 
specting the  coinage,  which  shows  that  he  had  been  taught  to 
appreciate  the  subject.  It  was  determined  that  the  bare  state 
in  which  Henry  VIII.  had  left  it  should  be  remedied,  but  an 


772  DYE'S  COIN  EXCYCLOP.EDIA. 

honest  way  of  going  about  the  work  does  not  appear  to  have 
occurred  to  the  youthful  King  or  his  ministers.  The  Sovereign 
of  this  King  weighed  from  169  to  178.720  grains;  the  Half, 
Quarter,  Third  and  Eighth  in  proportion. 

The  coinage  of  Mary,  and  Mary  and  Philip,  1553-1558,  ex- 
hibits no  improvement.  The  Sovereigns  issued  were  made 
current  for  30  shillings,  the  Angel  for  10  shillings,  the  fractions 
in  proportion. 

Elizabeth,  1558-1602.  The  complete  restoration  of  the  in- 
tegrity of  the  currency  is  justly  ascribed  to  Elizabeth.  The 
Legend  of  Henry  VIII.,  the  shining  rose  without  a  thorn,  gives 
place  to  "e.  d.  g.  rosa  sine  spina"  {Elizabeth,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  the  rose  icithout  a  thorn).  One  consolation  is  left  to  pos- 
terity that  Henry  Till,  and  Elizabeth  had  at  least  a  very  good 
opinion  of  themselves. 

The  fine  Sovereign  of  Elizabeth  weighs  240  grains  troy;  the 
Ryal  120  grains;  the  Angel,  before  the  tbrty-third  year  of  her 
reign,  weighs  80  grains;  the  Angelet  40  grains;  and  the  Quarter 
Angel  20  grains;  and  after  her  forty-third  year  they  weigh  78- 
.650  grains.  The  fine  Sovereign,  Ryal  and  Angel  were  all  of 
995  fine.  The  fine  Sovereign  was  current  for  30  shillings;  the 
Ryal  for  15  shillings;  the  Angel  for  10  shillings;  and  the  frac- 
tions in  proportion.  The  pound  Sovereign  of  20  shillings,  V)e- 
fore  her  forty-third  year,  weighs  only  174.720  grains;  but  after 
that  year  was  reduced  to  171.890  grains;  the  fractions  in  pro- 
portion.    The  pound  Sovereign  was  only  916  fine. 

Before  describing  the  coinage  of  James  I.  of  England,  and 
VI.  of  Scotland,  it  will  be  necessary  to  take  a  hasty  review  of 
the  origin  and  progress  of  the  Scottish  coinage. 

The  earliest  coins  attributed  to  Scotland  were  thase  of  Wil- 
liam the  Lion,  1165.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  a  regular 
coinage  was  known  in  Scotland  at  least  two  centuries  earlier, 
for  the  southern  portion  of  what  is  now  termed  Scotland  was 
included  in  the  Saxon  Kingdom  of  Northumberland,  and  the 
Northumbrian  coin  circulated  there  while  a  great  portion  of  the 
North  was  possessed  by  the  Kings  of   Norway,   who  coined 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  773 

money,  certainly,  in  the  tenth  century.  It  is  not,  therefore, 
that  coins  were  unknown  to  the  people  of  Scotland  till  the 
twelfth  century,  but  that  they  did  not  assume  a  distinctive  and 
national  character  before  that  period.  Coins  attributed  to  Mal- 
colm IV.  are  doubtful.  Those  issued  by  William  I.,  surnamed 
"The  Lion,"  are,  however,  undoubted,  and  are  very  numerous. 
The  coins  bear  the  names  of  various  moneyers  and  places  of 
mintage,  after  the  manner  of  the  English  coinage  of  the  period. 

The  coins  of  Alexander  II.  and  III.  are  very  difficult  to  dis- 
tinguish, and,  like  those  of  William  I.,  are  very  rude  in  exe- 
cution. Those  of  John  Baliol,  however,  and  Robert  Bruce, 
which  are  at  once  recognizable,  are  in  some  respects  superior  to 
the  English  coinage  of  that  period.  The  first  gold  coinage  of 
Scotland  took  place  in  the  last  year  of  the  reign  of  David  II., 
1371,  when  fine  gold  pieces  were  issued,  evidently  in  imitation 
of  the  "Nobles"  of  Edward  III.,  from  which  they  differ  in  no 
respect  except  in  the  substitution  of  the  arms  of  Scotland  for 
those  of  England  on  the  shield,  and  of  the  name  and  titles  of 
the  Scottish  king  in  the  Legend. 

In  the  reign  of  Robert  II.,  1371-1390,  coins  of  gold  were 
issued  of  a  national  character,  having  the  arms  of  Scotland  on 
the  Obverse,  and  St.  Andrew  on  his  cross  on  the  Reverse,  from 
which  this  coin  received  its  popular  name  "St.  Andrew." 
This  piece  passed  for  five  shillings.  It  was  called  a  "Gold 
Penny,"  the  half  being  called  a  "  Maille."  The  Maille  has 
only  the  cross  and  not  the  figure  of  St.  Andrew  on  the  Reverse. 
It  was,  however,  popularly  called  "the  Lion,"  from  the  lion  on 
the  shield  of  the  Obverse,  to  distinguish  it  from  St.  Andrew. 

The  gold  coinage  of  Robert  III.,  James  I.  and  II,,  from 
1390  to  1460,  is  similar  to  those  of  Robert  II.  In  the  reign 
of  James  III.  the  demi  or  lozenge  lions  of  gold  of  James  I. 
and  II.  were  ordered  to  pass  for  twelve  shilliuiis  each,  showing 
the  great  increase  in  the  value  of  the  old  gold  coin. 

During  the  reign  of  James  III.,  1460-1487,  a  new  gold 
coin,  the  "  Unicorn,"  was  struck.  It  bears  upon  its  Obverse  a 
Unicorn  from  which  it  derives  its  name. 


774  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

James  IV.,  1488-1514,  issued  also  a  new  coin  called  the 
"  Rider : "  the  king  armed  on  a  galloping  horse,  of  two  or  three 
sizes  so  as  to  correspond  with  the  unicorn  series. 

In  the  reign  of  James  V.,  1514-1542,  "Unicorns"  from 
the  old  dies  were  issued,  and  also  new  gold  coins  which  have 
the  numeral  "  v"  after  his  name.  In  his  reign,  also,  "Crowns" 
of  gold  were  also  issued  to  pass  for  twenty  shillings ;  and,  like- 
wise, gold  pennies  of  several  kinds ;  but  the  finest  coin  of  his 
reign  is  the  gold  "  Bonnet"  piece,  so  called  from  the  cap  or  beret, 
termed  in  Scotland  a  bonnet,  which  the  king  wears  in  his  por- 
trait on  this  coin.  There  were  two-thirds  and  one-third  of  this 
piece  issued  at  the  same  time. 

The  gold  coins  issued  in  the  reign  of  Mary,  1542-1587, 
though  not  numerous,  were  of  a  great  variety  of  type.  They 
had  generally  the  arms  on  the  Obverse,  and  "  Maria  Regiua," 
in  a  crowned  monogram,  on  the  Reverse.  The  "  Royal  "  is  one 
of  the  best-wrought  coins  of  this  reign,  having  a  well-executed 
portrait  of  the  Queen  on  the  Obverse.  During  her  marriage 
with  Francis  II.  no  gold  was  struck,  but  previous  to  her  second 
marriage  the  gold  "  Crown "  was  issued,  having  the  arms  of 
France  half  effaced  by  those  of  Scotland  on  the  Obverse,  and 
four  crowned  M's,  arranged  as  a  cross,  on  the  Reverse.  No 
gold  was  issued  during  her  union  with  Darnley.  James  VI., 
previous  to  his  accession  to  the  throne  of  England,  coined  the 
"  Sceptre,"  a  fine  large  coin  of  the  size  of  an  English  double 
Sovereign.  In  his  reign  the  Scottish  coins  were  declared  cur- 
rent in  England,  as  one  to  twelve,  and  the  English  in  Scotland 
in  the  same  proportion — that  is,  the  Rose  Royal,  thirty  shillings 
English,  >vas  to  pass  for  eighteen  pounds  Scotch :  the  Angel  of 
ten  shillings  for  six  pounds  Scotch,  etc. 

James  I.  of  England,  1602-1625,  issued  first  the  Sovereign, 
having  upon  the  Obverse  the  King  in  armor,  holding  the  orb 
and  sceptre.  The  Reverse  has  the  arms  of  England  and 
France,  with  Scotland  and  Ireland  quartered,  and  the  Legend : 
"  EXURGAT  DEUS  Dissi  PENTUR  iNiMici "  {Let  God  aj-ise,  let 
His  enemies  be  scattered).     After  the  coining  of  the  "Units" — 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS. 


lib 


coins  of  similar  value — these  pieces  were  sometimes  called 
"Sceptre  Units:"  the  late  sovereigns  of  the  above  type  had  the 
more  appropriate  motto :  "  faciam  eos  in  gentem  uxam  "  (/ 
vnll  make  them  one  people).  The  "Double  Crown  "  of  ten  shil- 
lings is  like  the  half  sovereign,  but  has  on  the  Reverse:  "hen- 
Ricus  ROSAS  REGNA  JACOBUS."  The  Britlsii  "  Crown"  of  five 
shillings  was  similar.     The  "  Thistle-Crown  "  of  four  shillings 


MINT  OF   GREAT   BRITAIN. 


has  the  rose  of  England  on  one  side,  and  tlie  thistle  of  Scotland 
on  the  other,  both  crowned,  the  titles  round  the  rose  with 
"tueatur  unit  a  DEUs"  (God  upholds  the  United),  round  the 
thistle.  The  pieces  coined  in  Scotland  only  differed  in  the  amis 
of  Scotland  occupying  the  first  place.  The  "  Rose  Ryal "  of 
thirty  shillings  is  similar  to  those  of  the  preceding  reigns,  ex- 
cept that  the  King  appears  in  his  regular  parliamentary  robes. 
The  Legend  on  "  Rose  Ryal"  and  "Spur  Rial"  is:  "a  domino 


776  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

FACTUM  EST  ISTUD  ET  EST   MIR  A  BILE  IN  OCULIS   NOSTRIS  "  {It 

is  the  work  of  the  Lord,  and  wondaful  in  our  eyes).  English 
gold  coins  being  above  the  standard  of  those  of  the  Continent, 
their  value  was  raised  by  proclamation:  the  Sovereign,  from 
twenty  to  twenty-two  shillings;  the  Double  Crown,  from  ten  to 
eleven  shillings,  and  so  in  proportion.  It  being  found  that  the 
irregular  sums  at  which  the  gold  coins  were  rated  were  ex- 
tremely convenient,  a  new  gold  coinage  was  determined  on. 
These  coins  are  of  the  highest  standard,  termed  angel  gold. 
First,  a  thirty-shilling  piece  having  the  King  in  his  parliament 
rol)es,  the  figure  finely  executed  in  a  new  style,  bnt  the  mottoes 
the  same;  and,  on  the  Reverse,  the  type  of  the  old  Rose  Ryal 
being  abandoned  for  the  royal  arms.  Second,  a  fifteen-shilling 
piece  of  new  device,  having  a  lion  holding  a  shield,  with  the 
numerals  "xv."  and  the  titles;  and  on  the  Reverse  the  old  de- 
vice of  the  "Noble,"  with  the  sun  of  Edward  IV.  Third,  a 
ten-shilling  piece,  or  Angel,  with  the  old  devices  of  the  angel 
and  ship,  greatly  improved,  and  having  the  royal  arms  on  the 
sail,  and  another  pattern  having  the  ship  scooped  out  to  receive 
a  large  shield  with  the  arms.  Of  crown  gold,  new  "Units'* 
were  made,  having  the  King's  head  laureated  in  the  Roman 
style — the  first  time  it  had  been  adopted  on  modern  English 
coins — and  for  the  Reverse  the  royal  arms,  crowned,  and  the 
mottoes  as  on  the  first  "  Units."  These  pieces  were  soon  after 
called  "Laurels." 

There  is  not  so  great  a  variety  of  the  gold  money  of  Charles 
I.,  1625-1649.  His  coins  are  those  of  his  predecessors,  and 
the  only  piece  of  different  pattern  was  the  "Siege  Piece,"  which 
was  struck  at  Pontefract,  1648,  octagonal  in  shape,  and  of  the 
value  of  20  shillings. 

The  gold  money  of  the  "Commonwealth"  has  upon  the 
Obverse  the  antique  shield,  with  the  cross  of  St.  George  encircled 
with  a  laurel  and  palm  branch.  Legend:  "the  common- 
wealth OF  ENGLAND."  The  Reverse  has  two  antique  shields 
joined  together,  containing  St.  George's  cross  and  the  Irish 
harp,  with  the  respective  values  over  them.     Legend:  "god 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  777 

WITH  vs,"  aud  the  date  ;  which  is  from  1649  to  1660  inclusive. 
Weight,  Fineness  and  Value  as  those  of  Charles  the  First. 

There  is  also  a  twenty  and  a  ten  shilling  piece  of  Cromwell  as 
Protector.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Cromwell:  on  the  reverse  a  plain 
square  sliield,  crowned,  with  the  cross  of  St.  George  in  its  first 
and  fourth  quarters  for  England,  that  of  St.  Andrew  in  the 
second  for  Scotland,  the  Irish  harp  in  the  third  for  Ireland  and 
in  the  centre  a  shield  of  pretence,  a  lion  rampant.  Legend  : 
"  PAX  QUiERiTUR  BELLO  "  {Peace  is  sou(jht  by  war).  The  first 
money  coined  by  Charles  II.,  after  his  restoration,  1660-1685, 
was  struck  with  the  hammer,  with  and  without  the  value  upon 
them,  but  neither  of  them  have  an  inner  circle.  He  also  coined 
for  the  first  time  the  "Guinea,"  called  so  because  of  the  great 
quantity  of  them  that  were  coined  out  of  gold  brought  from  that 
coast  by  the  Royal  African  Company,  and  distinguished  from 
the  other  coins  by  an  elephant  and  castle,  beneath  the  bust  of 
the  king.  Under  Charles  II's  reign  were  also  coined  the  half, 
two  and  five  ''  Guinea"  pieces;  the  latter  had  around  the  rim  : 
"  DECUS  ET  TUTAMEN  "  (ornamental  and  useful).  The  Guinea 
weighs  129.840  grains,  the  halves,  twos  and  fives  in  proportion, 
their  Fineness  916.660;  and  they  were  made  current  for  10, 
20,  and  40  shillings  and  5  pounds. 

The  gold  money  of  James  II.,  1685-1689,  presents  his  profile 
bust  laureated,  and  looking  to  the  right,  the  contrary  way  to 
his  brother ;  a  lock  of  hair  also  flows  over  his  shoulder.  Weight 
and  Fineness  same  as  the  gold  coins  of  Charles  II. 

The  coins  of  William  and  Mary;  William  TIL  and  Mary 
XL,  1689-1702;  are  of  the  same  style  as  those  of  Charles  11. 
and  James  II.  Upon  the  Obverse  tiio  profile  busts  of  the  king 
and  queen  appear  together;  that  of  the  king  is  laureated,  but 
the  queen  has  only  her  flowing  hair.  Weight  and  Fineness 
same  as  those  of  Charles  11. 

About  the  famous  era  of  the  Revolution,  1688,  the  Guinea 
by  common  consent  was  paid  and  received  at  21s.  6d. 

Queen  Anne,  1702-1714,  is  exhibited  on  her  gold  money 
with  a  profile  bust  turned  to  the  right,  her  hair  tied  up  with  a 


778 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


fillet;  upon  the  Reverse:  Two  sceptres  saltier-vnse;  in  the  angles 
the  shields  of  England,  Scotland,  Ireland  and  France.  Weight, 
Fineness  and  Value  as  the  preceding  ones. 

The  gold  coins  of  George  I.,  1714-1727,  bear  on  the  Obverse, 
the  King's  bust  in  profile,  facing  to  the  left,  and  crowned  with 
laurel.  The  Reverse  has  four  crowned  shields  in  cross,  at  the 
top  the  shields  of  England  and  Scotland  combined,  at  the  right 
hand  those  of  Brunswick,  Luneburg  and  Westphalia,  at  the 
left  side  is  the  shield  of  France  and  at  the  bottom  that  of 
Ireland.  This  king,  besides  the  usual  gold  coins,  coined  also 
the  quarter  Guinea.  The  Guinea  had  continued  to  be  current 
for  21s.  6d.,  from  1688  to  1717,  in  which  year  there  was  a  re- 
markable scarcity  of  silver,  which  by  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  at  that 
time  master  of  the  mint,  in  a  memorial  dated  21st  of  September, 
was  partly  imputed  to  the  over-valuing  of  gold;  and  therefore, 
by  a  proclamation  of  December  20th,  1717,  the  proportion  was 
lowered ;  that  is,  the  "  Guinea  "  was  reduced  to  21  shillings,  as 
it  has  continued  ever  since. 

During  the  reign  of  George  II.,  no  change  was  made  in  the 
coinage;  only  those  coined  of  the  gold,  sent  to  the  mint  by  the 
East  India  Company,  have  "e.  i.  c."  under  the  bust  of  the 
king.  Weight,  Fineness  and  Value  same  as  of  the  preceding 
reign. 

The  gold  coinage  of  George  III.,  1760-1820,  differs  but  little 
from  his  predecessors. 

1.  The  Guinea.  Obverse:  Head  of  George  III.,  facing  to 
the  right.     Legend :  "  georgius  hi  dei  gratia." 


GUINEAS  OF  GEORGE   III. 

Reverse :  Quartered  shields  of  England,  Scotland,  France, 


GREA  T  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  11^ 

Ireland,  Brunswick  and  Luneburg.  Legend:  "m.  b.  f.  et 
H.  REX  F.  D.  B.  ET.  L.  D.  s.  R.  I.  A.  T.  ET.  E."  {Magnac  Britanume 
Franciae  et  Hibemiae  Rex,  Fides  Defensor;  Bmnswigae  et  Lunen- 
bergae  Dux  Sacri  Romani  Imperii  Archi  Thesaurarim  et  Elector; 
wiiic'li  means  :  of  Great  Britain,  France  and  Ireland  King,  De- 
fender of  the  Faith,  Duke  of  Brunswick  and  Luneburg,  of  the  Sacred 
Roman  Empire,  Arch- Treasurer  and  Elector).  Weight:  129- 
.4382  grains.     Fineness:  916.660.     Value:  $5.10.9825. 

2.  Half  Guinea  of  George  III.    Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same 
as  No.  1 , 


HALF  GUINEAS   OF   GEORGE 


Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  64.7191 
grains.     Fineness:  916.660.     Value:  $2.55.4912. 

3.  One-Third  of  Guinea,  or  Seven  Shilling  Piece.  Obverse: 
Head  of  George  III.     Legend :  "georgius  hi.  dei  gratia." 


ONE-THIRD   OF  A   GUINEA   OF  GEORGE  III. 

Reverse :  The  royal  crown  in  the  middle  of  the  field ;  beneath 
the  same,  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Legend :  "  britan- 
NiARUM  rex  fidei  DEFENSOR."  Weight:  43.146  grains. 
Fineness:  916.660.     Value:  $1.70.3208. 

4.  Quarter  Guinea  of  George  III.  Obverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1. 
Weight:  32.3595  grains.  Fineness:  916.660.  Value:  $1.27- 
.7456. 


780  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 

5.  Five  Sovereign  Piece  of  George  III.  Obverse:  Head  of 
George  III.  laureated,  facing  to  the  right.  Legend  :  "  GEORGius 
ni.  D.  G.  BuiTANNiAR.  REX  F.  D."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year 
of  issue.  Reverse :  St.  George  and  the  dragon,  occupying  the 
whole  field ;  no  Legend.  Weight:  616.372  grains.  Fineness: 
916.660.     Value:  $24.33.250. 

6.  Double  Sovereign  of  George  III.  Obverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  5. 


DOUBLE  SOVEREIGN  OF  GEORGE  III. 

Reverse :  St.  George  and  the  dragon ;  no  Ijegend.  Exergue : 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  246.548  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 916.660.     Value:  $9.73.300. 

7.  Sovereign  of  George  III.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same 
as  No.  5. 


.      SOVERERiN    OF    GEORGE    III. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  6.  Weight:  123.274  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 916.660.     Value:  $4.86.650. 

8.  Half  Sovereign  of  George  I  XL  Obverse:  Laureated 
head  of  George  III.  facing  to  the  right.  Legend  :  "georgius 
III  DEI  GRATIA."     Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Great  Britain, 
Scotland  and  Ireland,  with  the  arms  of  Hanover  on  a  shield  of 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  781 

pretence,  also  crowned.  Legend:  "Britannia rum  rex  fid: 
DEF:"  Weight:  61.6372  grains.  Fineness:  916.660.  Value: 
$2.43.325. 


HALF  SOVEREIGN   OF   GEORGE  JII. 

9.  Five  Sovereign  Piece  of  George  IV.  Obverse :  Head  of 
George  IV.  facing  to  the  left.  Legend:  "georgius  iv  dei 
GRATIA."  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue  from  1826. 
Reverse:  A  shield,  hearing  arms  of  Great  Britain,  with  the 
electoral  arms  upon  a  shield  of  pretence,  displayed  upon  a 
mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown.  Legend:  "britan- 
NIARUM  REX  FID  DEF."  Upon  the  edge  is  inscribed  " DECUS 
ET  tutamen.  anno  regni  SEPTIMUS  "  {Omovicntal  and  Use- 
ful. Seventh  year  of  the  reign.)  Weight:  616.372  grains. 
Fineness:  916.660.     Value:  $24.33^. 

10.  Double  Sovereign  of  George  IV.  Obverse:  Head  of 
George  IV.  Legend:  "georgius  iiii.  d.  g.  britanniarum 
REX  F.  D."  Reverse :  St.  George  on  horseback,  in  the  act  of 
striking  the  dragon.  No  Legend .~  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year 
of  issue  from  1820-1830.  Weight:  246.548  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 916.66.     Value:  $9.73.300. 

11.  Sovereign  of  George  IV.  Obverse:  Laureated  head  of 
George  IV.  Legend:  "georgius  iiii.  d.  g.  britanniarum 
REX.  F.  D."  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  10.  Weight:  123.274 
grains.     Fineness:  916.660.     Value:  $4.86.650. 

12.  Half  Sovereign  of  George  IV.  Obverse:  Same  as  No. 
11.  Rever.se:  Shield,  bearing  arms  of  Great  Britain,  Ireland 
and  Scotland,  surmounted  by  a  crown ;  arms  of  Hanover  on  a 
crowned  shield  of  pretence.  Legend  :  "anno,"  "1824."  Ex- 
ergue: Laurel  branches,  at  end  of  the  left  a  thistle,  and  at  the 
end  of  the  right  a  shamrock ;  the  branches  are  cros.sed  and  tied 


782  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

with  a  rose.     Weight:   61.6372  grains.     Fineness:    916.660. 
Value:  $2.43.375. 

13.  Sovereign  of  George  IV.  of  1828-1830.  Obverse :  Head 
of  George  IV.  Legend:  "georgius  iv  det  gratia."  Ex- 
ergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue  from  1828-1830. 


SOVEREIGN  OF  GEORGE  IV. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Great  "Britain, 
Ireland  and  Scotland,  with  crowned  shield  of  pretence  with 
arms  of  Hanover;  at  the  left  of  shield  the  thistle,  and  at  the 
right  the  shamrock.  Legend:  "britanniarum  rex.  fid. 
DEF."  Weight:  61.6372 grains.  Fineness:  916.660.  Value: 
$4.86.650. 

14.  Half  Sovereign  of  George  IV.  Obverse:  Same  as  No. 
13.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  13.  Weight:  61.6372  grains. 
Fineness:  916.660.     Value:  |2.43.375. 

15.  Doul)le  Sovereign  of  William  IV.  Obverse:  Head  of 
William  IV.  facing  to  the  right.     Legend:  "gulielmus  iiii. 

D.  G.  BRITANNIARUM  REX  F.  D." 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Great  Britain, 
Ireland  and  Scotland,  with  a  crowned  shield  of  pretence  bearing 
arms  of  Hanover,  the  whole  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped 
from  a  crown  from  above;  from  beneath  the  shield  the  chain 
and  order  of  St.  George  protrudes.  No  Legend.  Exergue : 
"anno,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue  from  1830-1837. 
Weight:  246.548  grains.  Fineness:  916.660.  Value:  $9- 
.73.30. 

16.  Sovereign  of  William  IV.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same 
as  No.  15. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Great  Britain, 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  783 

Ireland  and  Scotland,  with  a  crowned  shield  of  pretence  bearing 
arms  of  Hanover.     No  Legend.     Exergue;  Same  as  No.  15. 


SOVEREIGN  OF   WILLIAM   IV. 

Weight:    123.274  grains.     Fineness:    916.660.    Value:   $4- 
.86.650. 

17.  Half  Sovereign  of  William  IV.     Obverse  and  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  16. 


HALF  SOVEREIGN  OF   WILLIAM  IV. 

Eeverse:  Same  as  No.  16.  No  Legend.  Exergue:  "anno" 
and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  61.6372  grains. 
Fineness:  916.660.     Value:  $2.43.375. 

18.  Five  Sovereign  Piece  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse : 
Bust  of  Queen  Victoria  facing  to  the  left.  Legend :  "VICTORIA 
D.  G.  BRITANNIARUM  REGINA  F.  D." 


QUINTUPLE  SOVEREIGN  OF  QUEEN  VICTOEIA. 


784  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Reverse :  Una  and  the  Hon.  Legend :  "  dirigit  deus 
GRESSUS  MEOS "  {God guides  my  steps).  Exergue :  Date  of  the 
year  of  issue  in  Roman  numerals.  Weight:  616.372  grains. 
Fineness:  916.660.     Value:  $24.33^. 

1 9.  Sovereign  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse :  Head  of  Queen 
Victoria  facing  to  the  left.  Legend:  "VICTORIA  dei  gratia." 
Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 


sovereigns  of  queen  victoria. 

Reverse:  Crowned  quartered  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of 
Great  Britain,  Ireland  and  Scotland,  surrounded  by  two  laurel 
branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend :  "  britanniarum  regina. 
FID.  DEF."  Exergue :  Rose,  thistle  and  shamrock  entwined. 
Weight:  123.274  grains.  Fineness:  916.660.  Value:  ^- 
.86.650. 

20.  Half  Sovereign  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  1 9. 


HALF  SOVEREIGN  OF  QUEEN  VICTTORIA. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Great  Britain, 
Ireland  and  Scotland.  legend:  "britanniarum  regina 
FID.  DEF."  Weight:  61.6372  grains.  Fineness:  916.660. 
Value:  $2.43.375. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 

The  earliest  silver  coins  of  the  Saxons  are  called  "Skeattae," 
a  term  derived  from  a  Saxon  word  meaning  a  portion,  and 
therefore  justly  supposed  that  these  coins  were  a  portion  of 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  7«5 

some  merely  nominal  sum  by  which  large  amounts  were  cal- 
culated. They  remained  in  partial  use  long  after  the  general 
adoption  of  the  Saxon  silver  penny.  The  Skeattae  vary  from 
'twelve  to  twenty  grains,  and  it  is  difficult,  therefore,  to  ascertain 
their  intrinsic  value;  many  are  without  inscription,  others  un- 
intelligible; some  without  Christian  emblems,  others  with; 
some  have  a  profile  surrounded  by  a  pretty  interlaced  band ; 
some  have  the  dove  and  cross;  others  have  Komulus  and  Re- 
mus suckled  by  the  wolf. 

The  earliest  "Silver  Pennies"  are  those  of  Eadbert,  a.  d. 
794.  The  origin  of  the  "Penny,"  variously  spelt  peneg  and 
peninc  is  supposed  to  be  derived  from  the  Latin  word  pendo,  to 
weigh ;  for  it  was  intended  that  a  Tower  pound  should  make 
240  pennies,  giving  24  grains  each. 

The  first  silver  penny  struck  bears  King  "eadbert's"  name, 
and  the  title  "Rex"  in  three  lines,  and  on  the  Reverse  the 
money er's  name,  with  an  ornament.  The  first  "Silver  Groats" 
were  coined  during  the  reign  of  Edward  I.,  1273-1307.  The 
Obverse  bears  the  King's  bust,  crowned,  with  the  perfect  form 
of  the  fleur-de-luced  crown,  the  draperies  at  the  neck  fastened 
with  a  rosette;  the  whole  bust  is  enclosed  in  a  quartrefoil  com- 
partment, surrounded  by  the  Legend:  "edwardus  di.  gra 
REX.  ANGL."  {Edward,  by  the  grace  of  God,  King  of  England). 
The  Reverse  bears  an  ornamented  cross  with  three  pellets  in  the 
angles,  extending  to  the  edge  of  the  coin;  immediately  round 
the  pellets  are  the  words:  "londonia  civi"  {Oity  of  London), 
and  the  Legend:  "dns  hibne.  dux  aqvi."  {Dominua  Hiber- 
nian, Dux  Aquitaniae,  which  means:  Lord  of  Ireland,  and  Duke 
of  Aquitaine).  Up  to  the  reign  of  Edward  I.  the  half  pennies 
and  farthings  were  formed  by  cutting  the  pennies  into  two  or 
four,  an  operation  performed  at  the  Mint,  the  cross  upon  the 
Reverse  being  the  guide,  dividing  the  penny  in  four  equal 
parts,  coins  so  cut  having  been  found  in  quantities,  that  had 
evidently  never  been  circulated. 

During  the  reign  of  Edward  II.  (1307-1327)  the  silver 
coinao-e  remained  of  the  same  standard  as  under  the  previous 


T86  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Iving.  There  is  no  record  of  a  coinage  of  Groats,  but  the 
Penny,  its  half,  and  the  farthing  have  been  freely  coined. 
The  silver  coinage  of  Edward  III.  (1327-1377)  includes  again 
the  groats,  half  groats,  pennies,  half  pennies,  and  farthings,  and 
the  title  of  King  of  France  is  assumed  on  the  groats  of  this 
King.  The  weight  of  the  silver  coinage  was  first  seriously  re- 
duced in  this  reign :  first,  from  the  previous  general  average  of 
about  twenty-two  grains  in  the  silver  penny  to  twenty  and  a 
quarter,  then  to  twenty,  and  eventually  to  eighteen  grains. 

The  silver  coins  of  Richard  II.  (1377-1399)  are  precisely 
similar  to  those  of  his  grandfather,  Edward  III.  The  coins  of 
the  three  Henries  (1399-1461),  who  now  succeeded  each  other, 
are  very  difficult  to  distinguish.  These  princes  issued  money 
of  precisely  the  same  types,  without  any  marks  of  distinction. 
There  is,  however,  a  tolerably  secure  guide  for  determining  the 
j>ennies  of  Henry  IV.  In  the  early  part  of  his  reign  they  were 
of  the  weight  of  those  of  his  two  predecessors — namely, 
eighteen  grains ;  but  in  the  thirteenth  year  of  his  reign  they 
were  reduced  to  fifteen,  and  the  other  silver  coins  in  proportion. 
The  early  groats  may  be  distinguished  in  a  similar  manner. 
Of  the  thirty-eighth  year  of  reign  of  Henry  VI.  there  is  a 
document  relating  to  the  Irish  coinage,  in  which  it  is  ordered 
that  a  groat  of  45  grains  be  struck  similar  to  the  English,  but 
with  "crviTAS  dubliniae,"  or  "ctvitas  waterford,"  in  the 
inner  circle  of  the  Reverse. 

The  silver  coins  of  Edward  IV.  (1461-1483)  are  exactly  like 
those  of  the  several  preceding  reigns.  The  weight  of  the  penny 
was  reduced,  after  his  fourteenth  year,  to  twelve  grains. 

The  changes  effected  in  the  Irish  coinage  in  this  reign  are 
somewhat  remarkable.  In  the  beginning  of  the  reign  it  was 
enacted  that  a  Maile  and  Quadrant  of  silver  should  be  made  in 
the  castle  of  Dublin  of  the  same  type  as  the  new  Denier :  these 
were  eontinental  terms,  more  frequently  applied  to  the  Irish 
coinage  than  to  the  English.  The  terms  Maik  and  Quadrant 
refer  to  the  alver  half-pence  and  farthings  of  the  types  of  the 
pesny  or  denier.     In  the  third  year  of  this  reign  groats  were 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  787 

struck  of  the  same  type  as  those  of  Henry  VI.,  with  the  crown 
without  Legend.  Tliese  coins  have  a  tressure  of  seven  arches 
instead  of  twelve,  as  in  those  of  Henry  VI. 

There  are  also  Irish  groats  of  this  reign  very  similar  to  the 
English  groat,  only  having  the  title:  "dominus  hibernie" 
on  the  Obverse  in  addition  to  the  name,  and  on  the  Reverse: 
"civiTAS  dubliniae"  in  the  inner  circle.  The  most  reraark- 
*  able  coinage  of  Irish  groats  was  one  with  a  new  type,  having  a 
cross  on  one  side  and  a  sun  on  the  other,  and  with  which  were 
issued  pennies  with  a  rose  on  one  side  and  a  cross  on  the  other. 

Another  new  coinage  of  Edward  IV.  consists  of  groats,  half 
groats,  and  pence,  having  the  head  in  the  style  of  the  English 
groats  on  one  side,  and  the  radiated  sun,  the  favorite  device  of 
this  prince,  for  the  Reverse. 

There  were  also  several  Irish  coinages  in  this  reign  of  en- 
tirely new  device,  and  of  a  national  character,  having  on  the 
Reverse  the  arms  of  Ireland,  "  three  crowns,"  in  a  cross,  in  pale, 
and  on  the  Obverse  the  arms  of  England  and  France,  quar- 
terly, on  a  shield,  separated  by  a  similar  cross,  extending  to  the 
edge  of  the  coin.  On  the  Obverse  is  the  Legend:  "rex 
ANGLIE.  FRANCIE  "  {King  of  England  and  France)^  without  the 
King's  name;  and  on  the  Reverse:  "dominus  hibernte" 
(Lord  of  Ireland),  also  without  the  King's  name. 

A  second  variety  of  this  type,  differing  in  having  the  addition 
of  the  King's  name,  and  the  name  of  the  city  of  Dublin,  and 
an  interesting  variety  bearing  the  arms  of  the  earls  of  Kildare 
on  each  side  of  the  arms  of  England  and  France,  were  also 
coined  during  the  reign  of  Edward  IV.  The  Irish  coinage 
became  lighter  than  the  English  during  this  reign,  and  con- 
tinued so  to  a  greater  extent  in  the  subsequent  reigns. 

Of  Edward  V.  (1483-1483)  no  silver  coins  are  known  to 
exist.  In  the  two  years  of  Richard  Ill's  (1483-1485)  brief 
but  energetic  reign,  he  contrived  to  issue  considerable  coinage. 
Their  type  is  precisely  similar  to  those  of  his  predecessors,  and 
the  proportion  of  twelve  grains  to  the  penny  was  the  standard 
of  weight.     The  Obverse  of  the  groat  have  "  RICARD.  Dl.  GRA. 


788  DYES  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA, 

ANGL..  z.  FRANC,"  with  his  crest,  the  boar's  liead.  The  L^nd 
upon  the  Reverse:  "posvi  devm.  adivtorem-mevm "  {I have 
made  God  my  helper).  He  issued  groats,  half  groats,  pennies, 
and  halfpence ;  but  no  farthings. 

The  groats,  pennies,  etc.,  of  Henry  VII.  (1485-1509)  con- 
tinued at  first  the  same  as  in'  the  previous  one,  and  have  often 
been  confounded  with  those  of  Henry  YI. ;  by  referring  care- 
fully to  the  episcopal  mint-marks,  this  doubt  is  soon  solved. 
The  greatest  doubt  has  always  been  expressed  as  to  the  York 
pennies  of  Henry  VII.,  especially  those  of  Thomas  Rotherham, 
archbishop,  who  did  not  possess  the  see  of  York  till  1480,  while 
Henry  VI.  died  in  1461,  the  mark  "t."  on  one  side  of  the 
neck  and  a  key  on  the  other,  stamp  those  pennies;  therefore, 
indubitably,  as  those  of  Henry  VII. 

In  the  second  style  of  coinage  of  Henry  VII.  the  design  of 
the  crown  is  changed  from  the  open  crown  of  Jleur  de  lis,  of  his 
own  previous  coins,  and  of  those  of  so  many  of  his  predecessors, 
to  an  arched  crown,  sometimes  called  an  imperial  crown.  The 
eighteenth  year  of  Henry  Vllth's  reign  was  marked  by  an  en^ 
tirely  new  coinage,  in  which  the  silver  coins,  for  the  first  time, 
received  some  attention  as  to  their  artistic  execution  :  a  positive 
portrait  profile  being  attempted,  and  in  fact  very  fairly  executed. 
The  shield  with  the  royal  arms  was  now  first  adopted  for  the 
Reverse;  and,  in  short,  the  model,  of  which  the  types  of  the 
English  coinages  of  the  present  day  have  been  but  modifica- 
tions, was  then  first  accepted. 

The  most  remarkable  feature  in  the  then  new  silver  coinage 
was  the  issue  of  the  "  Shilling."  The  Obverse  bears  the  head 
of  Henry  VII.  The  Legends  are  inscribed  in  three  different 
manners,  as  :  "henbic  di  gra  rex  anglie  z  fr.  ;"  "  henric 

VII.  DI.  GRA.   rex    ANG.  Z    FR.;"  " HENRIC.  SEPTIM.   DI.  GRA. 

REX  ANGL  z  FR."  The  type  of  the  Reverse,  which  up  to  this 
time  bore  on-  all  the  silver  coins  the  three  pellets,  was  taken 
away,  and  with  them  the  lettered  circle,  that  immediately  en- 
closed it,  and  in  their  stead  the  royal  shield,  with  the  quartered 
arms  of  England  and  France,  was  put  on  the  cross.     The 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  789 

"Shilling"  weighed  144  grains,  and  was  924.985  fine.  The 
"Groat"  weighed  48  grains,  the  "half"  24  grains,  and  the 
"Penny"  12  grains,  the  "half"  and  Farthing  in  proportion: 
they  were  all  924.985  fine. 

The  Irish  silver  coins  of  Henry  VII.  have  been  few,  and  only 
the  Groat,  its  half  and  the  Penny  were  only  coined;  some  have 
upon  the  Obverse  the  head  of  Henry  VII.,  wearing  the  old  or 
flat  crown,  and  some  with  the  arched  crown.  Upon  the  Re- 
verse "civiTAS  dublinie"  appears.  In  weight  they  are  lighter 
than  the  English  coinage  of  the  same  denomination.  The 
Groats  issued  by  the  pretender,  Perkin  Warbeck,  were  struck 
for  him  by  the  Duchess  of  Burgundy;  they  have  the  arms  of 
England  on  a  crowned  shield  for  Obverse,  with  the  Legend : 
"domine  8ALVUM  FAC  BEGEM  "  {God  sav€  the  King).  On  the 
Reverse  the  curiously  selected  Legend :  "  mani  techel  phabes  " 
and  the  date,  1494. 

The  silver  coinage  of  Henry  VIIL  (1509-1547)  may  be 
divided  into  five  classes;  the  first  resembles  the  third  coinage 
of  his  father,  even  the  head  being  the  same,  the  numerals  alone 
being  altered  from  "vil."  to  viil."  The  farthings  of  this  coin- 
age are  very  rare. 

The  second  coinage  has  a  likeness  of  the  King  in  profile, 
which  may  easily  be  distinguished,  as  he  appears  both  younger 
and  fatter  than  his  father;  the  Reverse  remaining  the  same. 
The  Half  Groats  are  similar,  but  those  of  York  have  Cardinal 
Wolsey's  initials,  and  the  Cardinal's  hat  on  the  Reverse.  The 
Pennies  have  the  King  on  the  throne,  with  the  Legend:  "bosa 
sine  spina"  (Rose  without  a  thot-n).  The  Half-Pennies  have 
still  the  old  cross  and  pellets;  and  the  Farthings,  like  those  of 
his  first  coinage,  have  the  portcullis,  which  appears  for  the  first 
time  on  the  coins  in  this  reign. 

In  the  third  coinage  of  this  reign  the  weight  of  the  Penny 
was  reduced  to  10  grains,  and  that  of  the  other  silver  coins  in 
proportion,  a  great  increase  of  alloy — two  ounces  in  twelve — 
being  used.  The  execution  of  this  coinage,  which  consisted  of 
Shillings,  Pence,  Half- Pence,  Groats  and  Half  Groats,  was  bold 


790  DYETS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

and  striking;  the  Obverse  had  a  portrait  of  the  King,  being  a 
front  or  three-quarter  face,  an  excellent  likeness,  especially  on 
the  Shillings  or  Testoons,  as  they  were  called.  The  Testoon 
was  so  named  after  a  French  coin  of  similar  value,  which,  on 
first  receiving  the  impression  of  a  portrait  head,  was  called  a 
Teste-on  {Head-on).  The  present  French  word,  Tete,  three 
hundred  years  ago  was  called  Teste.  The  Reverse:  A  large  rose 
and  a  crown,  a  very  handsome  device,  with  the  old  Legend : 
"  posvi  DEVM  ADITOREVM  MEVM  "  {I  have  made  God  my  helper). 
The  Groats  and  smaller  pieces  have  the  old  Reverses,  the  Half 
Pennies  still  exhibiting  the  ancient  type  of  the  cross  and  pellets. 

These  types  continued  the  same  on  the  fourth  coinage,  but  a 
marked  degree  of  debasement  took  place.  These  base  coins 
having  the  full  face  of  the  King  soon  began  to  show  the  inferior 
metal— -copper — at  the  end  of  the  nose,  the  most  prominent 
part,  and  hence  his  sobriquet :  "Old  Copper  Nose." 

The  Pennies  being  of  the  same  weight:  10  grains;  but  the 
alloy  was  increased  to  the  amount  of  half  alloy  to  half  silver. 

The  fifth  coinage  was  still  more  debased,  and  the  Legend  on 
the  Groats  was  changed  to  "redde  cuique  quod  scum  est" 
[Render  unto  him  that  which  is  his  oum),  seeming  like  a  satirical 
joke  upon  the  fraud  thus  committed  on  the  public,  but  prob- 
ably not  so  intended. 

During  Henry  Villus  temporary  conquests  in  France,  he 
coined  money  at  Tournaye.  The  first  of  the  Tournaye  Groats 
are  more  in  the  French  taste  than  either  of  them,  having  on  its 
Obverse :  A  crowned  shield,  with  the  arms  of  France  and  Eng- 
land quartered,  between  a  fleur-de-lis  and  a  lion,  and  round  it 
the  Legend:  "henricus  8  Di.  gra.  francie  et  anglie 
REX."  On  the  Reverse:  An  open  cross  formed  of  double  lines, 
with  an  "h"  in  the  centre,  two  fleur-de-lis,  and  two  lions  in  the 
spaces.  Legend:  "civitat  tornacensis,  1613"  {Qty  of 
Toumay). 

The  most  remarkable  Irish  coins  of  this  reign  are  the  series 
of  Groats,  with  the  arms  of  England,  crowned,  on  the  Ob- 
verse, and  the  Irbh  harp,  crowned,  on  the  Reverse,  with  the 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  791 

"r.  h."  on  each  side  of  the  harp;  and  on  later  issues,  in  suc- 
cession, the  letters  "h.  a.,"  for  Henry  and  Anna,  during  his 
marriage  with  Anna  Boleyn;  "h.  j.,"  for  Henry  and  Jane 
Seymour;  "h.  k.,"  for  Henry  and  Catherine  Howard.  Half 
Groats  of  these  types  are  also  known,  but  are  very  rare.  In 
this  reign  the  title  of  "  King  of  Ireland,"  was  adopted  on  the 
coins,  instead  of  the  old  style,  "Lord  or  Doniinus." 

In  the  thirty-sixth  year  of  this  reign  pieces  of  Six-Pence, 
Three- Pence,  Three  Hulf-Pence,  and  Three-Farthing  were  first 
struck  in  Ireland,  siuiilar  to  the  coinage  issue  in  England  at 
the  same  time.  They  have  a  three-quarter  face  of  the  King  on 
the  Obverse,  and  the  arms  of  England,  traversed  by  a  long 
cross,  on  the  Reverse.  The  Legends  were,  on  the  larger  pieces : 
"henric.  8  D.  G.  A.  G.  L.  F.  R.  A.  z.  HiB.  REX."  {Henricus  8, 
Dei  Gratiae  Angliae  Franciae  Et  Hibemiae  Rex,  meaning: 
Henry  VIII.,  by  the  grace  of  God,  King  of  England,  France 
and  Ireland).  On  the  Reverse:  "civlTAS  dublinie."  {Place 
of  Mintage,  Dublin).  The  Three-Half-Penny  pieces  have  the 
Legend:  "h.  d.  g.  rosa.  sine,  spina."  Reverse:  "civitas 
DUBLINIE."  These  Three-Half-Penuy  and  Three-Farthing 
pieces  are  of  the  greatest  rarity.  Several  forgeries,  with  rude 
and  blundered  Legends,  were  put  into  circulation  during  this 
reign.  The  Irish  coinage  being  greatly  debased  in  the  English 
royal  Mint,  was  probably  the  principal  incentive  to  the  numer- 
ous forgeries. 

During  the  reign  of  Edward  VL,  (1547-1553,)  it  was  de- 
termined that  the  base  state  in  which  Henry  VIII.  had  left  it 
should  be  remedied,  but  an  honest  way  of  going  about  the  work 
does  not  appear  to  have  occurred  either  to  the  youthful  King  or 
his  ministers. 

The  first  silver  coinage  he  issued  was  of  the  same  low  standard 
as  the  last  of  the  previous  reign,  viz. :  4  oumces  of  silver  to  8 
ounces  of  alloy;  and  the  Penny  was  of  10  grains.  Of  this  issue 
there  were  also  Testoons  (Shillings),  Groats,  Pennies,  their 
halves  and  farthings.  They  have  a  well  executed  profile  of  the 
King  upon  the  Obverse,  and  the  arms  traversed  by  a  cross. 


792  DYIPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 

The  Penny  nas  the  Legend:  "e.  d.  g.  rosa  sine  spina," 
variously  abbreviated.  In  the  third  year  of  the  reigii  there 
was  an  attempt  made  to  improve  the  coinage  by  issuing  shil- 
lings of  5  to  6  ounces  alloy  instead  of  8.  They  have  the  King's 
profile,  crowned,  not  very  different  from  the  previous  groats, 
but  have  in  the  Legend  the  lloraan  numerals  VI.  instead  of  the 
Arabic  6,  as  in  the  groats;  and  the  Reverses  have,  for  the  first 
time,  an  oval  shield  without  a  cross,  decorated  in  a  style  of 
ornament  which  then  began  to  supersede  the  Gothic  manner,  a 
further  modification  of  which  has  since  been  termed  "Eliza- 
bethan." The  Legend  is :  "  Timor  domini  fons  vitae  mdxliv." 
{The  fear  of  the  Lcn'd  is  the  fountain  of  life).  Upon  others  the 
Reverse  sometimes  bears  the  name  and  titles  round  the  head, 
and  also  "inimicos  ejus  induam  confusione"  {His  enemies 
icill  I  clothe  with  shame).  The  date  of  the  year  of  issue  upon 
the  English  coins  was  then  introduced  for  the  first  time. 

This  last  issue  seems  rather  to  have  added  to  the  confusion : 
Testoon  or  Shillings  were  soon  cried  down  to  ninepence,  and 
other  coins  in  proportion,  robbing  the  public  to  the  amount  of 
one-fourth  of  the  original  value  of  the  silver  coinage.  Subse- 
quently the  shillings  were  cried  down  to  sixpence,  and  eventu- 
ally, in  the  reign  of  Elizabeth,  these  base  shillings  were 
marked  with  a  particular  mint-mark — a  portcullis  in  some  cases 
— and  ordered  to  pass  for  fourpence  half-penny. 

The  confusion  in  the  value  of  the  precious  metals  at  that 
time  appears  to  have  been  extreme:  silver  being  rated  at  12 
shillings  the  ounce,  and  gold  at  only  60  shillings,  so  that  gold 
was  only  made  five  times  more  valuable  than  silver ;  and  in  the 
third  year  of  Edward  Vlth's  reign,  when  gold  was  rated  at  48 
shillings,  it  was  only  made  four  times  the  value  of  pure  silver. 
There  could,  it  would  appear,  have  been  no  freedom  of  ex- 
changes, or  the  value  of  gold  must  have  been  as  11  to  1. 

It  seems  scarcely  credible  that  after  crying  down  of  the  shil- 
ling to  ninepence — and  those,  in  fact,  only  worth  fourpence, 
half-penny — that  a  still  baser  coinage  was  issued,  namely :  9 
ounces  of  alloy  to  3  ounces  of  silver.     These  coins  bear  the 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  793 

same  type  as  the  preceding  ones,  and  in  tiie  reign  of  Elizabeth 
they  were  stamped  with  a  greyhound,  and  ordered  to  pass  for 
twopence,  farthing. 

In  1551  Crowns  and  half  Crowns  were  issued  for  the  first 
time;  upon  the  Obverse  they  bear  the  King, crowned,  on  horse- 
back, wearing  the  armor  of  the  period  :  the  horse,  the  housings, 
and  the  figure  of  the  King  better  executed  than  the  devices  of 
any  previous  British  coins.  Legend  :  "  edward.  vi.  d.  g.  agl. 
FRANC,  z.  HIRER.  REX."  Reverse :  The  arms  of  Endand  and 
Prance  traversed  by  the  cross.  Legend :  "posvi  devm.  adivtor 
MEVM."  Weight:  480  and  240  grains  respectively.  Their  in- 
trinsic value,  owing  to  the  variety  of  the  silver  standard,  un- 
certain, although  they  were  current  for  five  shillings. 

Mary  (1553-1558),  on  her  accession,  declared  her  intention 
of  restoring  the  old  standard  in  the  silver  coinage,  namely,  11 
ounces,  2  dvvt.  fine,  and  18  dwt.  alloy;  but,  instead  of  that,  the 
new  coinage  fell  1  dwt.  lower  than  the  last  of  Edward  VI. 

On  her  first  coinage  she  is  represented  in  profile,  crowned, 
ii{)on  the  Obverse  and  the  Legend:  "maria  d.  g.  ang.  fra. 
z.  HIE.  REGI."  Reverse :  Arms  of  England  and  France,  quar- 
tered by  the  cross.  Legend:  "Veritas  temporis  filia" 
(Truth  is  the  daughter  of  Time).  In  allusion  to  the  restoration 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  faith  after  its  suppression  during  two 
previous  reigns. 

On  her  first  coins,  subsequent  to  her  marriage  with  Philip  of 
Spain,  the  Queen's  head  appears  crowned  as  before  with  the 

legend  :    "  PHILIP  Z.  MARIA  D.  G.  REX.  ET   REGINA." 

These  coins  were  struck  from  the  treasure  brought  over  by 
Philip,  and  have  given  rise  to  the  sobriquet: 

"  Still  amorous,  fond,  and  billing. 
Like  Philip  and  Mary  upon  a  shilling." 

After  Philip  became  King  of  Spain,  by  the  abdication  of  his 
father,  1556,  the  title  of  "  Prince  of  Spain  "  became  inconsistent, 
and  all  allusion  to  the  foreign  dominion  was  omitted,  the  I>e- 
gend  standing :  "  PHILIP  et  maria  d.  g.  rex  et  regina  ang.," 


794 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


for  although  Philip  had  now  become  King  of  Spain,  he  never 
assumed  that  title  on  the  English  coinage.  The  Legend : 
"posui,"  etc.,  on  the  Reverse  remained  the  same,  and  the 
Spanish  arms  were  impaled  by  the  side  of  the  English  and 
French. 


SHILLINGS  OF   MARY  AXD  PHILIP,    1554-1557. 


In  the  year  1553  shillings,  groats,  half  groats,  and  pennies 
were  struck  in  Ireland,  having  a  good  profile  of  the  Queen  on 
the  Obverse,  equal  to  that  on  the  English  coinage,  and  on  the 
Reverse  the  Irish  harp,  crowned  between  the  letters  "  m.  r." 
also  surmounted  by  small  crowns ;  the  Legend  on  the  shilling 
and  groats  is:  " MARIA  D.  G.  ANG.  fra.  z.  hib.  regina" — 
more  abbreviated  on  the  half  groats.  The  Legend  on  all  the 
Reverses  is:  "Veritas  temporis  filia."  Exergue:  The 
dates  1553  and  1554. 

After  her  marriage  Irish  coins  were  struck  with  the  portrait 
of  the  King  and  Queen  facing  each  other,  and  the  Legend : 
"  PHILIP  ET  MARIA  D.  G.  REX.  ET  REGINA  ANG.,"  with  the  date 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS. 


795 


1555;  the  Reverse  was  the  same  as  on  the  previous  issues,  with 
the  exception  that  the  crowned  initials  were  "p.  m.,"  and  the 
Legend:  "posuimus  deum  adjutorem  nostrum"  (IFe  have 
made  God  our  helper).  In  Mar}-  and  Philip's  reign  the  circula- 
tion of  the  English  Rose  Pennies  of  Henry  VIII.  and  Edward 
VI.  was  restricted  to  Ireland ;  and  in  this  and  future  reigns  the 
name  of  the  Dublin  mint  was  omitted  on  the  Irish  coinage,  and 
mint-marks  used  as  on  the  English  money.  The  complete  res- 
toration of  the  integrity  of  the  currency  is  justly  ascribed  to  the 
reign  of  Elizabeth,  (1558-1602). 

The  coinage  of  her  first  three  years  consisted  of  shillings, 
groats,  half  groats  and  pennies,  which  were  of  the  same  fine- 
ness as  the  last  of  the  preceding  reign ;  but  inconvenience  being 
felt  for  want  of  small  money,  she  soon  after  issued  a  coinage  of 
sixpences,  threepences,  three  half  pences,  and  three  farthings  of 
the  full  old  English  standard  of  11  oz.  2  dwts.  fine  silver  to  18 
dwt.  alloy. 

In  the  year  1582  these  three-farthing  and  three-half  penny 
pieces  were  discontinued.  On  some  of  the  coins  of  Elizabeth  the 
arms  of  Zealand  are  found  stamped,  others  have  "h"  for  Hol- 
land :  both  of  which  are  supposed  to  have  been  so  marked  for 
subsidies  to  be  taken  to  the  Low  Countries  by  Leicester. 


CROWN  OF   ELIZABETH   OF   1601-1602. 

The  Crown  of  Elizabeth  bears  upon  the  Obverse,  the  crowned 
bust  of  Elizabeth  facing  to  the  left,  a  sceptre  in  her  dexter,  and 


796  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 

in  her  sinister  hand  the  royal  globe,  only  a  part  of  which  is 
visible.  Legend:  "Elizabeth  d.  g:  ang:  fra:  et.  hiber: 
regina:  1." 

Reverse :  Quartered  shield,  bearing  the  arras  of  England 
and  France,  traversed  by  a  cross.  Legend  :  "  posvi :  devm  : 
adivtorem:  mevm:  1."  Weight:  480  grains.  Fineness: 
925.     Value:  $1.19.690. 

The  half  Crowns  bear  the  same  devices  and  Legends  as  the 
Crown. 

Shilling  of  Elizabeth  bears  upon  the  Obverse :  Crowned  bust 
of  Elizabeth.     Legend :  Same  as  upon  the  crown  and  half. 


SHILLING   OF   ELIZABETH,    1582-1583. 

Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  upon  the  crown  and  halfl 
Weight:  96  grains.     Fineness:  925.     Value:  $0.23.918. 

The  Six-Pence  of  Elizabeth  bears  the  same  devices  and  Le- 
gends as  the  shilling. 


SIX-PENCE   OF   ELIZABETH,    1672. 


Weight :  48  grains.     Fineness:  925.     Value:  $0.11.969. 
The  first  money  coined  in  Ireland  during  Elizabeth's  reign 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  797 

was  that  shameful  recoinage  in  Dublin  of  the  base  metal  then 
current  in  England,  only  3  oz.  fine  to  the  jx)und  troy.  This 
base  issue  has  the  same  types,  with  the  exception  of  the  portrait, 
name,  and  crowned  initials,  as  the  shilling  of  Mary. 

Between  1598  and  1601,  another  Irish  coinage  took  place, 
equally  base,  consisting  of  shillings,  six-pences  and  three- 
pences. The  type  of  the  Reverse  of  these  coins  was  varied  by 
having  three  harps  upon  the  shield  instead  of  the  single  crowned 
harp ;  on  either  side  of  which  is  the  date,  instead  of  the  crowned 
initials.  There  was  also  another  issue  of  shilliugS)i»six-pences, 
and  three-pences,  the  types  of  which  were  the  arms  of  England 
on  the  Obverse,  and  the  Irish  harp,  crowned,  on  the  Reverse, 
with  no  initials  or  date. 

The  mint-marks  are  upon  all  the  pieces  of  Elizabeth,  from 
the  halfpenny  to  the  crown.  "We  find  more  mint-marks  upon 
the  money  of  this  Queen,  than  upon  any  of  her  predecessors ; 
we  therefore  give  the  full  list,  so  as  to  enable  the  numismatist 
to  classify  properly  the  coins  in  his  collection. 

1558.  Martlet.  1570.  Castle. 

1559.  Cross  Crosslet.  1571.  Castle. 

1560.  Fleur-de-lis.  1572.  Ermine  Spot. 

1561.  Pheon.  1573.  Ermine  Spot. 

1562.  Pheon.  1573.  Acorn. 

1563.  Pheon.  /vl574.  Acorn. 

1564.  Pheon.  1574.  Cinqiiefoil. 

1565.  Pheon.    '  1575.  Cinquefoil. 

1565.  Rose.  1576.  Cinquefoil. 

1566.  Portcullis.  ^      1577.  Cross. 

1566.  Lion.  1578.  Cross. 

1567.  Lion.  1579.  Cross. 

1567.  Coronet.  1580.  Cross. 

1568.  Coronet.  1581.  Cross. 

1569.  Coronet.  1582.  Sword. 

1569.  Castle.  1582.  Bell. 

1570.  Coronet.  1582.  A. 
32 


798  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

1583.  Bell.  1592.  Ton. 

1583.  A.  1593.  Ton. 

1584.  A.  1594.  Ton. 

1584.  Shell.  1595.  Ton. 

1585.  Shell.  1595.  Wool  pack. 

1586.  Shell.  1596.  Woolpack. 

1587.  Crescent  1697.  Anchor. 

1588.  Crescent.  1598.  Anchor. 

1589.  Crescent  1599.  Anchor. 

1590.  Hand.  1600.  Amulet 

1591.  Hand.  1601.  1. 

1592.  Hand.  1602.  1. 

1602.  2. 

The  milled  money  does  not  vary  in  its  type,  from  that  of  the 
hammered,  the  only  difference  being  in  the  superior  neatness, 
and  in  the  letters  being  squarer  arid  better  made;  the  pieces 
are  also  rounded,  and  more  uniform ;  and  have  the  edges 
grained,  the  inner  circle  is  also  taken  away. 

James  VI.,  of  Scotland,  succeeded  Elizabeth  as  James  I.  of 
England  (1603-1625).  Before  describing  his  coinage,  it  will 
be  necessary  to  take  a  glance  at  the  silver  coinage  of  Scotland. 

Alexander  I.  (1107-1124),  was  the  son  of  Malcolm  III., 
called  Cammoir,  and  of  Margaret  grand-daughter  to  Edmund, 
King  of  England.  His  silver  coins  bear  a  rude  profile  head, 
regarding  to  the  left,  having  a  sceptre  before  him ;  there  is  also 
a  sort  of  circle  formed  of  dots  around  it.  Legend  :  "Alexan- 
der REX."     Upon  the  Reverse :  A  short  cross. 

David  I.  (1124-1153),  also  called  the  Saint,  on  account  of  his 
liberal  donations  to  the  church.  His  coins  bear  upon  the  Ob- 
verse, a  profile  head  turned  to  the  left,  with  the  sceptre  before 
him ;  the  head  is  bare,  and  the  work  rude  and  barbarous.  Le- 
gend :  "  D  T.  n  I  D.  R  . . .  m."  Reverse :  A  short  cross,  formed 
of  single  lines. 

Malcolm  IV.  (1153-1162),  was  the  grandson  of  David  I. 
whom  he  succeeded,  he  was  called  the  Maiden,  because  he  would 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  799 

never  marry.  Although  he  reigned  12  years,  yet  no  coin  of  his 
was  ever  discovere<l. 

William  I.  (1165-1214),  called  the  Lion,  succeeded  his  brother 
Malcolm  IV.  The  coins  of  this  King  have  his  head  always  in 
profile ;  some  are  ornamented  with  a  sort  of  circle  of  dots,  others 
have  four  other  dots  or  pearls,  in  form  of  a  cross,  all  of  them 
have  an  erect  sceptre  before  them,  surmounted  with  four  dots  in 
the  cross.  Legend:  "wilelmus  ex.,"  and  some  have  "le 
REi  wila"  or  "wiLAM."  Reverse:  A  short  cross,  confined 
within  the  legendary  circle. 

Alexander  II.,  (1214-1249.)  Obverse:  Profile  head  looking 
to  the  right,  on  some  it  is  adorned  with  a  circle  of  pearls,  others 
have  the  open  crown  Jleurie.  Reverse:  A  cross,  extended  quite 
tiirough  the  circle  of  the  letters  on  the  edge  of  the  piece.  Le- 
gend :   "  ALEXANDER  REX." 

Alexander  III.,  (1249-1285,)  he  was  killed  by  a  fall  with  his 
horse  from  a  precipice,  leaving  only  a  grand-daughter,  who  died 
unmarried.  His  coins  have  usually  his  head  in  profile,  to  the 
right,  as  those  of  his  father  and  grandfather,  and  like  them 
also,  there  is  a  sceptre  before  it;  but  it  will  be  observed  that  it  is 
contained  within  the  letter  circle,  and  does  not  run  through  it 
as  formerly;  the  head  is  always  crowned  Jleurie.  The  cross 
upon  the  Reverse  is  quite  different  from  the  ancient  ones,  being 
close  and  broad,  and  continued  quite  to  the  edge,  which  was  fol- 
lowed with  little  alteration  till  the  time  of  James  V.,  and  with 
respect  to  the  head,  till  Robert  II.  Legend:  "ALEXANDER 
DEI  GRA;"  others  have  "alexsander;"  and  upon  the  Re- 
verse :  "  rex  scotorum." 

Alexander  III.,  dying  without  issue,  the  period  of  confusion 
that  followed  the  King's  death  ended  in  the  placing  by  Edward 
I.,  of  England,  of  John  Baliol  on  the  Scottish  throne.  He  re- 
signed his  kingdom  to  Edward  I.,  in  his  fourth  year,  when  a 
second  interregnum  followed  of  nine  years.  Little  difference  is 
to  be  found  between  the  types  of  the  coins  of  this  King  and  the 
last,  they  having  the  profile  head  crowned,  with  the  sceptre  on 
one  side,  and  the  cross  between  four  mullets  on  the  Reverse. 


800  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Legend:  " Johannes  dei  gra."  Reverse,  Legend:  "fex 
scoTORUM,"  with  the  name  of  the  town  only,  namely:  "civitas 
sandre"  {Si.  Andrews). 

Robert  Bruce,  (1306-1329.)  No  alterations  in  the  type  from 
the  two  former  kings,  only  the  Legends:  "robertus  dei  gra" 
and  "rex  scotorum."  David  Bruce  (David  II.)  succeeded 
his  father  in  1329,  when  an  infant,  and  was  forced  to  fly  to 
France,  being  driven  out  of  his  kingdom  by  Edward  Baliol, 
son  of  the  late  King,  John  Baliol,  assisted  by  Edward  III.,  of 
England,  who  held  it  about  four  years;  returning  from  France 
he  was  afterwards  taken  prisoner,  and  carried  into  England, 
where  he  remained  about  eleven  years,  and  was  released  on 
agreeing  to  pay  100,000  Marks  of  silver  for  his  ransom.  He 
died  in  the  forty-first  year  of  a  very  troublesome  reign. 

The  types  of  the  Penny,  Half-Penny  and  Farthing,  are  the 
same  as  before;  those  of  the  groats  and  half-groats,  which 
were  now  first  struck,  have  the  head  circumscribed  within  a  sort 
of  rose,  or  compartment;  and  the  Reverse,  instead  of  one  has 
two  literary  circles.  From  the  Mullet  or  Spur  in  the  quarters 
of  the  cross  of  this  and  the  two  following  kings,  they  were  after- 
wards called  "Spurred  Groats."  Legends:  " DAVID  dei  gra- 
cia;"  "rex  scotorum;"  "dns  protector  mevs;"  "dns 
PTEcrr  MS.  z.  LiBATOR  MS."  [Dominus  Protector  Meus  et  Libera- 
tor Meu8). 

Robert  II.,  (1371-1390.)  The  last  King,  David  II.,  dying 
without  issue,  Robert  Steward,  son  of  Walter  Steward  and 
Maijerie  Bruce,  sister  of  Robert  I.,  succeeded,  and  reigned 
about  nineteen  years.  The  devices  of  this  King's  coins  are  the 
same  as  the  last,  and  those  of  the  half-penny  and  penny  not 
to  be  distinguished  from  those  of  Robert  Bruce. 

Robert  III.,  (1390-1405.)  This  prince  succeeded  his  father, 
and  was  called  "Fame  Zeir,"  which  means:  "John  of  another 
year."  He  having  been  baptized  John,  and  not  changed  his 
name  to  Robert  III.  till  his  coronation. 

We  now  meet  with  a  considerable  change  in  the  type  of  the 
Scotch  coins,  that  is,  from  the  profile  face  to  a  full  one;  and  on 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  801 

the  Reverse  the  single  mullet  in  each  quarter  is  altered  to  three 
pellets.     Legends:  "robertvs  rex  s*^  and  scotorum;"  "ro- 

BERTVS  DEI  GRA;"    "  DNS  PTECTOR  MS  Z  LIBERATOR." 

James  I.,  1405,  succeeded  his  father,  being  then  a  prisoner  in 
England,  where  he  continued  for  eighteen  years,  or  till  1424,  in 
which  year  he  was  set  at  liberty.  He  was  killed  by  a  conspiracy 
at  Perth,  in  his  eleventh  year  of  reign,  1435,  after  he  returned 
from  his  captivity.  The  first  coins  assigned  to  this  King  were 
coined  in  his  minority,  whilst  he  was  a  prisoner;  they  exhibit 
him  full  face,  with  a  sceptre  on  the  right  side.  On  his  return 
we  find  the  sceptre  at  his  left  side,  and  during  the  last  year  of 
his  reign  it  was  omitted,  nor  does  it  appear  any  more  after- 
wards. On  some  of  his  coins  bis  breast  is  naked,  on  others 
there  \s  fleur-de-lis,  or  a  cross,  and  frequently  both,  only  two  of 
the  interstices  between  the  cross  on  the  Reverse  have  three 
pellets  in  them,  the  other  two  have  Sl fleur-de-lis  in  each;  from 
thence,  in  the  following  reigns,  they  were  called  '^fleur-de-lis 
Groats^     Legends:  "iacobvs  dei  gracia  rex  sco." 

James  II.,  (1437-1460,)  succeeded  his  father  when  very 
young.  He  was  killed  in  the  twenty-fourth  year  of  his  reign, 
by  the  bursting  of  a  cannon  at  the  siege  of  Roxborough.  No 
change  was  made  in  the  coinage  of  his  reign. 

James  III.,  (14(30-1489.)  This  prince  succeeded  to  the 
crown  on  the  death  of  his  father ;  he  reigned  nearly  twenty- 
nine  years,  and  was  murdered  in  his  flight  after  the  loss  of  the 
Bannock-burn.  The  Groat  struck  in  1467  is  called  the  "  Borage 
Groat,"  said  to  have  derived  this  appellation  from  the  Borage 
or  Borax  used  in  the  smelting  of  the  ore.  James  III.  coins 
have  upon  the  Obverse  the  head  full-faced,  within  a  rose  or 
compartment  of  five  leaves;  and  on  the  Reverse  a  cross,  run- 
ning to  the  edge  of  the  piece,  in  the  spaces  of  which,  inclosed 
within  the  inner  circle,  two  of  them  are  filled  with  three  pellets, 
as  in  all  the  James',  and  in  another,  instead  of  fleurs-de  lis  and 
crowns,  as  on  the  former,  there  are  mullets  of  five  and  some- 
times six  points.     Legends :  "  iacobvs  dei  gra.  rex  scoto- 

RUM;"    "dNS    PTECTOR    MS.    Z.    LIBATOR    Or    LIBERAT."      On 
2Y 


802  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

others  "SALWM  FAC.  PPV1.VM  TVA'if  DXE."  {Salmim  Vac  Popu- 
lum  Tuum  Domine^  meaning:  Save  Thy  people,  O  Lord). 

In  his  second  coinage,  1483,  he  appears  three-quarters  face 
to  the  left,  with  bushy  hair,  and  is  for  the  first  time  crowned 
with  an  imperial  arched  crown,  instead  of  an  open  one  as  for- 
merly.    The  Reverse  remained  unclianged. 

James  IV.,  (1488-1514.)  No  change  in  the  coinage  of  this 
King  from  that  of  his  father's. 

James  \.y  (1514—1543.)  Upon  the  Obverse  of  his  coins  we 
notice  the.King's  face  three-quarters,  feeing  to  the  left,  wearing 
again  an  open  crown,  inclosed  with  rose  or  five-leaved  compart- 
ment. Ui)on  the  Reverse:  A  cross  bottony  terminated  with 
leaves,  having  in  two  of  the  spaces  a  mullet  of  six  points,  and 
in  the  other  two  a  thistle.     The  outer  circle  is  also  removed. 

During  the  last  four  years  of  his  reign  the  coins  bear  the  head 
profile,  and  feeing  to  the  right,  crowned  with  an  imperial  or 
arched  crown ;  the  compartment  is  also  taken  away.  Ujwn  the 
Reverse  the  old  cross  is  continued^  but  it  has  the  arms  of  Scot- 
land on  the  centre. 

After  this  reign  no  more  groats  were  coined,  which  liad  been 
the  lai^est  piece  of  silver  coined  in  Scotland  from  the  time  of 
David  Bruce,  or  near  two  centuries;  at  its  first  introduction  it 
was  of  the  same  intrinsic  and  nominal  value  as  in  England, 
that  is,  four  pennies;  at  this  time  it  was  reduced  to  aliout  three- 
fifths  of  the  old  weight,  yet  passed  for  between  four  and  five 
times  its  first  value,  as  was  the  manner  in  France,  Grermany, 
and  Italy,  where  the  Gross,  Groaehen,  or  Grosso  were  continually 
raised  in  their  nominal  value,  whereas,  in  England,  notwith- 
standing the  groat  has  been  diminished  in  its  intrirme  valoe, 
yet  the  nominal  has  always  been  fourpenoe. 

The  afore-described  coin  having  tlie  tliistle  upon  the  Reverse 
of  James'  coin,  it  is  as  well  to  give  here  the  origin  of  this 
Scotch  national  emblem.  When  the  Danes  invaded  Scotland  it 
was  deemed  unwarlike  to  attack  an  enemy  in  the  darkness  of 
night,  instead  of  a  pitched  battle  by  day.  But  on  one  occasion 
the  invaders  resolved  to  avail    themselves  of  this  stratagem; 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  803 

and,  iu  order  to  prevent  their  tramp  from  being  heard,  they 
marched  bare-footed.  They  had  thus  neared  the  Scottish  force 
unobserved,  when  a  Dane  unluckily  stepped  upon  a  superbly- 
pricked  thistle,  and  instinctively  uttered  a  cry  of  pain,  which 
discovered  the  assailants  to  the  Scots,  who  ran  to  their  arms  and 
defeated  the  foe  with  great  slaughter.  The  thistle  was  imme- 
diately adopted  as  the  insignia  of  Scotland. 

Mary  Stuart  (1544-1561).  This  unhappy  princess  came  to 
the  crown  upon  the  death  of  her  father,  being  but  a  few  days 
old ;  was  married  in  her  sixteenth  year  to  Francis,  then  Dauphin, 
afterwaids  King  of  France;  her  second  husband  was  Henry, 
Lord  Darn  ley :  she  was  deposed  in  1567,  and  beheaded  in 
Fotheringay  Castle,  in  February,  1587,  where  she  had  been  im- 
prisoned nearly  eighteen  years. 

The  first  coin  of  Mary  Stuart  was  struck  in  her  tenth  year, 
which  has  her  head  crowned,  facing  to  the  right.  The  Reverse 
has  the  royal  shield  of  Scotland,  crowned,  between  two  stars  of 
five  points.  Legends:  "maria  dei  gra.  r.  scotorum  "  and 
"da  pacem  domine  1553."  Her  next  coinage  has  upon  the 
Obverse  the  letter  "m,"  crowned,  between  two  crowned  thistles, 
and  upon  the  Reverse  the  royal  shield  of  Scotland,  crowned. 
Leo-ends:  "maria  dei  g.  scotorum  regina."  "delicie  dni. 
COR.  hvmile."  Her  third  coinage  has  the  "m"  crowned,  be- 
tween two  crowned  thistles,  with  the  addition  of  the  date  of  the 
year  of  issue.  The  Reverse  has  the  royal  arms  of  Scotland,  but 
not  crowned,  fixed  on  a  cross  potence,  extending  through  the 
literary  circle ;  the  Legends  remained  the  same. 

The  fourth  coinage  has  upon  the  Obverse  the  royal  shield  of 
Scotland,  crowned,  between  "m."  and  "  R.,"  within  a  circle.  On 
the  Reverse  a  cross  potent,  with  four  small  ones  in  the  inter- 
stices of  it.  Legends:  "maria  del  g.  r.  scotorum."  and 
"  IN  virtuta  tva  libera  me." 

Her  fifth  coinage  bears  upon  the  Obverse  a  cross  potent ; 
upon  it  a  shield,  partly  per  pale  on  the  dexter  side,  the  arras  of 
the  Dauphin  in  chief,  and  of  Scotland  in  base :  the  sinister  is  filled 
with  that  of  Scotland.     Legend  :  "fran  et  ma.  dei  g.  r.  R. 


804  DYE*S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

SCOTOR.  D.  D.  viEM  "  (Frands  and  Mary,  by  the  Grace  of  God^ 
King  and  Queen  of  Scotland,  Dauphin  and  Dauphine  of  Valois). 
Upon  the  Reverse:  "f.  m.,"  entwined  in  a  monogram,  between 
two  double-barred  crosses.  Legen'^1 :  "fecit  utraque  tjnum," 
and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

Her  sixth  coinage  bears  upon  the  Obverse  the  portrait  of  the 
Dauphin  and  the  Queen,  face  to  face,  with  a  crown  over  them. 
Legend  :  "  FRAN.  ET.  MA.  D.  G.  R.  R.  SCOTOR.  DELPHIN.  VIEN." 
Reverse:  Royal  shield,  crowned,  with  the  arms  of  the  Dauphin 
impaled  with  those  of  Scotland,  between  "f.  m.,"  crowned. 
L^end :  "  fecit  utraque  unum." 

Her  seventh  coinage  has  upon  tho  Obverse  a  shield,  with  the 
royal  arras  of  France  impaled  with  those  of  Scotland,  crowned 
with  an  imperial  crown,  having  on  the  dexter  side  a  cross,  and 
on  the  sinister  side  a  saltier.  Legend:  "fran.  et.  ma.  d.  g. 
r.  r.  franco.  SCOTOR."  Upon  the  Reverse :  "  f.  m.,"  crowned 
between  a  fleur  de  Us  and  a  thistle,  both  crowned.  Legend : 
"viciT  LEO  DE  TRiBV  JUDA  "  and  the  year  of  issue.  {The  lion 
qf  the  tHbe  of  Judah  has  conquered). 

Her  eighth  coinage  has  upon  the  Obverse  head  of  the  Queen, 
facing  to  the  left.  Legend:  " MARIA  DEI  6RA.  SCOTORVM 
REGiNA."  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue,  in  a  scroll. 
Upon  the  Reverse:  A  shield,  bearing  royal  arms  of  France, 
half  eflPaced  on  the  dexter  side  by  those  of  Scotland  on  the  sin- 
ister, having  on  each  side  an  "  m.,"  crowned.  Legend  :  "sal^wm 
fac  popvlvm  tvvm  domine  "  {Save  Thy  people,  0  Lord). 

Upon  the  marriage  of  Mary  with  Henry,  1565,  the  following 
piece  was  struck.  Obverse  :  Heads  of  Mary  and  Henry,  face 
to  face,  beneath  "1565."  Legend:  "henricus  u.  maria.  d: 
GRA:  B:  u:  R:  scotorum"  and  a  thistle.  Reverse:  Crowned 
shield,  with  arms  of  Scotland  between  two-leaved  thistles.  Le- 
gend :  "  Quos  DEVS  coNiVNxrr  nemo  separet  "  ( ^\'hom  God 
has  united,  no  one  shall  separate).  Of  this  piece  only  a  few 
thousand  coins  were  struck:  it  was  current  for  30  Shillings 
Scotch.  It  has  now  become  very  scarce  and  brings  a  high 
premiom. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  805 

Her  tenth  coinage  bears  upon  the  Obverse  the  royal  arms  of 
Scotland,  crowned,  between  two-leaved  thistles.  Legend: 
"  MARIA  &  HENEic  DEI.  GRA.  R.  &  R.  scoTORV."  Reverse :  A 
Yew  tree,  which  has  been  put  on  these  pieces  in  allusion  to  a 
famous  one  of  this  sort,  that  formerly  grew  in  the  park  of  the 
Earl  of  Lenox,  which  gave  occasion  to  the  thought;  the  tree 
being  crowned,  denotes  the  advancement  of  the  Lenox  family 
by  Lord  Darnley's  marriage  with  the  Queen,  and  the  inscription 
on  the  scroll :  "  DAT  GLORIA  VIRES,"  confirms  this  conjecture. 
At  the  side  of  tree  the  dates  of  the  years  of  issue :  1565,  1566, 
and  1567.  Legend:  "exvrgat.  devs.  u.  dissipentr  inimi- 
CIE  "  and  a  thistle.  {Let  God  arise,  let  his  enemies  be  scattered). 
Of  this  coinage  30,  20,  and  10  Shillings  Scotch  were  coined. 

Her  eleventh  and  last  coinage  being  stru*k  after  the  death 
of  Darnley,  his  name  is  omitted,  otherwise  no  change  was  made. 
These  30,  20,  and  10  Shillings  weighed  472i,  315,  and  157^ 
grains,  or  one  ounce,  two-thirds,  and  one-third  of  an  ounce  of 
Scotland.     Their  fineness :  917. 

James  VI.  of  Scotland  (1567-1625).  His  first  coinage  bears 
upon  the  Obverse :  Royal  shield  of  Scotland,  at  the  sides  of  the 
shield,  "  J.  R.,"  crowned.  Legend :  "  iacobus  6.  dei  gratia 
rex  scotorvm."  Reverse :  A  sword,  erect  in  pale,  crowned, 
having  on  the  dexter  side  a  finger  or  index  pointing  to  the 
value:  xxx,  xx,  x;  on  the  sinister  side,  a  little  lower,  the 
dates :  1567,  1568, 1569, 1570  and  1571.     Legend :  "  PRO.  MB. 

SI.  MEBEOR.  IN.  ME." 

His  second  coinage  being  the  Noble  and  Half-Noble,  having 
upon  the  Obverse  :  Royal  shield  of  Scotland  crowned,  with  the 
value:  3-4  and  6-8  on  the  sides,  meaning  3s.  4d.  and  6s.  8d. 
Legend  :  same  as  the  first  coinage.  Reverse :  A  cross  formed 
of  eight  letter  "I's,"  the  initial  of  the  King's  name,  ornamented 
at  the  ends  and  surmounted  sometimes  with  a  coronet;  the 
spaces  of  the  cross  are  filled  with  arched  crowns  and  thistles. 
Legend:  "SALWM  FAG  popvlvm  tvvm  domine,"  and  the 
dates:  1572,  1573,  1574,  1575  and  1576, respectively  {Save  thy 
people,  0  Lord). 


806 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


Third  coinage  bears  upon  tlie  Obverse:  Royal  shield  of  Scot- 
land crowned.  Legend  :  Same  as  before.  Reverse  :  A  leaved 
large  thistle  between  the  letters  "i.  r"  sometimes  crowned. 
Legend :  "  nemo  me  impvne  lacesset  ; "  and  the  date  of  the 
year  of  issue  [No  one  has  touched  me  with  impunity). 

His  fourth  coinage  bears  upon  the  Obverse:  The  portrait  of 
the  young  king  standing  erect.  Legend  :  Same  as  before.  Re- 
Verse  :  Royal  arms  of  Scotland  between  the  letters  "  i.  R.,"  and 
the  value  of  x.  s.,  xx.  s.,  xxx.  s.  and  xl.  s.  Legend  :  "  honor. 
IVDICIVM.  DiLiGiT.,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Their 
weight:  472^  grs.,  315  grs.,  157J  grs. and  78|  grs.  Fineness: 
917. 

The  fifth  and  last  Scotch  coinage  bears  upon  the  Obverse  the 
same  device  and  Legend  as  the  preceding  coinage,  the  Reverse 
is  only  changed  to  a  sword  and  balance.  Legend :  "  his. 
differt.  rege.  tyrannvs  "  {In  these  the  tyrant  differs  from  the 
King).  These  coins  are  known  as  the  Silver  Mark.  Weight : 
72  grains.  Fineness:  917.  They  were  current  for  6  s.  8d. 
Scotch  value. 

In  1603  James  VI.,  of  Scotland,  became  King  of  England, 
and  assumed  the  title,  James  I.  of  Great  Britain,  France  and 
Ireland. 

The  first  silver  coins  issued  by  this  King,  soon  after  his 
accession,  were  Crowns,  Shillings  and  Pennies,  and  their  re- 
spective halves. 


HALF  CROWN  OF  JAMES   I.,  1604. 

Legends :  "  iacx)bvs  d.  g.  Aug.  sco.  fran.  et.  hib.  pex.," 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  807 

and  "  EXViiGAT.  devs.  dissipentvr.  inimici."  {Let  God  arise, 
let  his  enemies  be  scattered).  Weight:  232.240  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 925.     Value:  6 7|  cents. 


HALF   CROWN   OF   JAMES    I.,  16K>. 

Legends:  "  iacobvs.  d.  g.  mag.  bri.  fra.  prr.  hib.  rex.," 
and  "  QV^  DEVS  conivnxit.  nemo,  separet  "  ( Whom  God 
has  united,  no  one  shall  separate).  Weight,  Fineness  and  Value 
same  as  before  described. 

Legends:  Same  as  upon  the  half  Crown.  Weight:  92.8.40 
grains.     Fineness:   925.     Value:  24|  cents. 


SHILLING    of   JAMF^S    I.,    1G03. 


The  Crown  of  James  I.  has  upon  the  Obverse  the  King  on 
horseback ;  and  upon  the  Reverse  the  garnished  and  qnartere<l 
shield  with  the  arms  of  France  and  England  in  the  first  and 
fourth,  Scotland  in  the  second,  and  Ireland  in  the  third  quar- 
ter, but  without  the  customary  cross,  which  had  been  constantly 
upon  all  the  English  coins  since  the  Conquest.     Weight  of  the 


808 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


Crown  464,480  grains ;  the  Shilling  92.840  grains ;  the  Groat 
30.450  grains,  and  the  respective  halves  of  afore-uamed  in  exact 
proportion.     Fineness:  925. 


.•17(9^211 


SUILIJNG   OF   JAMES   I.,  1607. 

Legends :  Same  as  u|>on  the  half  Crown.     Weight :  92^40 
grains.     Fineness :  925.     Value :  24|  cents. 
The  mint-marks  of  James  I.  are  as  follows : 


1603.  Thistle. 

1604.  Fleur-de-lis. 

1605.  Rose. 

1606.  Shell. 

1607.  Grapes. 

1608.  Coronet 

1609.  Key. 

1610.  Bell. 

1611.  Mollet. 

1612.  Tower. 


1614.  Cinquefoil. 

1615.  Book. 

1617.  Half  moon. 

1618.  Plain  Cross. 

1619.  Sultiere  Cross. 

1619.  Spur. 

1620.  Rose. 

1621.  Thistle. 

1623.  Fleur-de-lis. 

1624.  Trefoil. 


1613.  Trefoil. 

Charles  I.  (1625-1649).  The  first  silver  coins  of  this  reign 
were  of  the  same  value  and  denomination  as  those  of  James. 
The  Crowns,  Shillings  and  their  halves  have  upon  the  Obverse 
the  well-executed  bust  of  the  King,  and  upon  the  Reverse  the 
royal  arms.  Legends :  "  carolus  d.  g.  mag.  brit.  fra.  et. 
HiB.  rex.,"  also  "Christo  auspice,  regno"  (/  rdgn  under 
ike  auspices  of  Christ). 

The  Pennies  and  half  Pennies  are  like  those  of  James,  except 


GREAl  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS. 


809 


that  they  had  the  rose  on  both  sides,  with  the  Legend :  "  c.  D. 
G.  ROSA  SINE  spina"  {Carolus  Dei  Gratia  Rosa  Sine  Spina; 
meaning :  Cliarles  by  the  grace  of  God  the  Rose  withotU  a 
thorn) ;  and  upon  the  Reverse :  "  lUS.  THRONUM  firmat/ 
{lustitia  thronum Jirmat ;  meaning:  Justice  strengthens  a  throne). 
These  Pennies  and  half  Pennies  were  soon  followed  hy  others 
liaving  the  King's  bust,  and  the  numerals  "  I."  and  "  II. ; "  and 
on  the  Reverse  the  oval  shield,  with :  "  iustitia  thronum 
PIRMAT."  for  Legend.  The  oval  shield,  somewhat  ornamented, 
was  soon  after  adopted  for  the  larger  pieces  also,  with  some- 
times "c.  R."  on  either  side.  The  Shillings  and  Six  Pences 
represent  the  King  in  the  dress  of  the  day,  and  three  changes 
of  fashion  may  be  traced  in  them.  lie  is  first  seen  in  the  stiff 
ruff,  much  like  that  of  the  reign  of  Elizabeth :  then  in  a  limber 
or  falling  one;  and,  lastly,  in  a  simple  falling  collar,  edged  with 
lace.  On  some  of  the  pieces  of  his  early  coinages  he  appears  in 
his  parliamentary  robes,  but  eventually  both  these  styles  dis- 
appeared and  he  was  constantly  represented  in  armor,  but  with 
the  fallinor  lace  collar.  The  Crowns  and  half  Crowns  haye 
the  King  constantly  on  horseback  in  armor. 


OXFORD   TWENTY   SHILLINGS   OF   CHARLES    L,  1644. 


Legend  upon  the  Obverse:  "carolvs.  d:  g.  mag.  brit. 
PRA.  ET.  HiBER :  REX."     Upon  the  Reverse,  in  the  field :  "  RB- 


810 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


LIGIOSUS  PROTECTOR  LEGES  ANGI.IAE  LIBERTATIS  PARLIA- 
MENT! "  {The  religious  j/roteclor  of  the  laws  of  England  and  the 
liberty  of  the  ParliamaU),  and  the  Legend :  "  exvrgat-devs- 
DissiPENTVB-iNiMici "  {Let  God  arise,  lei  his  enemies  be  scattered). 


^/RELIGPBOTLE<^>c 


i^lANG  LEBER  PARL'O 


OXPOED  CROWN  OP  CHARLES   I.,  1644. 
Legends :  Same  as  upon  the  20  shillings  piwo. 


:'is:/REL.PROJ 
\>\  LECiANG: 


'£^si(y 


OXFORD  SHILLING   OF   CHAllLIvS  I.,  1644, 

Legends :  Snme  as  upon  the  20  shillings  piece. 


OXFORD    PENNY    OF   CHARLES    I.,   it>44 

Legends :  Same  as  upon  the  20  shillings  piece. 
This  King's  reign  was  the  first  and  only  one  \tdiich  has  pro- 
duced any  siege  pieces. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  8ll 

The  Newark  siege  pieces  have  a  crown,  with  the  initial  let- 
ters "c.  R."  on  the  sides  of  it,  and  under  it  the  respective  values, 
as  "VI.,  IX.,  XII.  and  xxx.,"  for  so  many  pence. 


30  PENCE  SIEGE  PIECE  OP  CHARLES  I.,  NEWARK,  1645-1646. 

Reverse:  "oBs"  "newark"  "  1645  &  1646,"  in  three  lines, 
occupying  the  field.  {Obsidional  or  siege  money  of  Newark.) 
They  are  all  in  the  form  of  a  lozenge.  The  Carlisle  siege 
money  has  upon  the  Obverse  a  crown,  with  the  initials  "c.  k." 
beneath ;  and  under  them  the  value:  "iii."  and  xii."  Reverse: 
"OBS.  CARL.,  1645"  {Obsidional  Carolus).  They  are  round  in 
form.  The  Pontefract  pieces  are  of  octangular  shape,  and  were 
coined  in  1648,  with  the  castle  of  Pontefract  flag  flying  occupy- 
ing the  field. 


SHILLING  SIEGE   PIECE  OP  CHARLI5S   I.,  1648. 

This  place,  Pontefract,  was  still  defended  by  Colonel  John 
Morris,  seven  weeks  after  the  execution  of  the  King,  Charles 
I.,  and'after  that  mournful  event  this  staunch  royalist  struck 


812  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

the  coins  he  issued  in  the  name  of  Charles  II.  The  shillings 
80  struck  were  of  the  same  shape  and  device,  with  "carlos 
8ECUNDUS,  1648,"  round  the  figure  of  the  castle,  and  the  Re- 
verse had  for  Legend:  "post  mortem  patris  pro  filio" 
{After  the  death  of  the  father,  the  8on). 

The  Scarborough  siege  pieces  are  of  thin  plates  of  silver,  with 
the  value  punched  on  them,  of  ii  s.  VI  d.  and  v  s.,  the  former  has 
upon  the  back  of  it  "OBS.  Scarborough,  1645,"  engraved  on 
it;  some  are  of  the  lozenge  shape,  and  others  octangular,  both 
kinds  are  very  scarce  and  rare. 

The  Colchester  siege  pieces  are  likewise  stamped  with  a  castle, 
and  have  engraved  around  it  as  Legend :  "caroli  fortuna  re- 
surgam  "  {I  will  restore  the  fortune  of  Charles).  They  are  also 
of  the  round  and  octangular  shape,  and  extremely  rare. 

None  of  the  coins  of  Charles  I.,  coined  in  the  Tower,  were 
dated,  but  the  following  mint-marks  aflPord  sure  indications  of 
the  dates  of  the  years  of  issue.  1625,  from  April  1st  to  July 
7th,  1625,  a  trefoil;  from  July  to  the  end  of  1625,  a  fleur-de-lis; 
from  the  beginning  of  1626  to  June  29th,  1626,  a  Negro  head; 
after  that  date  and  up  to  the  end  of  1626,  a  long  cross. 

1627,  castle.  1628,  anchor.  1629,  heart.  1630,  feathers. 
1631,  rose.  1632,  harp.  1633,  portcullis.  1634,  bell.  1635, 
crown.  1635-1636,  ton.  1638,  acorn.  1639,  triangle.  1640, 
star.  1641,  triangle  in  a  circle.  1643,  p.  1644,  r.  1645, 
eye;  and  from  November  10  to  the  end  of  1645,  sun.  1646,  to 
the  King's  death,  a  sceptre. 

The  commonwealth,  1649  to  1660.  This  money  was  coined  in 
pursuance  of  an  ordinance  of  Parliament,  July  17th,  1649,  and 
continued  to  be  coined  until  the  restoration;  but  there  were  none 
wined  in  1657  and  1659;  and  only  a  few  in  1658  and  1660. 

The  Obverse  has  the  cross  of  St.  George  in  an  antique  shield, 
encircled  with  a  branch  of  laurel,  and  the  four  largest  pieces 
have  inscribed  round  them:  "the  commonwealth  op  eng- 
i*and,"  but  the  other  three  pieces  have  no  inscription  at  all. 

The  Reverse  has  the  two  shields  of  England  and  Ireland  con- 
joined, which  has  given  occasion  to  the  name  of  breeches  money, 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  813 

by  which  it  is  often  distinguished.  Legend:  "god  with  us," 
and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  They  have  also  in  the  field 
above  the  shield,  their  respective  value  stamped,  viz.;  i.,  ii., 
VI.,  XII.,  II.,  VI.,  and  V.  The  sun  is  the  mint-mark  used  until 
1656  inclusive,  and  afterwards  on  thase  of  1658  and  1660,  the 
anchor. 

All  the  pieces  coined  by  the  Protector  have  the  profile  bust 
of  Cromwell  laureated,  being  the  first  of  the  English  coins  with 
the  head  thus  adorned.  Legend :  "olivar  d.  g.  r.  p.  ang. 
SCO.  HiB.  &o.  PRO."  {Protector  of  the  Republic  of  England,  Scoir- 
land  and  Ireland,  but  substituting  etc.  for  France).  With  the 
date  at  top,  which  is  generally  1658,  but  there  are  a  few  Half 
Crowns  and  Shillings  1656. 

The  Reverse  has  a  crowned  shield,  with  St.  George's  cross  in 
the  first  and  fourth  quarter  for  England ;  St.  Andrew's  cross  in 
the  second  for  Scotland,  and  the  harp  for  Ireland  in  the  thirdj 
and  on  the  shield  of  pretence  with  his  own  coat-of-arms.  Le- 
gend :  "pax  QViBRiTVR  BELLO."  {Peace  is  sought  by  war). 


CROWN  OP  CHARLES  II.,  1662. 

Charles  IL,  (1660-1684.)  On  his  ascension  in  the  year  1660, 
there  were  issued  silver  coins,  from  Half  Crowns  downwards, 
with  the  exception  of  Groats  and  Quarter  Shillings,  which  were 
soon  after  added.  They  are  much  like  the  earliest  coins  of  his 
ittther,  with  the  old  shield  traversed  by  the  cross-fleurie,  and  the 
same  mottoes;  the  improvements  of  the  mill  and  screw  being 


814 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


also  abandoned,  and  the  coins  again  produced  by  the  old  pro- 
cess of  the  hammer. 

In  1662  the  first  Crowns  were  coined,  they  bear  upon  the  Ob- 
verse the  head  of  Charles  II.,  a  rose  beneath  the  same,  another 
sort  has  an  elephant. 

Reverse :  Four  crowned  shields,  formed  into  a  cross,  whose 
centre  exhibits  the  radiated  cross  of  St.  George,  or  the  garter 
star,  and  the  spaces  between  the  shields  filled  with  two  inter- 
linked "  c's."  Legend  :  "  mag.  br.  fra.  et.  hib.  rex.,"  with 
the  date  of  the  year  divided  at  the  top  from  1662  to  1684 
Around  the  rim  they  are  inscribed  with  "decus  et  tutamen" 
{Ornamental  and  useful).  Weight:  464.480  grains.  Fineness: 
925.     Intrinsic  value:  $1.16. 

The  Half  Crown  of  Charles  II.  bears  upon  the  Obverse' 
Laureated  head  of  Charles  II.  Legend:  " carol vs  ii.  del 
gratla." 


HALF  CROWN  OP  CHARLES   II.,  1677. 

Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  the  Crown.     Weight:  232.240 
grains.     Fineness :  925.    Value :  58  cents. 


FOUR  PENCE,  THREE  PEJ^CE  AND  TWO  PENCE  OP  CHARLES  IL 

Their  respective  value:  7,  5  and  4  cents  each. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  FOSSEISSIONS.  815 

Of  the  smaller  coins  we  give  an  illustration  of  Two,  Three 
and  Four  Pence. 

During  the  reign  of  Charles  II.,  the  coins  struck  for  Scotland 
are  the  Four  IMarks,  the  Two  Marks,  Mark  and  Half  Mark 
pieces,  the  Crown,  and  parts  thereof,  were  laid  aside  for  Scot- 
land. The  Mark  pieces  have  upon  the  Obverse  the  bust  of 
Charles  II.,  in  Roman  drapery,  laureated,  long  hair,  and  facing 
to  the  right.  Upon  the  Reverse:  The  arms  in  four  separate 
shields,  the  value  of  each  piece  in  the  centre,  viz.:  '^']'-,  mean- 
ing, 53  shillings,  4  pence;  ^Y^-,  26  shillings,  8  pence;  ^V'',  13 
shillings,  4  j)ence;  and  7',  6  shillings,  8  pence;  in  the  interstices 
double  "c"  interlaced  and  crowned.  Legend:  "mag.  brit. 
FRA.  &  HiB.  REX.,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  from  1664 
to  1675. 

In  1675  they  were  succeeded  by  the  Dollar,  its  Half,  Quarter 
and  Eighth;  they  have  upon  the  Obverse:  Laureated  head  of 
Charles  II.,  facing  to  the  left.  Legend:  "carolvs  ir.  dei 
GRA."  Reverse:  Arms  in  four  shields,  crowned,  with  a  leaved 
thistle  in  the  interstices,  and  the  two  letters  "c"  interlace<l,  in 
the  centre.  Legend:  "sco.  ang.  fr.  &  hib.  rex.,"  and  the 
date  of  the  year  of  issue,  from  1675  to  1681.  The  Eighth  of  a 
Dollar  has  a  saltiere  cross,  with  a  crown  in  the  centre,  between 
a  thistle,  rose,  fleur-de-lis  and  a  harp.  They  were  current  for 
28  shillings,  14  shillings,  7  shillings  and  3  shillings  6  pence, 
Scotch  value. 

In  Ireland  no  silver  money  was  issued  in  this  reign,  unleas 
it  be  the  Crowns  and  half  Crowns,  irregularly  formed  pieces, 
Avhich  rather  come  under  the  head  of  money  of  necessity  than 
regular  coinage — like  the  "gun  money  "  of  James  II. 

James  II.,  (1 684-1 688.)  The  head  of  the  King  on  the  money 
of  this  reign  is  turned  to  the  left:  the  Reverse  of  that  of  his 
predecessor.  The  coins  were  in  other  res|)ects  similar  to  the 
last  of  Charles  II,,  having  the  bust  and  name  on  the  Obverse, 
and  the  arms  and  titles  on  the  Reverse,  with  no  other  motto. 
The  arms  are  arranged  on  four  shields  as  a  cross;  but  without  the 
interlaced  letters  in  the  angles.     The  Shillings  and  Six  pences 


816  DYETS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

are  milled  with  oblique  lines,  and  the  lesser  pieces  or  Maundy 
raoney  are  marked  "  uil.,"  "  III.,"  "  ii.,"  and  "  i.,"  with  a  crown 
above. 

James  II.  again  altered  the  value  of  the  principal  Scottl«'h 
coins :  issuing  a  10  Shilling  piece,  Scotch,  about  the  size  of  the 
English  Shilling  of  Charles  I.,  and  a  40  Shilling  piece  about 
the  size  of  the  English  crown,  both  of  the  same  type  as  the 
English  coin. 

The  most  remarkable  events  of  the  Irish  coinage  of  this 
reign  are  those  connected  with  the  "  Gun  Money."  After  the 
revolution  of  1688  a  proclamation  was  issued  by  James  II., 
in  Ireland,  for  making  shillings  and  sixpences  of  mixed  metal. 
They  were  made  of  old  pieces  of  ordnance,  etc.,  and  are  known 
as  the  "Gun  Money."  They  are  similar  on  the  Obverse:  the 
laureated  head  of  James  II.,  and  on  the  Reverse :  two  sceptres 
in  saltiere  through  a  crown,  between  "  i.  R."  in  decorative  italic 
cypher,  with  the  date,  1689,  and  the  values,  "  xii."  and  "vl" 
Half  Crowns  were  soon  after  issued  of  the  same  type  as  the 
shillings,  but  with  the  numerals  "xxx."  over  the  crown:  all 
this  money  having  the  month  in  which  it  was  struck  under  the 
crown.  In  March,  1690,  Pennies  and  Halfpence  of  tcAffe  metal 
were  struck,  with  the  King's  bust  on  the  Obverse,  and  a 
crowned  harp  on  the  Reverse :  some  have  the  King  on  horse- 
back on  the  Obverse.  In  April,  1690,  Crowns  of  white  metal 
were  struck.  They  have  the  King  on  horseback  on  the  Ob- 
verse, and  on  the  Reverse  the  four  shields,  like  the  English 
coin.  In  June,  1690,  the  hali*  Crowns  were  called  in  and  re- 
stamped  to  pass  as  Crowns.  A  large  Crown  was  subsequently 
struck  in  white  metal,  with  two  plugs  of  brass  in  the  King's 
horse  on  the  Obverse,  and  a  large  crown  of  brass  in  the  centre 
of  the  Reverse. 

In  the  reign  of  James  II.  a  tin  piece  was  issued  for  the  Amer- 
ican plantations,  where  the  Spanish  dollar  chiefly  circulated, 
with  its  parts.  Reals  and  half  Reals.  This  coin  was  intended 
to  pass  as  twenty-four  to  tlie  Real,  and  is  stamped  on  the  Re- 
verse :  "  VAL.  24  PART  BEAL  HISPAN.."  round  four  shields,  dis- 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS. 


817 


posed  as  a  cross,  bearing  the  arms  of  England,  Scotland,  Ire- 
land, and  France;  on  the  Obverse  is  the  King  on  horseback, 
with  his  name  and  titles  as  Legend. 

William  III.  and  Mary  II.  (1688-1702.)  The  same  style 
of  coinage  in  its  general  appearance,  fineneas,  and  weight  was 
continued  at  the  commencement  of  these  reij;ns. 


HALF   CEOWN  OF   WILLIAM   AND   MAKY,  1(J89. 

The  half  Crown  has  upon  the  Obverse  the  profiles  of  the 
King,  laureated,  and  the  Queen,  with  plain  hair.  The  Reverse 
has  the  arms  of  England,  Scotland,  Ireland,  and  France,  quar- 
tered, with  a  shield  of  pretence  bearing  arms  of  Nassau. 
Weight:  232.240  grains.     Fineness:  925.     Value:  58  cents. 

At  the  death  of  Queen  Mary,  1695,  and  after,  the  Obverse 
bore  only  the  profile  of  the  King,  laureated. 


CROWN  OF  WILLIAM   III.,    1696. 


The  Reverse  was  also  changed  to  the  four  crowned  arms  in 
2Z 


918 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


the  shape  of  the  cross,  the  shield  of  Nassau  in  the  centre. 
Weight:  464.480  grains.     Fineness:  925.     Value:  $1.16. 


HALF  CROWN   OF   WILLIAM    III.,  1697. 


The  half  Crown  bears  the  same  devices  and  Legends. 
Weight :  232.240  grains.     Fineness:  925.     Value  :  58  cents. 

Most  of  the  coins  of  William  and  Mary  have  four  shields, 
arranged  in  a  cross,  on  the  Reverse,  with  arms  of  Nassau  in 
the  centre,  and  "  w  and  M  "  interlaced  in  the  angles ;  but  some 
have  a  simple  crowned  shield,  with  the  arras  of  Nassau  on  an 
escutcheon  of  pretence.  The  Maundy  money  has  the  profiles 
of  the  King  and  Queen,  with  short  hair,  without  drapery,  and 
with  numerals  on  the  Reverses.     Some  of  the  cpins  have  the 


FORTY  SHILLINGS,   SCOTCH,   OF   WII>LIAM   AND  MARY. 

marks,  such  as  the  rose,  showing  that  the  silver  came  from  the 
West  of  England;  the  plumes  for  Welsh  silver;  and  the  ele- 
phant and  castle,  indicating  the  metal  from  the  African  Com- 
pany. These  marks  were  generally  placed  in  the  angles  between 
Uie  shields. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS,  819 

In  Scotland,  in  the  reign  of  William  and  Mary,  60  Shilling, 
40  Shilling,  20  Shilling,  10  Shilling,  and  5  Shilling  pieces  were 
coined. 

Intrinsic  value  of  the  40  Shillings  about  81  eente. 

No  silver  coins  for  Ireland  were  issued  during  these  reigns. 


CROWX   OP  QUEEN   ANNE. 

Qneen  Anne  (1702-1714).  The  silver  coins  of  this  reign 
are  of  the  same  fineness,  weight,  and  denomination  as  those  of 
the  last.  The  devices  are  also  the  same  with  trifling  variations ; 
the  bust  of  the  Queen,  draped,  on  the  Obverse,  is  turned  to  the 
left;  the  hair  is  simply  bound  by  a  fillet,  the  Legend  :  ''anx.v 

DEI  GRATIA." 


HALF   CROWN   OP  QUEEN   ANNE. 

The  Reverse  has  the  shields  arranged  as  a  cross,  with  the 
Star  of  the  Garter  in  the  centre,  instead  of  the  arms  of  Nassau 
of  the  last  reign,  and  the  dates  and  titles.  Weight  of  the 
Crown:  464.480  grains.     Fineness:  925.     Value:  ?1.16' 


820  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

This  half  Crown  was  coined  for  Scotland  with  the  letter  "e  " 
beneath  the  bust,  which  stands  for  Edinburgh.  Weight :  232- 
.240  grains.     Fineness:  925.     Value:  58  cents. 

The  slight  variations  alluded  to  are  the  marks  denoting  the 
sources  from  which  the  silver  was  derived,  some  having  the 
plumes  for  the  silver  from  the  Welsh  mines,  and  some  the  rose 
for  West  of  England  silver;  also  some  with  both  marks,  de- 
noting that  the  silver  was  mixed. 


SHILLING    OF   QUEEX  ANNE. 

Some  of  the  coins  as  the  above  have  the  word  "  viGO  "  under 
the  Queen's  bust,  in  commemoration  of  the  capture  of  Vigo,  and 
the  Spanish  galleons,  from  the  treasure  of  which  the  silver  of 
those  coins  was  derived. 

Queen  Anne's  fastidious  modesty  in  insisting  upon  the  drapery 
about  the  bust,  caused  her  gold  coins  so  closely  to  resemble  the 
silver,  that  Shillings  and  Six  Fences  were  gilt,  and  passed  for 
Guineas  and  half-Guineas;  the  only  difference  being  that 
Guineas  had  a  lock  of  hair  proceeding  from  the  na|)e  of  the 
neck,  and  lying  over  the  right  shoulder  ou  the  right  breast. 
Another  mark  by  which  these  false  guineas  might  be  detected 
was,  of  course,  the  sceptre  on  the  Reverse. 

After  this  reign  the  English  coins  circulated  in  Scotland  as 
in  England,  and  no  difference  even  of  type  was  made  in  coins 
intended  for  Scotland. 

George  I.  (1714-1727.)  The  silver  coinage  of  this  reign  re- 
mained the  same  in  weight  and  value  as  in  the  preceding ;  but 
the  bust  of  the  King  was  executed  in  the  conventional  style  of 
the  time,  with  the  Roman  mantle  and  armor,  and  is  turned  to 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  821 

the  left.  The  Legend  on  the  Obverse  contains  the  titles  as  well 
as  the  name,  with,  for  the  first  time,  as  a  permanent  addition  : 
"fidei  defensor"  {Defender  of  the  i^ai/A),  abbreviated  like 
the  rest;  as :  "  GEOBGius  D.  G.  M.  BR.  fb.  et.  hib.  rex.  f.  d." 
On  the  Reverse  his  German  titles  appear,  as  "  bruxsvicensis 

ET    LUNEXBERGENSIS    DUX,   SACRA    BOMAXI    IMPERII    ARCIII 

THESAURius  ET  ELECTOR,"  abbreviated,  as:  "brun.  et.  l. 
DUX,  s.  B.  I.  A.  TH.  ET.  EL."  His  own  arms  are  not  placed  in 
the  centre  like  those  of  William  III.,  but  occupy  the  fourth 
shield. 

The  Maundy  money  has  the  bust,  with  "georgius  dei  gra.," 
and  on  the  Reverse  a  crowned  numeral,  with  the  King's  English 
titles  only. 


HALF  crown   of   GEORGE  II. 


George  11.  (1729-1760).  No  change  took  place  in  the 
weight,  value,  etc.,  of  the  silver  coinage  in  this  reign. 

1.  Half  Crown  of  George  II.  Obverse :  Laureated  bust  of 
George  II.     Legend:  "georgivs.  ii.  del  gratia." 

Reverse :  Four  crowned  shields  forming  a  cross,  in  the  centiv 
the  order  Star  of  the  Garter,  in  the  intei-stices  the  plumes  and 
roses.  Legend :  "m.  b.  f.  et.  h.  rex.  f.  d.  b.  et.  l.  d.  s.  u. 
la.  t.  et.  e.,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue  {Magnl 
Britanniae,  Franciae  et  Hibemiae  Rex,  Fides  Defensor,  Brunxvi- 
eensis  et  Lunenbergensis  Dux,  Saera  Bomani  Imperii  Arehi 
Thesaiirius  et  Elector;  meaning:  Great  Britain,  France  and 
Ireland  King,  Bi-unsmck  and  Lunenbcrg  Duke,  of  the  Sacred 


m 


DYE'S  COIN  ENOYCLOFJEDIA. 


Roman  JSmpire,  Arch-treasurer  and  Elector).     Intrinsic  Value : 
58  cents. 

2.  Shilling  and  Sixpence  of  George   II.     Obverse:   Same 
as  No.  1. 


REVERSE  OF  SHILLING   OF  GEORGE  II. 

Legend  :  Same  as  No.  1.     Intrinsic  Value:  24  and  12  cents 
respectively. 


FOUR,  THREE,  TWO  AND  ONE  PENNY  OF  GEORGE   II. 

3.  Four,  Three,  Two  and  One  Penny  of  George  II.     Ob- 


8IX  SHILLING  PIECE  OF  THE   BANK  OF  IRELAND,  1804. 

verse:  Bust  of  George  II.      Legend:    ^'georgivs.   ii.   del 

GRATIA." 

Reverse:  Crowned  figures  "4.  3.  2.  1."  Legend:  "mag. 
BRIT.  FRA.  HiB.  REX.,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Value  :  7^,  5f,  3|,  If  cents. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS  823 

George  III.  (1760-1820).  In  this  reign  a  new  coinage  for 
Ireland  took  place,  it  consisted  chiefly  of  6s.,  Ss.  and  lOd.  aad 
5d.  silver  pieces.  , 

4.  Six  Shilling  Piece  of  the  Bank  of  Ireland.  Obverse : 
Laureated  bust  of  George  III.     Legend :  "  georgius  hi  dei 

GRATIA  REX." 

Reverse :  Female  seated,  in  her  right  hand  a  palm,  her  left 
resting  on  the  Irish  harp;  beneath  1804.  Legend:  "bank 
OF  IRELAND."  Exerguc :  "six  shillings."  Weight:  452- 
.598  grains.     Fineness :  890.     Value:  ^1.13.5516. 

5.  Three  Shilling  Piece  of  the  Bank  of  Ireland.  Obverse 
and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  4. 


THREE  SHILLING   PIECE   OF   THE   BANK   OF   IRELAND. 

Reverse:  "three  shillings  token;"  surmounted  by  a 
laurel  wreath.  Weight:  226.299  grains.  Fineness:  895. 
Value:  $0.56.7758. 

6.  Ten  Pence  Irish.     Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  4. 


TEN   pence   IRISH. 

Reverse:  "bank  token  10  pence  irish,"  and  tlie  date  of 


824  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

the   year   of  issue;    surrounded   by   a  wreath   of  shamrocks. 
Weight:  61.730  grains.     Fineness:  895.     Value:  15  cents. 
7.  Five  Pence  Irish.     Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  4. 


BANK 

TOKEN    '■'■ 

PIVE  . 

PEVCE       I 


FIVE   PKNCE   IRISH. 

Reverse:  "bank  token  five  pence  irish;"  and  the  date 
of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  30.865  grains.  Fineness :  895. 
Value :  7|  cents. 

8.  Five  Shilling  Piece  of  the  Bank  of  England.  Obverse 
and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  4. 


fOfj: 


t  Aw*. 


i  8  04 


PIVE  SHILLINGS  BANK  OF  ENGLAND. 

Heverse :  Britannia  seated  ;  surrounded  by  a  grained  double 
circle  upon  which  is  inscribed  "five  shillings,"  "dollar," 
surmounted  by  a  crown.  Legend :  "  bank  of  England." 
Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  This  coin  was  issued  in 
the  time  of  war  by  the  Bank  of  England ;  they  are  now  entirely 
out  of  circulation. 

9.  Three  Shilling  Piece  of  the  Bank  of  England.  Obverse 
and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  4. 

Reverse :  "  bank  token  3  skill  ; "  and  the  date  of  the  year 
of  issue;  surrounded  by  a  laurel  wreath.  Weight:  226.299 
grains.     Fineness:  895.     Value:  $0.56.7758. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  825 

10.  One  Shilling  and  Six  Pence  of  the  Bank  of  England 
Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  4. 


ONE   SHILLING    AND   SIX    PENCE   OF   THE   BANK  OF  ENGLAND. 

Reverse:  "bank  token  Is.  6d.,"  and  the  date  of  the  year 
of  issue.  Weight:  116.249  grains.  Fineness:  895.  Value: 
$0.27. 

11.  Crown  of  George  III.  Obverse:  Laureated  head  of 
George  III.  Legend:  "georgius  hi.  d.  g.  britanniarum 
BEX.  F.  D."     Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 


CROWN   OF    GEORGE    III. 


Reverse:  St.  George  and  the  dragon.  Legend  :  "honi  soit 
QUI  mal  Y  pense."  {Shame  on  him  who  evil  thinks.)  Weight : 
436.3636  grains.     Fineness  :  925.     Value:  $1.21.668. 

12.  Half  Crown  of  George  III.  Obverse:  Laureated  head 
of  George  III.  Legend:  "georgius  iii  dei  gratia."  Ex- 
ergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

Reverse:  Crowned  and  quartered  shield,  bearing  arms  of 
England,  Scotland  and  Ireland,  with  a  crowned  shield  of  pre. 


826 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 


tence  of  Hauover,  surrounded  by  the  garter,  upou  which  is  in- 
scribed "HOXt  SOIT  QUI  MAL  Y  PENSE,"  the  whole  eiu'iivlod  by 


HALF  CROWN   OF   GEORGE  III. 


tlie  chain  and  order  of  the  garter.  Legend  :  "  britanniarum 
REX  FID.  DEF."  Weight:  218.1818  grains.  Fineness:  925. 
Value:  $0.60.83125. 


SUILLING   OF   GEORGE   III. 


13.  Shilling  of  George  III.  Obverse,  Reverse  and  Legends: 
Same  as  No.  12.  Weight:  87.2727  grains.  Fineness:  925. 
Value:  $0.24.3325. 

13|.  Six  Pence  of  George  III.  Obverse,  Reverse  and  Legends : 


SIX  PENCE  OP  GEORGE  HI. 


Same  as  No.  12.     Weight:   43.6363  grains.     Fineness:   925. 
Value:  §0.12.16625. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  827 

14.  Six  Fences  of  George  III. 

Weight,  Fineness  and  Value:  Sanae  as  No.  13. 

15.  Four  Pence  of  George  III.  Obverse,  Reverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  12. 

Weight:  29.0909  grains.  Fineness:  925.  Value:  $0  08- 
.1108. 

George  IV.,  (1820-1830.)  During  this  reign  the  silver 
coinage  continued  of  the  same  value  and  denSminations  as  the 
coinage  of  the  previous  reign. 

16.  Crown  of  George  IV.  Obverse:  Laureated  bead  of 
George  IV.  Legend:  "geoegius  iiii  d.  q.  britanniar: 
REX  F :  D :" 


CROWN   OF   GEORGE   IV. 

Reverse :  St.  George  and  the  dragon.  No  Legend.  Exergue : 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  436.3636  grains.  Fine- 
ness :  925.     Value:  $1.21.6625. 

17.  Half  CroNvn  of  George  IV.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same 
as  No.  16.  Reverse:  Crowned  and  quartered  shield,  bearing 
arms  of  England,  Scotland  and  Ireland,  with  a  shield  of  pre- 
tence crowned,  bearing  arms  of  Hanover.  At  the  left  of  shield 
a  thistle;  at  the  right,  three  shamrocks,  l^eneath  the  shield  a  rose. 
Exergue:  "anno  1820."  Weight:  218.1818  grains.  Fineness: 
925.     Value:  $0.60.83125. 

18.  Half  Crown  of  George  IV.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same 
as  No.  17. 

Reverse :  Shield,  encircled  by  the  garter,  and  the  order,  chain 


828  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

and  badge  of  the  Order  of  the  Garter,  the  whole  surmounted  by 
a  crown ;  arms  of  Hanover  on  a  shield  of  pretence.  Exergue : 
"ANNO,  1823."  Weight:  218.1818  grains.  Fineness:  925. 
Value:  $0.60.83125. 

19.  Half  Crown  of  George  IV.  Obverse:  Head  of  George 
IV.  Legend:  "georgivs  rv  i>ei  gratia."  Exergue:  Date 
of  the  year  of  issue. 


HALF  CROWN   OF  GEORGE   FV. 

Reverse:  Shield,  surmounted  by  a  crowned  helmet;  arms  of 
Hanover  on  a  shield  of  pretence,  beneath,  a  scroll,  with  the 
motto:  "dieu  et  mon  droit."  {God  and  my  rigJits.)  Legend  : 
" BRiTANNiARUM  REX  FID:  DBF."  Weight:  218.1818  grains. 
Fineness:  925.     Value:  $0.60.83125. 


HALF   CROWN   OF   GEORGE   IV. 

20.  Shilling  of  George  IV.  Obverse:  Laureated  head  of 
George  IV.  Legend :  "  georgius  iin.  d.  g.  britanniar 
REX.  F.  d."  Reverse:  Crowned  and  quartered  shield,  bearing 
arms  of  England,  Scotland  and  Ireland,  with  a  crowned  shield 
of  pretence  bearing  arms  of  Hanover,  the  whole  encircled  by  the 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  829 

garter,  upon  which  is  inscribed  "honi  soit  qui  mal  y  pense  " 
Exergue:  "axno,  1824."  Weigiit:  87.2727  grains.  Fin^ 
ness:  925.     Value:  $0.24.3325. 

21.  Shilling  of  George  IV.  Obverse :  Head  of  George  IV. 
Legend:  "georgivs  in.  dei  gratia."  Exergue:  Date  of  the 
year  of  issue. 


SHILLING  OF  GEORGE  IV.,  OF   1826. 

Reverse :  A  crown,  surmounted  by  a  crowned  lion,  beneath 
the  crown  a  sprig  of  rose,  thistle  and  shamrock  united.  Le- 
gend:  "britanniarum  rex.  fidei  defensor."  "Weight: 
87.2727  grains.     Fineness:  925.     Value:  $0.24.3325. 

22.  Shilling  of  George  IV.  Obverse:  Head  of  George  IV. 
Legend  :  "georgius  iv  dei  gratia." 


shilling    of    GEORGE    iV. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  with  the  arms  of  England,  Scotland 
and  Ireland,  and  a  crowned  shield  of  pretence,  with  arms  of 
Hanover;  a  rose  beneath,  a  thistle  on  one  side,  and  shamrocks 
at  the  other.  Exergue:  "anno,  1821.^  Weight:  87.2727 
grains.     Fineness:  925.     Value:  $0.24.3325. 

23.  Six  Pence  of  George  IV.  Obverse:  Laureated  head  of 
George  IV.  Legend :  "qeorgius  iiii.  d:  g:  brit.  rex.  f.  d." 
Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  encircled  by  the  garter,  upon  which 


830  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

the  motto :  "  HONi  soiT  qui  mal  y  pense."  No  Legend.  Ex- 
ergue :  "aiwo,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  "Weight : 
43.6363  grains.     Fineness:  925.     Value:  $0.12.1662. 

24.  Six  Penee  of  Greorge  IV.     Head  of  Greorge  IV.     Le- 
gend :   "  GEORGItJS  rV  DEI  GRATIA." 


SIX   PENCE   OF   GEORGE  IV. 

Reverse:  Same  as  Shilling,  No.  21.  Weight:  43.6363  grains. 
Fineness:  925.     Value:  $0.12.1662. 

25.  Fotir  Pence  of  George  IV.  Obverse:  Head  of  George 
IV.     Legend :  "  georgius  i v  d  :  g  :  brit  :  rex.  f,  d  : " 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  encircled  by  the  garter,  npon  which 
the  motto  "honi  soit  qui  mal  y  pense."  Exergue:  "anno," 
and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  29.0909  grains. 
Fineness:  925.     Value:  $0.08.1 108. 


POUR  PENCE  OF  GEORGE   FV. 

26.  Four  Pence  Maundy-Money  of  George  IV.  Obverse: 
Laureated  head  of  George  IV.  Legend:  "georgius  iili.  D. 
o.  BRITANNIAR  rex.  F  :  D  : "  Reverse:  A  crowned  "4,"  and 
the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  inclosed  l>etween  branches  of  oak, 
crossed.  Weight:  29.0909  grains.  Fineness:  925.  Value: 
$0.08.1108. 

27.  Three  Pence  Maundy-Money  of  George  IV.  Obverse 
and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  26.  Reverse:  A  crowned  "3,"  and 
the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  inclosed  between  branches  of  oak, 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  831 

crossed.     Weight:    21.8181   grains.     Fineness:    925.     Value: 
30.06.0831. 

28.  Two  Pence  Maundy-Money  of  George  IV.  Obverse  and 
Legend:  Same  as  No.  26.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  26,  with  the 
exception  of  the  numeral  "2."  Weight:  14.5454  grains. 
Fineness:  9?5.     Value:  ^0.04.0554. 


THREE  PENCE  OF  GEORGE  11. 

William  IV.  (1830-1837.)  Duke  of  Clarence,  ascended  the 
throne  on  the  death  of  his  brother,  and  arrangements  were  made 
for  a  new  coinage  exactly  on  the  same  principles  as  those  of  the 
last  coins  of  the  preceding  reign.  Pattern  Crowns,  issued  only 
in  small  number  for  the  cabinets  of  collectors,  had  the  arms  on 
the  Reverse,  in  a  plain  shield,  displayed  on  a  mantle  of  ermine. 

29.  Half  Crown  of  William  IV.  Obverse:  Undra|)ed  bust. 
Legend:  "gulielmus  iiii.  d.  g.  britanniar.  rex.  F:  d:" 


HALF  CBOWN  OP  WILLIAM   IV. 

Reverse:  Shield,  with  the  arms  of  Hanover  on  a  shield  of 
pretence,  and  the  order,  chain  and  badge  of  the  Order  of  the 
Garter,  displayed  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  suspended  from  a 
crown.  No  Legend.  Exergue  :  "anno,"  and  the  date  of  the 
year  of  issue.  Weight:  218.1818  grains.  Fineness:  925. 
Value:  $0.60.83125. 


832  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

30.  Shilling  of  William  IV.  Obverse :  Head  of  William 
IV.,  facing  to  the  right.  Legend  :  "  gulielmus  iiii.  d  :  g  : 
britanniab:  rex.  f:  d:"  Reverse:  "one  shilling,"  be- 
neath a  crown,  inclosed  between  branches  of  oak  and  laurel, 
crossed ;  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  87.2727 
grains.     Fineness:  925.     Value:  $0.24.3326. 

31.  Six  pence  of  William  IV.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same 
as  No.  30.  Reverse:  "sixpence,"  rest  same  as  No.  30. 
Weight:  43.6363  grains.    Fineness  :  925.     Value  :  $0.12.1662. 

32.  Four  pence,  Maundy-Money,  of  William  IV.  Obverse 
and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  30.  Reverse :  A  crowned  "  4  "  and 
the  date  of  the  year  of  issue  inclosed  between  branches  of  oak, 
crossed.  Weight :  29.0909  grains.  Fineness :  925.  Value : 
$0.08.1108. 

33.  Three  pence,  Maundy-Money,  of  William  IV.  Obverse 
and  Legend :  Sam^  as  No.  30.  Reverse :  "  3.,"  rest  same  as 
No.  30.  Weight:  21.8181  grains.  Fineness:  925.  Value: 
$0.06.0831. 

34.  Two  pence,  Maundy-Money,  of  William  IV.  Obverse 
and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  30.  Reverse :  "  2.,"  rest  same  as 
No.  30.  Weight:  14.5454  grains.  Fineness:  925.  Value: 
$0.04.0554. 


CROWN   OF   QUEEN   VICTORIA. 

The  death  of  King  William  IV.,  in  1837,  brought  the  Prin- 
cess Victoria,  daughter  of  his  brother,  the  Duke  of  Kent,  to 
the  throne. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  833 

35.  Crown  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse:  Head  of  Queen 
Victoria,  hair  plain,  and  tied  back  of  her  head  in  a  fillet.  Le- 
gend: "victoria  DEI  gratia."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year 
of  issue. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  the  arras,  quartered,  be- 
tween two  branches  of  laurel,  crossed.  Legend:  "britan- 
NiARUM  regina  FID.  DEF."  On  the  edge :  "  decus  et  tuta- 
MEN  ANNO  regni,"  and  the  year  of  the  reign  in  Latin.  Weight : 
436.3636  grains.     Fineness:  925.     Value:  $L21. 6625. 

36.  Crown  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse :  Crowned  bust  of 
Queen  Victoria.     Legend:  "victoria  DEI  gratia  britan- 


CROWN  of   QUEEN  VICTORIA. 

Reverse :  Four  crowned  shields  arranged  as  a  cross,  with  the 
star  of  the  Garter  in  the  centre,  and  the  rose,  thistle,  and  sham- 
rock in  the  angles.  Legend  :  "tueatur  unita  deus"  {God 
upholds  the  United).  Exergue:  "anno  dom,"  and  the  date  of 
the  year  of  issue  in  Roman  figures.  Upon  the  edge  :  "  decus 
et  tutamen  anno  "  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  tlie  reign  in 
Latin.  Weight:  436.3636  grains.  Fineness:  »25.  Value: 
$L2L6625. 

37.  Half  Crown  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse:  Head  ot 
Queen  Victoria.  Legend:  "victoria  dei  gratia."  Ex^ 
ergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  inclosed  between  two  laurel 
branches,  crossed:  the  rose,  thistle,  and  shamrock  beneath. 
3A 


834 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


Legend  :   "  britanniarum   regina   fid  :   def  : "      "Weight : 
218.1818  grains.     Fineness :  925.     Value:  $0.60.83125. 


half  crown  of  queen  victoria. 

38.  Florin  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1849-1851.  This  piece, 
when  first  issued  in  1849,  was  considered  as  the  first  step  to- 
wards a  decimal  system  of  money.  Obverse :  Crowned  bust  of 
Queen  Victoria.  Legend :  "  Victoria  regina  "  and  the  date 
of  the  year  of  issue. 


florin  of  queen  VICTORIA,  1849-1851. 

Reverse :  Four  crowned  shields,  arranged  as  a  cross,  with  a 
rose  in  the  centre,  and  the  thistle,  rose,  and  shamrock  in  the 
angles.  Legend:  "one  fix)RIN."  Exergue:  "one-tenth  of 
A  POUND."  Weight:  174.5454  grains.  Fineness:  925.  Value: 
$0.48.6650. 

39.  Florin  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1852  and  sin(^.  Obverse: 
Same  as  No.  38.  Legend:  "victoria  d:  o:  brtt:  reg:  f: 
D :"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue  in  Roman  numerals.  Re- 
verse and  Legends:  Same  as  No.  38.  Weight:  174.5454 
-rains.     Fineness:  925.     Value:  $0.48.6650. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  835 

This  florin  is  larger  in  diameter,  but  reduced  in  thickness. 

40.  Shilling  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse:  Head  of  Queen 
Victoria.  Legend :  "  victoria  dei  gratia  britanniar  :  reg  : 
F:  d:" 


shilling  of  queen  victoria. 

Reverse:  "one  shilling,"  inclosed  by  branches  of  laurel, 
crossed  and  tied,  the  whole  surmounted  by  a  crown.  Exergue: 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  87.2727  grains.  Fineness : 
925.     Value:  $0.24.3325. 

41.  Six  Pence  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  40. 


sixpence  of  queen  victoria. 

« 

Reverse:  "sixpence,"  rest  same  as  No.  40.  Weight: 
43.6363  grains.     Fineness:   925.     Value:  $0.12.1662. 

42.  Four  Pence  of  Queen  Victoria,  1838-1848.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Queen  Victoria.  Legend:  "victoria  D:  g:  brit- 
anniar regina.  f:  d:"  Reverse:  Britannia  seated.  Le- 
gend: "four  pence."  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  29.0909  grains.     Fineness:  925.     Value:  Scents. 

43.  Four  Pence  of  Queen  Victoria,  1848  and  since.  Obverse 
and  Legend:  "Same  as  No.  42.  Reverse:  Crowned  "4"  and 
the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  inclosed  between  two  branches  of 
oak,  crossed  and  tied.     Weight:    29.0909  grains.     Fineness: 


836  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

925.   Value:  8  cents.   This  four  penny  pi6ce  is  larger  in  diame- 
ter, but  reduced  in  thickness. 

44.  Three  Pence,  Maundy-Money,  of  Queen  Victoria.     Ob- 
verse and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  42. 


FOUR  PENCE  AND  THREE  PENCE,  OP  QUEEN  VICTORIA. 

Reverse:  Crowned  "3,"  rest  same  as  No.  43.  Weight: 
21.8181  grains.     Fineness:  925.     Value:  6  cents. 

45.  Two  Pence,  Maundy-Money,  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse 
and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  42.  Reverse:  Crowned  "2,"  rest 
same  as  No.  43.  Weight:  14.5954  grains.  Fineness:  925. 
Value:  4  cents. 

46.  One  Penny,  Maundy-Money,  of  Queen  Victoria.  Ob- 
verse and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  42.  Reverse:  Crowned  "1," 
rest  same  as  No.  43.  Weight :  7.2927  grains.  Fineness:  925. 
Value:  2  cents. 

COPPER  COINAGE  OF  GREAT   BRITAIN. 

Copper  coins  were  first  issued  in  bulk  in  the  reign  of  Charles 
II. :  a  slight  sketch  which  led  to  its  adoption  appears  proper  in 
this  place.  As  early  as  the  reigns  of  Henry  IV.^  V.,  and  VI., 
the  black,  or  base  money,  of  the  Continent  of  Europe,  circulated 
in  England  to  supply  the  deficiency  of  small  national  coin,  and 
was  imitated  in  England  in  the  monasteries,  and,  perhaps,  even 
by  private  individuals.  These  pieces  were  known  as  "Abbey 
pieces,"  and  were  about  the  size  of  the  Tournaye  Groat  of 
Henry  VIII.,  and  of  somewhat  similar  type  to  the  Reverse  of 
that  coin.  In  the  reign  of  Henry  VIIL,  or  even  earlier,  many 
traders,  to  remedy  the  want  of  small  change,  coined  for  them- 
selves leaden  tokens  to  pass  as  half  pennies  and  farthings;  but 
as  the  tokens  were  only  payable  by  the  persons  issuing  them, 
great  loss  was  caused  to  the  poor. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  837 

In  order  to  put  a  stop  to  this  kind  of  private  coinage,  it  was 
proposed  by  Elizabeth  to  issue  a  small  copper  coinage  ;  a  pat- 
tern piece  of  a  copper  half-i>enny  was  struck  but  never  issued. 
It  bears  the  date  1601.  James  I.  was  much  prejudiced  against 
copper  coins,  and  the  copper  farthings  of  his  reign  were  not 
coined  at  the  royal  mints,  but  through  means  of  patents  granted 
to  private  persons,  the  first  being  granted  to  Lord  Harrington. 

The  first  copper  farthings  of  James  bear  a  harp,  which  proves 
that  they  were  chiefly  intended  for  Ireland,  though  the  royal 
proclamation  concerning  their  issue  made  them  current  in  Eng- 
land, and  forbade  private  and  town  tokens  in  consequence; 
which,  however,  did  not  cease  at  that  time. 

The  first  copper  half-pennies  and  farthings,  equal  in  their 
nominal  and  intrinsic  values,  were  issued  in  1672;  but  still  the 
royal  prejudice  would  not  allow  them  to  be  coined  in  the 
national  mints.  They  were  coined  by  virtue  of  a  patent  granted 
to  private  parties,  and  the  head  of  the  King  was,  apparently,  to 
denote  the  inferiority  of  the  copper  coinage,  turned  in  the  oppo- 
site direction  to  that  on  the  gold,  and  silver  coins,  and  the  motto 
also  styled  the  new  coin  "  famulus  nummorum,"  the -8erra7i< 
of  money.  This  money,  however,  was  of  the  finest  Swedish 
copper,  and  of  full  weight. 

The  favor  with  which  this  coinage  was  received  appears  to 
have  removed  the  royal  prejudice  against  a  currency  of  the  in- 
ferior metals,  and  a  large  amount  of  these  farthings  was  soon 
afterwards  issued  from  the  royal  mint. 

In  1665  the  first  copper  half-penny  was  issued  from  the 
Tower  mint.  It  bears  upon  the  Obverse:  "carolus  a 
CAROLO"(-rl  Carolus  from  Charkfi).  Reverse:  Britannia.  Le- 
gend :  "quatour  MARIO  viNDiCo"  (/  vindicate  the  four  seas). 
The  figure  of  Britannia  is  very  graceful  and  beautifully  executed, 
being  the  jwrtrait  of  the  beautiful  Frances  Stuart. 

In  Scotland,  in  this  reign,  "Boddles"  or  "Turners"  were 
struck.  Towards  the  end  of  Charles'  reign  a  "Bawbee"  was 
issued,  its  value  about  a  half-Penny. 

In  1679  the  Dublin  Half-penny  was  struck;  it  has  upon  the 


838  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Obverse  a  shield  bearing  the  arms  of  Dublin,  three  castles,  and 
the  date,  1679 ;  the  Legend :  "  the  Dublin  half-penny." 
Reverse :  Irish    harp,  crowned.     Legend :  **  long  live  the 

KING." 

In  1680  the  half-penny  has  the  King's  bust  and  titles  (Charles 
II.)  on  the  Obverse  and  the  harp  on  the  Reverse. 

During  James  II's  reign  very  little  copper  money  was 
(joined  ;  the  half-pennies  and  farthings  being  of  tin  with  a  copper 
plug.    Obverse:  "  jacobus  secundus."    Reverse:  "famulus 

NUMMORUM." 

After  James  quitted  Ireland,  copper  money  was  issued  in  his 
name  by  his  adherents,  in  Limerick.  The  pieces  were  half- 
pennies, now  known  as  the  "  Hibernias,"  from  the  figure  of 
Hibernia  on  the  Reverse,  holding  the  harp,  and  resembling  the 
Britannia  on  the  English  copi>er  money. 

The  copper  or  tin  coinage  of  William  and  Mary  did  not  vary 
much  in  character  from  that  of  Charles  and  James;  but  the 
half-penny  of  William  III.,  1699,  has  the  Britannia  with  the 
riglit  leg  crossed,  like  that  on  the  farthings  of  Charles  I. ;  but 
on  this  coinage  the  leg  is  draped.  The  tin  half-pennies  and 
farthings  have  a  plug  of  copper  in  them.  In  Scotland  the 
"  Bawbees  "  were  coined  with  the  portraits  of  William  and  Mary 
on  the  Obverse  and  a  thistle  on  the  Reverse.  The  "  Boddles" 
of  this  reign  are  of  the  same  type  as  those  of  Charles. 

During  Queen  Anne's  reign  no  copper  coinage  was  issuetl. 
The  Queen  Anne  farthings,  of  which  so  much  has  been  written, 
were  only  patterns,  and  never  issued  for  circulation. 

During  the  reign  of  George  I.  the  copper  coinage  was  much 
extended,  the  pound  avoirdupois  was  coined  into  twenty -eight 
j>ence.  The  Britannia  on  the  half-penny  now  became  more 
like  that  of  the  Roman  coin,  from  which  it  was  originally 
Taken.  In  1722  William  Wood  obtained  a  patent  to  coin 
copper  half-pence  and  farthings  for  Ireland;  they  have  Hibeniia 
on  the  Reverse,  leaning  or.  a  harj). 

The  farthing  of  George  I.  bears  his  head  and  titles  upon  the 
Obverse,  and  Britannia  upon  the  Reverse. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  839 

The  copper  coinage  of  George  II.  was  equal  to  forty-six  half- 
pence to  the  avoirdupois  pound  of  copper.  Though  the  false 
coinage  of  gold  or  silver  had  been  made  high  treason,  the  coin- 
ing of  copper  money  was  only  deemed  a  misdemeanor,  and  the 
increased  penalty  of  this  reign  only  made  the  punishment  two 
years'  imprisonment;  which  slight  punishment,  in  comparison 
to  that  for  forging  gold  and  silver  coins,  was  perhaps  one  cause 
of  the  great  quantity  of  false  copper  money  then  put  into  circu- 
lation.    Birmingham  was  the  chief  seat  of  the  illegal  mints. 

For  Ireland,  copper  pence  and  half-pence  were  issued,  only 
diifering  from  the  English  in  the  crowned  harp  on  the  Re- 
verse. 

For  America,  a  small  issue  of  brass  pennies  was  made;  the 
King's  head  upon  the  Obverse,  and  a  rose  crowned  upon  the 
Reverse. 

Of  the  copper  coinage  of  George  III.,  there  were  several 
issues. 

First :  Half-Penny,  bearing  upon  the  Obverse  laureated  bust 
of  George  III.,  clad  in  armor.  Legend:  "georgius  hi.  rex." 
Reverse:  Britannia,  seated.  Legend:  " Britannia."  Ex- 
ergue: Date  of  the  year  of  issue,  from  1770-1776.  On  some 
of  the  Half-Pennies  of  1772  the  King's  name  is  spelled  "geo- 
rius." 

Farthing,  similar  in  device  and  Legend.  Second  issue  took 
place  in  1797,  consisting  of  Two  Penny,  Penny,  Half-Penny 
and  Farthing  pieces,  the  only  time  when  copper  coins  of  Two- 
Penny  value  were  issued  in  England.  The  Obverses  of  this 
coinage  have  the  bust  of  George  III.,  laureated  and  draped ; 
on  the  drapery  of  the  shoulder  is  a  small  K,  the  initial  of  Kug- 
ler,  the  German  artist,  who  cut  the  die.  The  Legends  are: 
"georgius  III.  D.  G.  REX."  The  Reverses:  Britannia,  as  be- 
fore, but  differently  posed  ;  in  her  left  hand  a  trident  in  place 
of  a  spear;  waves  wash  the  rock  on  which  she  sits;  a  ship  sail- 
ing to  the  right  is  seen  in  the  distance,  while  the  word  "SOHO," 
the  place  of  their  manufacture,  is  on  the  rock  at  the  base  of  the 
shield.     Legends :  "  Britannia."     Exergues :  Date  of  the  year 


840  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

of  issue.  The  Two  Penny  weighs  2  ounces,  the  Penny  1  ounce. 
The  Half-Penny  weighs  less  than  half  an  ounce,  and  has  milled 
edges.  The  Legends  on  these  coins  are  sunk  into  the  metal, 
and  appear  on  a  broad  rim  or  border  that  runs  around  a  de- 
pressed field  or  centre,  while  the  edges"  are  perfectly  plain.  The 
third  issue  took  place  in  1799,  consisting  of  a  Half- Penny  and 
of  a  Farthing.  One  and  Two  Penny  pieces  were  mentioned  in 
the  proclamation,  but  were  not  issued. 

The  Half-Penny  has  the  laureated  bust  of  the  King.  Le- 
gend :  "georgius  III  DEI  GRATIA  REX."  Reverse:  Britannia, 
but  with  the  waves  cut  off  with  a  serai-circle.  Legend  :  " Bri- 
tannia.'*    Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

The  Farthing  is  similar  in  style,  but  has  the  date  of  the  year 
of  issue  on  the  Obverse  below  the  bust,  and  on  the  Reverse,  in 
place  of  date,  "  1  farthing."  On  these  coins  there  are  no 
raised  borders,  as  on  those  of  1797  and  1798,  and  the  letters  of 
the  Legend  are  not  sunk,  but  in  relief.  The  edge  has  a  shallow 
groove,  milled,  with  short  diagonal  lines  running  all  round. 

The  fourth  arid  last  issue  was  made  in  1806,  when  Pennies, 
Half-Pennies  and  Farthings  were  coined.  On  the  Obverse: 
Laureated  and  draped  bust  of  George  III.  Legends  :  "geor- 
gius III  D.  G.  REX."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Re- 
verse :  Britannia,  as  before,  but  with  a  horizontal  line  of  base. 
The  rim  of  these  coins  is  slightly  raised  and  ornamental,  with 
a  slight  round  edge  pattern,  while  the  edge  is  grooved  and 
milled. 

George  IV.,  in  September,  1821,  ordered  a  new  issue  of  cop- 
per Farthings,  having  on  Obverse:  bust  of  the  King,  draped  and 
laureated.  Legend:  "georgius  iiii.  dei  gratia."  Reverse: 
Britannia,  with  helmet;  a  trident  in  her  left  hand,  and  her 
right,  in  which  she  holds  an  olive  branch,  leaning  on  the 
shield,  and  a  lion's  head  at  her  ^eet.  Legend :  "  Britannia 
REX.  FID.  DEF.,"  With  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue  as  Exergue. 

In  1825  a  new  Penny,  Half-Penny  and  Farthing  were  issued, 
having  upon  the  Obverse :  laureated  bust  of  the  King,  with  bare 
neck.     Legend :  "georgius  iv.  dei  gratia."     On  the  Pennies 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  841 

the  date  1825,  1826  or  1827  is  below  the  bust.  Reverse: 
Britannia,  as  before,  but  without  the  olive  branch  or  the  lion's 
head  at  her  feet.  Legend  :  "Britannia  rex  fid:  def:"  Ex- 
ergue: A  rose,  thistle  and  shamrock  intertwined,  instead  of  a 
date,  with  edge  plain. 

In  1826  and  1827  a  Half-Penny  was  issued,  similar  in  all 
resj)ects  to  the  Penny,  except  the  date,  which  is  1826  and  1827. 
A  Farthing  of  this  design  was  also  issued,  with  the  dates  1826, 
1827,  1828,  1829  and  1830. 

The  copper  coinage  of  William  IV.  consists  of  a  Penny,  Half- 
Penny  and  Farthing.  The  Obverses  have  the  bust  of  the  King, 
no  drapery,  and  no  wreath.  Legend:  "gulielmits  iiii  DEI 
GRATIA,"  with  the  date  1831  to  1834  below  the  bust.  Re- 
verses :  Britannia,  exactly  as  on  the  last  issue  of  George  IV. 
The  dies  for  these  coins  were  engraved  by  William  Wyon, 
whose  initials  are  sunk  on  the  truncation  of  the  bust  on  the 
Half-Pennies  and  the  Farthings.  The  copper  coinage  of  Eng- 
land and  of  Queen  Victoria  ceased  with  1859.  The  Penny, 
Half-Penny,  Farthing  and  Half-Farthing  have  upon  the  Ob- 
verses, the  bust  of  the  Queen,  hair  fastened  with  a  band,  the  neck 
bare.  The  initials  of  William  Wyon,  the  engraver,  are  on  the 
truncation  of  the  bust,  with  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue  below. 


FARTHING   OF   QUEEN    VICTORIA. 

Legend:  "victoria  dei  gratia."  Reverse:  Britannia,  ex- 
actly the  same  as  on  the  last  coinage  of  George  IV.  On  the 
Half-Farthing  the  Obverse  has  the  bust  of  Queen  Victoria. 
Legend  :  "victoria  d.  g.  britanniar  reginX  f.  d.,"  but  no 
date,  while  the  Reverse  has  in  the  centre  of  the  field  the  words: 
"half-farthing,"  in  two  lines,  surmounted  by  a  crown,  and 


842  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

below  them  the  date,  with  rose,  thistle  and  sliamrock  in  the  Ex- 
ergue. Edges  all  plain.  The  issue  of  these  Half-Farthings 
ceased  in  1856. 

The  regular  copper  coinage  of  Great  Britain,  Ireland  and 
Scotland,  in  general,  is  not  sciirce,  if  we  except  the  Farthings  of 
Queen  Anne.  Yet  it  is  almost  needless  to  state  that  there  is  no 
foundation  for  the  absurd  notion  that  only  three  farthings  of 
Queen  Anne  exist,  and  that  each  is  worth  about  five  thousand 
dollars;  they  can  be  had  in  England  for  one  or  two  pounds 
sterling  a  piece. 

BRONZE  COINAGE  OF  GREAT  BRITAIN. 

In  1860,  by  order  of  proclamation,  a  new  bronze  coinage  was 
ordered  and  issued.  The  composition  contains  95  parts  of  cop- 
per, 4  of  tin,  and  1  of  zinc.  They  were  coined:  Penny,  Half- 
Penny,  Farthing  and  Half-Farthing. 

The  Obverse :  Laureated  bust  of  Queen  Victoria,  with  low 
bare  neck,  but  a  dress  on  her  shoulders.  Legend:  "victoria 
D.  G.  BRITT.  REG.,  F.  D."  Reverse :  Figure  of  Britannia,  sur- 
rounded by  the  sea,  a  vessel  before  her,  and  a  lighthouse  behind 
the  shield  on  which  she  sits.  Legend:  "one  penny."  Ex- 
ergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  The  Half-Penny,  Farthing 
and  Half-Farthing  are  precisely  similar  in  devices  and  Legends, 
the  value  only  being  changed. 

The  intrinsic  value  of  the  Bronze  Penny  of  Queen  Victoria  is 
one  and  seven-eighths  of  an  American  cent,  and  the  Half- Penny, 
Farthing  and  Half-Farthing  in  exact  proportion,  respectively. 

COINAGE  OF  THE  CHANNEL  ISLANDS. 

In  1406  Henry  IV.  granted  the  Isle  of  Man,  with  all  its 
regalities,  to  Sir  Thomas  Stanley,  afterwards  Earl  of  Derby. 

The  earliest  money  coined  by  this  family  is  dated  1723;  it 
has  the  arms  of  >the  Isle  of  Man,  the  three  legs  on  the  Obverse. 
Legend:  *' quocunque  jeceris  stabit"  and  "i.  d.,"  which 
stands  for  James,  Earl  of  Derby,  or  rather  lacobus  Darbiensis. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS. 


843 


The  Reverse  has  the  crest  of  the  Derby  family,  and  the  Le- 
gend :  "  SANS  changer"  (  Without  change). 

Their  last  coins  liave  on  the  Reverse  a  cypher  formed  of  the 
initials  "a.  d."  {Duke  o/"  ^<Ao^e)  beneath  an  imperial  crown,  and 
the  Exergue:  "1758." 

In  1770  the  sovereignty  of  the  Isle  of  Man  was  purchased 
of  the  Duke  and  Duchess  of  Athole  for  £70,000. 

After  1770  copper  money  was  coined  for  tiie  use  of  the  Isle 
of  Man,  with  the  local  device  of  the  three  legs,  but  omitting  all 
reference  to  the  Derby  family.  Some  copper  coins  were  struck 
by  George  III.  for  the  Isle  of  Man,  in  the  style  of  the  heavy 
penny  of  that  period,  with  the  mottoes  sunk  round  the  edge. 

At  the  commencement  of  this  century  George  III.  ordered 
some  silver  coins  to  be  struck  for  the  "  States  of  Jersey."  Pre- 
vious to  1813  the  currency  of  Jersey  consisted  of  both  French 
and  English  coins. 

In  1813  the  three  shilling  piece  was  coined  for.  the  first  time. 
It  bears  upon  the  Obverse :  A  shield  with  three  leopards,  one 
above  the  other.  Legend  :  "  states  of  jersey."  Exergue : 
"  1813." 


THREE  SHILLINGS  TOKEN   OF  THE  STATES  OF  JERSEY. 


A  wreath  inclosins:  the  words:  "THREE  SHILLING 


Intrinsic  value  :  52|  cents. 


Reverse : 

TOKEN.' 

In  1813  there  was  also  coined  a  shilling  and  six  pence 
token.     Observe  and  Legend:  Same  as  the  shilling. 

Reverse:  A  wreath  inclosing  the  words:  "one  shilling 
SIX  pence  token."     Intrinsic  value :  26^  cents. 


844  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

In  1841  copper  coins  of  the  value  of  one  penny  and  its  half 
were  issued  by  Queen  Victoria,  and  continued  so  until  1862. 


ONE  SHILLING  SIX  PENCE  TOKEN  OP  THE  STATES  OP  JERSEY. 

The  penny  bears  upon  the  Obverse:  Head  of  Queen  Victoria. 
Legend:  "victoria  d.  g.  britanniar:  regina  P:  d:" 
Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Reverse:  Shield  with 
three  leopards,  one  above  the  other.  Legend:  "states  of 
JERSEY."     Exergue:  "  i'^  of  a  shilling." 

The  Half-Penny  of  1841-1862  bears  a  similar  device  and 
Legends  of  the  penny,  only  the  Exergue  upon  the  Reverse  is 
changed  to  "  j'?  of  a  shilling."  Intrinsic  value  of  the  penny 
If  of  a  cent  and  the  half  in  exact  proportion. 

Another  of  these  Channel  Islands  is  Guernsey,  having  also 
its  "  States,"  with  authority  over  the  local  matters,  and  which, 
in  like  manner,  has  issued  a  copper  coinage.  The  standard  of 
value  there  is  the  "  Double."  The  Obverse  of  these  Doubles, 
of  which  there  are:  1,  2,  4  and  8  Doubles,  bear  the  arms  of 
Guernsey,  viz. :  three  lions  upon  a  shield  surmounted  by  three 
leaves  in  place  of  the  customary  crown.  No  Legend.  Ex- 
ergue :  "  6UERENSEY  "  in  a  semi-circle.  The  8  Double  piece  has 
branches  inclasing  the  shield.  Reverse:  In  the  upper  field  the 
figures  "1,  2,  4,  or  8,"  as  the  case  may  be;  in  the  middle 
field  "double"  or  "doubles;"  and  ip  the  lower  field,  the 
date  of  the  year  of  issue  from  1830  to  1868  inclusive.  Intrinsic 
value  of  the  Double,  about  one-fourth  of  a  cent. 

COINAGE  OF  IONIAN  ISLANDS. 

In  the  fifteenth  century  Venice  became  mistress  of  the  Ionian 
Islands,  viz. :  Corfu,  Paxo,  Santa  Maura,  Theaki,  Cephalonia, 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  845 

Zante  and  Cerigo,  and  issued  for  them  at  different  periods 
copper  coins  having  on  Obverse:  the  winged  lion  of  St. Marks. 
Legend:  "san  marc  yen"  {St.  Marks  of  Venice).  Upon  the 
Reverse:  "corf"  for  Corfu,  "paxo,"  "thea,"  for  Theaki. 
"  CEFAL  "  for  Cephalonia.     "  san  mauro  "  and  "  zante." 

In  1797  Venice  ceded  the  islands  to  France,  from  whom 
they  were  taken  in  1800,  by  the  allied  forces  of  Russia  and 
Turkey.  In  1807  Napoleon  recovered  them,  but  lost  them  to 
the  British  in  1809. 

As  the  independence  of  the  islands  was  always  claimed  by 
their  natives,  they  were  formed  in  1815,  into  the  "Septinsular 
Republic,"  under  the  Protectorate  of  Great  Britain.  In  1864 
Great  Britain  ceded  the  islands  to  Greece. 

These  changes  of  government  have  led  to  a  corresponding 
diversity  of  coinage.  In  1801  the  currency  of  the  Ionian 
Islands  consisted  of  copper  coins  of  one,  five  and  ten  Gazettas, 
with  inscriptions  in  Greek  and  Italian. 

In  1810,  and  a'fter  the  standard  value  was  the  Turkish  Para, 
England,  in  1815,  counterraarked  foreign  silver  coins  with 
figures  declaring  its  value  in  Paras,  shortly  afterwards  adding 
to  this  a  rude  profile  of  George  III. 

In  1819  the  Obolus,  half  and  quarter,  were  struck  in  Eng- 
land for  circulation  in  the  Ionian  Islands. 

The  Obolus  has  upon  the  obverse :  Britannia  seated  upon  a 
rock;  at  her  side  tlie  Union  Jack  of  England  upon  a  shield; 
in  her  left  hand  an  olive  branch  ;  in  her  right  liand  the  trident. 
Legend :  "  Britannia."  At  the  base  "  w  wyon,"  the  name 
of  the  engraver  of  the  London  mint.  Reverse :  The  Ionian 
arms,  viz. :  the  winged  lion  of  St.  Mark,  clasping  with  his  right 
paw  a  shield  with  the  Greek  cross  and  seven  arrows,  to  denote 
the  seven  islands.  Legend:  " loynKoy  kpatoe"  {Ionian  gov- 
ernment) in  Greek  characters.  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of 
issue  from  1819  to  1831. 

The  half  and  quarter  Obolus  are  similar  in  device  and 
legends  only  in  proportion  to  size.  In  1821  an  eighth  of  an 
Obolus  was  issued  in  Corfu,  similar  to  the  afore-described  coins ; 


846  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

but  the  issue  was  not  continued  after  that  year.  The  value  of 
the  Obelus  is  about  one  cent,  its  half,  quarter  and  eighth  in 
proportion. 

In  1834  and  up  to  1863  the  Ionian  coins  were  again  struck 
at  the  royal  mint,  and  their  character  changed  to  the  "  Mikron" 
and  its  half. 

The  Mikron  bears  upon  the  Obverse:  Britannia  seated. 
Upon  the  Reverse:  The  lion  of  St.  Mark's.  The  Mikron  is  of 
copper  and  its  value  about  one  cent. 

In  1835  England  struck  a  silver  coin  for  circulation  upon 
the  Ionian  Islands.  It  is  known  as  the  "Tripenon."  The 
Tripenon  bears  upon  the  Obverse:  Britannia.  Legend: 
"BRITANNIA."  Reverse:  "xxx"  inclosed  in  an  oak  wreath. 
Its  intrinsic  value  about  28  cents. 

In  1844  England  issued  a  Half  Farthing  for  the  use  of  the 
Ionian  Islands,  having  upon  the  Obverse :  Head  of  Queen 
Victoria.  Legend  :  "  victoria  d.  g.  britanniar  regina  : 
F:  D:"  Reverse:  "half  farthing"  and  the  date  of  the 
year  of  issue,  in  three  parallel  lines,  in  the  centre,  surmounted 
by  a  royal  crown,  and  the  rose,  shamrock,  and  thistle  below. 

In  1852  England  struck  for  the  Ionian  Islands  the  thirty 
Obolicce  piece  in  silver.  Obverse  :  Britannia,  seated.  Legend  : 
"  BRITANNIA."  No  Excrgue.  Reverse :  "  30,"  surrounded  by 
an  oak  wreath.  Legend:  "ionikon  kpatoe"  {Ionian  Govern- 
ment). Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  21.820 
grains.     Fineness:  925.     Value:  6  cents. 

COINAGE  OF  THE  BRITISH   POSSESSIONS  IN 
AFRICA. 

In  1791  George  III.,  by  proclamation,  ordered  the  coinage 
in  silver  and  copper  of  the  British  possessions  in  Africa. 

1.  Dollar  of  the  Sierra  Leone  Company.  Obverse:  A  lion 
in  the  middle  of  the  field.  Legend :  "sierra  leone  com- 
pany."    Exergue:  "AFRICA." 

Reverse:  Clasped  hands,  "100"  above  and  below  the  same. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  847 

Legend  :  "  one  dollar  piece."    Exergue :  "  1791."    Weight: 
405  grains.     Fineness:  817.     Value:  $0.98.2245. 


100 


^"^o    100    ^/ 

•  3  751        ■''"' 


DOLLAR   OF  SIERRA   LEONE  COMPANY,  1791. 

2.  Dollar  of  the  Sierra  Leone  Company  of  1791.  Obverse, 
Legend,  and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse,  Legend,  and 
Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1,  with  the  exception  that  the  figure 
"  1  "  takes  the  place  of  "  100  "  above  and  below  the  clasped 
hands.     Weight,  Fineness,  and  Value:  Same  as  No.  1. 

3.  Ackey  Trade  Dollar  of  1818.  Obverse:  Laurcated  head 
of  George  III.,  beneath  the  head  :  "  1  ackey  trade."  Le- 
gend :  ''  georgius  III.  BRITANNIAR.  REX.  F.  D."  Exergue : 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Reverse :  A  shield,  supported  by 
two  negroes;  upon  the  shield  a  horn  of  plenty,  a  beehive,  and 
a  ship  under  full  sail ;  below  the  shield  a  negro  head  ;  above 
the  shield  an  elephant  and  castle,  surmounted  by  a  flag.  Le- 
gend :  "free  trade  to  AFRICA  BY  ACT  OF  PARLIAMENT 
1750."  Weight:  216  grains.  Fineness:  925.  Value: 
$0.56.6650. 

4.  Ackey  Trade  Half  Dollar.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same  as 
No.  3,  with  the  exception  of  "  h  ackey  trade,"  beneath  the 
head.  Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  3.  Weight:  108 
grains.     Fineness  :  925.     Value:  $0.28.3325. 

5.  Half  Dollar  of  the  Sierra  Leone  Company.  Obverse, 
Legend,  and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse,  Legend,  and 
Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1,  with  the  exception  of  "50"  above 


848  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

and  below  the  clasped  hands.     "Weight :  202.500  grains.     Fine- 
ness: 817.     Value:  $0.46.6272. 

6.  Twenty  Cents  of  the  Sierra  Leone  Company.  Obverse, 
Legend,  and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse,  Legend,  and 
Exergue :  Same  as  No.  1,  with  the  exception  of  "  20  "  above 
and  below  the  clasped  hands.  Weight:  81  grains.  Fineness: 
817.     Value:   $0.19.2493. 

7.  Ten  Cents  of  the  Sierra  Leone  Company.  Obverse,  Le- 
gend, and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse,  Legend,  and 
Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1,  with  the  exception  of  "10"  below 
and  above  the  clasped  hands.  Weight :  40.500  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 817.     Value:  $0.09.6246. 

BRITISH    POSSESSIONS    IN   AMERICA. 
CANADA  COINS. 

Prior  to  the  conquest  of  Canada,  1760,  the  coins  in  use  were 
the  Sol,  the  Livre,  or  Franc  of  20  Sols,  and  the  Crowr,  or  Ecu 
of  three  Francs.  The  Sol  is  of  brass,  the  Franc  and  Ecu  of 
silver. 

In  1670  Louis  XIV.  issued  a  silver  piece  of  five  Sous  for 
Canada,  having  on  the  Obverse  the  bust  of  Louis  XIII.,  lau- 
reated,  surmounted  by  a  small  sun.  Legend  :  "  lvd  xiii.  d.  g. 
FR.  ET  NAV  REX."  Reverse :  Royal  arras,  crowned.  Legend  : 
"gloriam  regni  tvi  dicent,  1670." 

He  issued  also  a  Copper  Double  or  Two  Denier  Piece,  having 
on  the  Obverse  a  large  Roman  "  l.,"  crowned,  dividing  the  date 
1670,  with  the  letter  "a"  {Paris  mint-mark),  below  it.  Legend : 
"  LVDOvicvs.  XIII.  D.  gr.  FRAN.  ET  NAV.  REX."  Reverse : 
"dovble  de  l'amerique.  FRANgoiSE."  Exergue :  "a" 
(mint-mark),  and  on  either  side  of  it  o.  fieur-de-lis. 

Nova  Scotia  was  the  first  colony  which  issued  a  regular  coiu- 
age.  In  1823  there  appeared  the  Penny  and  Half-Penny,  bear- 
ing the  bust  of  George  IV.  on  the  Obverse.  Similar  coins 
were  issued  regularly  up  to  1832,  although  George  IV.  died  in 
1830,  and  William  IV.  was  already  the  reigning  sovereign  of 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  849 

England  for  two  years  prior  to  the  issue  of  the  last-named  date. 
In  1837  the  Canadian  Rebellion  broke  forth,  and  the  country- 
was  flooded  with  tokens,  of  which  the  famous  Sou  was  one  of 
the  principal  and  the  most  important  token :  the  Bank  of  Mon- 
treal issuing  a  large  number.  In  1838  and  1839  the  Bank  of 
Montreal  issued  a  Penny,  which  is  now  very  scarce  and  much 
sought  after  by  collectors  of  coins. 

As  early  as  1822  a  movement  was  made  towards  the  intro- 
duction of  a  regular  colonial  decimal  coinage,  but  no  definite 
action  was  taken  until  1858,  when  the  Canadian  coinage,  con- 
sisting of  20,  10,  and  5  cents  silver,  and  1  cent  copper  coins, 
made  their  appearance.  In  1861  New  Brunswick  introduced 
her  really  fine  coinage,  of  the  same  denominations  as  Canada, 
but  adding  to  the  list  the  half-cent.  In  1862  Nova  Scotia  is- 
sued for  the  first  time  the  Cent  and  its  half.  In  1865  New- 
foundland struck  for  the  first  time  the  Two  Dollar  gold  piece. 

1.  Fifty  Cents,  silver,  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Queen  Victoria,  with  diadem.  Legend :  "  Victoria  dei 
GRATIA  REGIXA."  Excrgue :  "CANADA."  Reverse:  "50 
CENTS,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  surrounded  by  a 
wreath  of  maple  leaves,  surmounted  by  a  crown.  Weight : 
192.125  grains.     Fineness  :  900.     Value:  50  cents. 

2.  Twenty-five  Cents,  silver,  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse, 
Legend,  and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse :  "  25  cents;" 
rest  same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  96.0625  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value :  25  cents. 

3.  Twenty  Cents,  silver,  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse: 
Laureated  head  of  Queen  Victoria.  Legend  :  "  VICTORIA  DEI 
GRATIA  REGINA."      Exergue  :    "  CANADA." 


1  0 


TWENTY  CENTS  OF  CANADA. 
3B 


850  DYEPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Reverse :  "  20  cents,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  in 
three  lines,  surrounded  by  branches  of  maple,  crossed  and  tied, 
surmounte<l  by  a  crown.  Weight :  76.850  grains.  Fineness : 
900.     Value:  20  cents. 

4.  Ten  Cents,  silver,  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  3. 


TEN  CENTS  OF  CANADA. 


Reverse:  "10  cents;"  rest  same  as  No.  3.  Weight: 
38.425  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  10  cents. 

5.  Five  Cents,  silver,  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  .']. 


FIVE  cents   of   CANADA. 

Reverse :  "  5  cents  ; "  rest  same  as  No.  3.  Weight :  19.2175 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  Scents. 

The  last-mentioned  three  coins  usually  have  their  edges 
milled ;  but  there  are  also  specimens  of  these  coins  with  plain 
edge,  which  are  very  scarce  and  at  a  premium.  Some  of  the 
silver  coins  have  the  letter  "  H.,"  referring  to  Sir  Francis 
Hincks,  Finance  Minister  of  Canada. 

6.  Two  Cents,  copper,  of  George  IV.,  1822  and  1823.  Ob- 
verse :  Bust  of  George  IV.  laureated  and  draped.  Legend : 
"geor:  IV:  D:  G:  BRI:  rex."  Reverse:  "7*5  dollar  COLONIAL 
1822  and  1823,"  inclosed  in  a  wreath  of  oak  leaves.  Value: 
2  cents. 

7.  One  Cent  of  George  IV.,  1822  and  1823.  Obverse  and 
Legend:  Same  as  No.  6.     Reverse:  "lis  Dollar;"  rest  same 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  851 

ias  No.  6.  Value:  One  cent.  These  two  coins  found  but  little 
favor,  and  the  use  of  the  other  Canadian  copper  tokens  of  the 
tradesmen  and  banks,  especially  of  the  "Bouquet"  series,  being 
preferred  by  the  people,  they  were  soon  afterwards  withdrawn 
from  circulation,  and  have  become  very  scarce  now,  and  at  a 
high  premium  with  collectors  of  coins. 

8.  Bronze  Cent  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1858,  and  since.  Ob- 
verse: Wreathed  head  of  Queen  Victoria.  Legend:  "victoria 
DEI  GRATIA  REGINA."  Excrguc:  "CANADA."  Reverse:  " ONE 
CENT,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  surrounded  by  a  wavy 
wreath  of  maple  leaves.     Value:  One  cent. 

NEW  BRUNSWICK  COINS. 

1.  Twenty  Cents  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1862,  and  since.  Ob- 
verse :  Laureated  head  of  Queen  Victoria.  I^egend  :  "  victo- 
ria D:  G:  REG."  Exergue:  "new  Brunswick."  Reverse: 
"20  CENTS,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  surrounded  by  a 
wreath,  between  the  tops  of  which  is  a  crown.  Weight:  76.850 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  20  cents. 

2.  Ten  Cents  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1862,  and  since.  Ob- 
verse, Legend  and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  "10 
CENTS,"  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  38.425  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:   10  cent.=. 

3.  Five  Cents  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1862,  and  since.  Ob- 
verse, Legend  and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  "5 
CENTS,"  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  19.2175  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  5  cents. 

4.  Copper  Penny  of  Queen  Victoria,  1843,  known  as  the 
Frigate  Penny.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Queen  Victoria,  w^earing  an 
open  crown.  Legend :  "  victoria  dei  gratia  regina." 
Exergue:  "1843."  Reverse:  A  frigate  with  full  rigging,  but 
without  sails.  Legend:  "new  Brunswick,  one  penny." 
Value:  2  cents. 

5.  Copper  Half-Penny  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1 843.  Obverse, 
Legend  and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  4.  Reverse:  "HALF- 
PENNY," rest  same  as  No.  4.     Value:  1  cent. 


852  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

6.  Copper  Penny  of  Queen  Victoria,  1854.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Queen  Victoria,  filleted.  Legend:  "victoria  dei  gratia 
REGINA."  Exergue:  "1854."  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  4.  Le- 
gend: "new  BRUNSWICK  ONE  PENNY  CURRENCY."  Value: 
2  cents. 

7.  Copper  Half-Penny  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1854.  Obverse, 
Legend  and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  6.  Reverse:  "half- 
penny ;"  rest  same  as  No.  6.     Value :  1  cent. 

8.  Bronze  Cent  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1861,  and  since.  Ob- 
verse: "victoria  D:  g:  brit:  reg:  f:  d.  Reverse:  Crowned 
date  of  the  year  of  issue,  within  a  wreath,  "one  cent,  new 
BRUNSWICK."     Value:  1  cent. 

9.  Bronze  Half-Cent  of  Queen  Victoria,  1861,  and  since. 
Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  8.  Reverse :  "  half  cent," 
rest  same  as  No.  8.     Value:  J  cent. 

NEWFOUNDLAND  COINS. 
1.  Two  Dollar  Gold  Piece  of  1865,  and  since.     Obverse: 
Laureated  head  of  Queen  Victoria.     Legend:  "victoria  d: 
G :  REG."    Exergue :  "  Newfoundland." 


two  dollar  gold  PIECE  OF  1865,  and  since. 

Reverse :  "  2  dollars,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  sur- 
rounded by  a  dotted  circle.  Legend:  "two  hundred  cents." 
Exergue:  "one  hundred  pence."  Weight:  51.600  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $2.00. 

2.  Fifty  Cents,  silver,  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse:  Lau- 
reated head  of  Queen  Victoria.  Legend :  "victoria  dei 
GRATIA  regina."  Exergue :  "Newfoundland."  Reverse: 
"50  cents,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  within  a  beaded 
and  ornamented  circle.  Edge  milled.  Weight:  192.125  grains. 
Fineness :  900.     Value :  60  cents. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  853 

3.  Twenty  Cents,  silver,  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse,  Le- 
gend and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse :  "  20  cents  ; " 
rest  same  as  No.  2.  Weight :  76.850  grains.  Fineness :  900. 
Value:  20  cents. 

4.  Ten  Cents,  silver,  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse,  Legend 
and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse:  "10  cents;"  rest 
same  as  No.  2.  Weight:  38.425  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  10  cents. 

5.  Five  Cents,  silver,  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse,  Legend 
and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse:  "5  cents;"  rest 
same  as  No.  2.  Weight:  19.2175  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value :  5  cents. 

6.  Copper  Cent  of  Queen  Victoria.  Obverse:  Laureated 
bust  of  Queen  Victoria.  Legend :  "  Victoria  d  :  g  :  keg  :  " 
Reverse:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue,  surmounted  by  a  royal 
crown,  within  a  beaded  circle,  the  whole  surrounded  with  a 
wreath  of  oak.  Legend:  "one  cent."  Exergue:  "New- 
foundland."    Value:  1  cent. 

NOVA  SCOTIA  COINS. 

1.  Copper  Penny  of  George  IV.,  1822-1832.  Obverse: 
Head  of  George  IV.  Legend  :  "province  of  nova  scotia." 
Reverse:  A  large  thistle.  Legend:  "penny,"  and  the  date  of 
the  year  of  issue.     Value :  2  cents. 

2.  Half-Penny  of  George  IV.,  of  1822-1832.  Obverse  and 
Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  "half-penny;"  rest 
same  as  No.  1.  Value :  1  cent.  It  will  be  observed  that  some 
of  these  coins  bear  the  dates  1831  and  1832,  although  George 
IV.  died  in  1830. 

3.  Copper  Penny  of  Queen  Victoria,  of  1840.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Queen   Victoria.      Legend:    "province  of   nova 

SCOTIA." 

Revei-se:  Two^leaved  thistle.  Legend  :  "one  penny,"  and 
the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.     Value :  2  cents. 

4.  Copper  Half-Penny  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1840.  Similar 
to  the  Penny  No.  3,  with  the  exception  of  Legend  on  Reverse : 
"half-penny."     Value:  1  cent. 


854  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

These  coins  are  of  very  inferior  workmanship,  and  they  bear 
only  the  dates  1840,  1843  and  1856. 


COPPER  PENNY  OF  1843. 

5.  Copper  Penny  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1856.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Queen  Victoria,  wearing  an  open  coronet,  of  which 
only  the  front  is  seen,  the  neck  bare.  Legend  :  "victoria  d: 
G:  BRITANNIA:  REG:  F:  D:^*  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of 
issue.  Reverse :  A  large  sprig  of  Mayflower.  Legend :  "  prov- 
ince OF  NOVA  SCOTIA."  Excrgue :  "one  penny."  Value: 
2  cents. 

6.  Copper  Half-Penny  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1856.  Legends, 
Obverse  and  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  5.  Exergue:  "half- 
penny."    Value:  1  cent. 

7.  Bronze  Cent  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1861,  and  since.  Ob- 
veree :  Laureated  bust  of  Queen  Victoria.  Legend :  Same  as 
No.  5.  Reverse :  A  wreath  of  flowers,  inclosing  a  crown  and 
date,  surmounted  as  Legend :  "one  cent."  Exergue:  "nova 
SCOTIA."     Value:  1  cent. 

8.  Bronze  Half  Cent.  Obverse,  Legend,  Reverse  and  Ex- 
ergue :  Same  as  No.  7.  Legend  on  Reverse :  "  half  cent." 
Value:  ^  cent. 

PRINCE  EDWARD'S  ISLA^TDS. 

1.  Copper  Cent  of  1855-1857.  Obverse:  "prince  Ed- 
ward's ISLANDS,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.     Reveree : 

"  SELF-GOVERNMENT  AND  FREE  TRADE,"  in  five  liuCS.      Edge 

plain.     Value:  1  cent. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  855 

2.  Bronze  Cent  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1871.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Queen  Victoria,  with  diadem.  Legend :  "  victoria  queen." 
Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Reverse :  A  small  and  a 
large  tree,  with  "parva  subingenti"  below  them,  surrounded 
by  a  beaded  circle  of  dots.  Legend :  "  prince  edward 
island."     Exergue:  "one  cent."     Value:  1  cent. 

WEST    INDIA   COINS. 
ANTIGUA. 

In  Antigua  and  the  other  Leeward  Islands  the  Dollar  is  often 
reckoned  at  9  shillings,  which  rate  is  most  generally  called  the 
Leeward  Cuirency.  A  small  circular  piece  called  the  Bit  is 
often  cut  out  of  the  centre  of  the  Spanish  Dollar,  which  is  about 
one-twelfth  of  its  value,  but,  in  order  to  prevent  its  exportation, 
it  is  allowed  to  pass  for  one-eighth,  and  is  then  8tamj)ed,  by 
authority,  with  the  initials  of  the  Island.  The  Dollar  thus  cut 
passes  for  8s.  3d.  currency.  It  is  called  the  Cut  DoUar,  to  dis- 
tinguish it  from  the  ''ntire  piece,  which  is  called  the  Mound 
Dollar.  Dollars  of  the  United  States  are  often  cut  in  halves 
and  quarters,  and  pass  accordingly. 

The  copper  coins  consist  of  Half  Dogs  and  Dogs,  bearing 
upon  the  Obverse :  A  palm  tree.  The  natives  count  two  half 
Dogs,  a  Dog;  three  half  Dogs,  a  Stampe;  four  Stampes  or  six 
Dogs,  a  Bit;  one  and  a  half  Bit,  a  Moco;  eleven  Bits,  a  Cut 
Dollar,  and  twelve  Bits  or  eight  Mocos,  a  Round  Dollar. 

BAHAMA. 

After  the  peace  of  Utrecht,  several  colonial  privateers  that  had 
become  pirates  made  their  homes  on  the  Bahamas.  In  1717 
England  resumed  the  government,  pardoning  the  inhabitants 
and  making  them  a  regulated  colony,  under  Captain  Rogers  as 
governor. 

In  1806  George  III.  ordered  a  copper  Penny  to  lie  struck  for 
the  Bahamas;  it  bears  upon  the  Obverse:  Laureatefl  head  of 
George  III.     Legend  :" georgius  iii.  d  :  G.  rex.     Exergue: 


856  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Reverse:  'A  ship  under  full  sail, 
peaks  of  a  mountain  in  the  background ;  two  smaller  vessels 
in  the  oflSng.  Legend:  " Bahama."  Exergue:  "expulsis 
PiRATis,  EESTITUTA  COMMERCIA  "  [Ftrates  being  driven  away, 
commerce  is  restored).  This  device  on  the  Reverse  is  taken  from 
the  great  seal  of  the  Bahamas,  and  alludes  to  the  pirates  par- 
doned in  1717. 

BARBADOES. 

In  1788  a  copper  Penny  was  issued  for  Barbadoes;  upon 
the  Obverse:  A  negro's  head,  facing  to  the  left,  wearing  a 
crown,  from  which  protrude  the  three  Prince  of  Wales'  feathers. 
No  Legend.  Exergue  :  "  i  serve."  Reverse :  A  pine-apple. 
Legend  :  "  barbadoes  penny."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year 
of  issue.  A  Half-Penny  was  also  struck  of  similar  device  and 
legend. 

In  1792  another  copper  Penny  and  Half-Penny  were  issued. 
Obverse  :  Same  as  the  Penny  of  1788.  Reverse :  In  the  centre 
of  the  field  George  III.,  crowned,  and  holding  a  trident,  seated 
in  a  chariot,  and  drawn  to  the  left  over  the  waves  by  two  sea- 
horses. Legend :  "  barbadoes  penny,"  or  "  half-penny." 
Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

BERMUDAS. 

In  1612  a  colony  was  endeavored  to  be  settled  by  the  Virginia 
Company.  In  1614the  Virginia  Company  resigned  the  Islands 
to  England,  and  received  a  new  incorporation  for  the  plantation 
of  Sommers  Islands.  In  this  document  the  company  was  dis- 
tinctly allowed  to  issue  coin  for  use  in  the  Islands,  of  such 
metal  and  in  such  form  as  might  be  most  expedient.  The  coin 
struck  in  bra&s  bears  upon  the  Obverse:  A  wild  boar,  facing 
to  the  left,  with  "xii"  above.  Legend:  "sommer  island;" 
both  words  separated  by  a  mullet  of  five  points.  Reverse :  A 
ship  under  sail  with  a  flag  on  each  mast. 

Of  another  piece  of  lower  value,  the  device  on  both  sides  is 
similar,  except  that  on  the  Obverse  the  numerals  "vi."  take 
the  place  of  XII;  and  the  Legend  :  "  somer  island."    These 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  857 

coins  are  exceedingly  rare  and  at  a  high  premium.  For  nearly 
two  hundred  years,  no  further  coinage  was  issued  for  the 
Bermudas.  Spanish  and  Englisii  coins  freely  circulated.  In 
1793  the  Committee  of  Privy  Council  for  Trade  in  Great 
Britain  recommended  that  a  new  coin  for  Bermuda  be  issued. 
It  bears  upon  the  Obverse :  Laureated  head  of  George  III. 
Legend:  "georgius  ill.  D.  G.  rex."  Reverse:  A  ship  under 
full  canvas,  sailing  to  the  left,  with  a  high  peak  of  a  mountain 
just  visible  over  the  stern.  Legend:  "Bermuda."  Exergue: 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

DEMERARA  AND  ESSEQUEBO. 

In  1809  George  III.  ordered  a  new  and  very  handsome  silver 
coinage  for  Demerara  and  Essequebo.  The  coin  first  struck 
was  the  3  Shilling  or  Guilder  piece. 

1.  Three  Shilling  or  Three  Guilder  Piece.  Obverse :  Laure- 
ated head  of  George  III.  Legend:  "georgius  hi.  del 
GRATIA."     Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 


three  shilling  or  three  guilder  piece  op  1809. 

Reverse:  A  large  figure  "3"  occupying  the  field,  surrounded 
by  oak  branches,  crossed  and  tied,  surmounted  by  a  royal  crown. 
Within  the  circle  the  Legend  :  "  colonies  of  essequebo  and 
DEMARARY  TOKEN."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  360  grains.  Fineness:  816.666.  Value:  $0.82- 
.9975. 

2.  Two  Shilling  or  Two  Guilder  Piece  of  George  III.     Ob- 


858  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

verse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  Large  figure 
"  2 ;  "  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Weight :  240  grains.  Fineness : 
816.666.     Value:  ^.55.1982. 

3.  Siiilling  or  Guilder  Piece  of  George  III.  Obverse  and 
Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  Large  figure  "l;"rest 
same  as  No.  1,  with  the  exception  of  the  inner  circle,  sur- 
rounding the  field,  being  omitted.  Weight :  120  grains. 
Fineness:  816.666.     Value:  $0.27.5991. 

4.  Half  Shilling  or  Half  Guilder  of  George  IIL  Obverse 
and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  1 . 


HALF  SHILLING  OR  HALF  GUILDER. 

Reverse:  Large  figure  "^;"  rest  same  as  No.  3.  Weight: 
60  grains.     Fineness:  816.666.     Value:  $0.13.7995. 

5.  Quarter  Shilling  or  Quarter  Guilder  of  George  III.  Ob- 
verse and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.      Reverse:  Large  figure 


« 1 


^;"   rest  same  as  No.  3.     Weight:    30  grains:     Fineness: 
816.666.     Value:  $0.06.8998. 

In   1832  William  IV.  struck  3,  2,  1,  |,  and  ^  Shilling  or 
Guilder  pieces  for  Demerara  and  Essequibo. 


SHILLING   OR  GUILDER   OF    WILLIAM    iV. 

They  bear  upon  the  Obverse  the  head  of  William  IV.,  and 
the  Legend:  "gulielmus  iiii.  d.  g.  britanniar.  rex.  f.  d." 
Reverse:  A  large  figure  «3,"  "2,"  "1,"  "J,"  or  "J,"  accord- 


GREAT  BRITATX  AND  POSSESSIOXS.  859 

ing  to  their  respective  value.  Legend:  "united  colony 
OF  DEMERARA  &  ESSEQUIBO."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of 
issue,  ^^'eight,  Fineness,  and  Value :  Same  as  those  of  George 
Ill's  issiio. 

In  1831  and  1833  there  were  also  issues  of  3,  2,  1  Guilders, 
with  the  J,  I,  and  |  values,  with  and  without  a  crown  upon  the 
Reverse. 


ONE-FOURTH   AND   ONE-EIGHTH   GUILDER  OP   WILLIAM    IV. 

The  eighth  of  a  Guilder  weighs:  15  grains.  Fineness: 
81G.666.     Value:  $0.03.4499. 

In  1813  a  cojjper  Stiver  was  issued;  upon  the  Obverse:  Head 
of  George  III.  Legend  :  "  georgius  hi  dei  gratia."  Re- 
verse :  "  one  stiver,"  occupying  the  field,  inclosed  by  an  oak 
wreath,  and  surmounted  by  a  royal  crown.  Legend:  "colo- 
nies OF  ESSEQUEBO  &  DEMERARA  TOKEN."  Value :  $0.01.3799. 
Half  and  quarter  Stivers  were  also  issued,  bearing  similar  Le- 
gends, their  denomination  occupying  the  field  of  the  Reverse. 

JAMAICA. 

In  1822  George  IV.  ordered  the  coinage  of  the  half  Dollar 
for  Jamaica. 

1.-  Half  Dollar  of  George  IV.  Obverse:  Quartered  shield, 
bearing  arms  of  Great  Britain,  Scotland,  and  Ireland,  with  a 
shield  of  pretence  with  the  arms  of  Hanover.  Legend : 
"  GEORGIUS  IV.  D.  G.  BRiTANNiARUM  REX.  F :  D  :  "  Reverse : 
A  crowned  anchor  occupying  the  field,  Roman  numerals  "II" 
at  each  side  of  it,  signifying  two  to  make  one  dollar.  Legend: 
"coloniar:  britan  :  monet:"  {Coloniarum  Britanniarum 
Moneta,  meaning:  Colonial  Bntish  Money).  Exergue:  Date 
of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  205  grains.  Fineness:  895. 
Value:  $0.49.9597. 


860  DYE'S  COIN  EXCYCLOP.£DIA. 

2.  Qnaitw  DoUar  of  1822.    Obveise  and  Legend :  Same  as 
Ko.  1. 


QUABTER  DOLLAB  OF  JAMAICA,  182Si 

Beverse,  L^iend,  and  Hxergne :  Same  as  Ho.  1 ;  with  the  ez- 
ception  of  the  Roman  numerals  **rf**  appearing  at  each  side  of 
the  imchor.  Weight :  102.500  grains.  Fineness :  895.  Value : 
90.24.9798. 

3.  One-eighUi  of  a  Dollar  of  1822.  Obverse  and  L^end : 
Same  as  No.  1. 


OKB-ETGHTH  OF  A  DOLLAB  OF  JAJCAICA,  1822. 

Beva'%,  Legend,  and  Exergue :  Same  as  j^o.  1,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  Roman  numerals  "  vm  "  appearing  at  each  side 
of  the  anchor.  Weight:  51.250  grains.  Fineness:  895. 
Value:  $0.12.4899. 

4.  One-sixteenth  of  a  Dollar  of  1822.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend: Same  as  No.  1. 


OSE-SIXTEE25TH  OF  A   DOLLAR  OF  JAMAICA  OF  1822. 

Reverse,  Legend,  and  Exergue:  Same  as  Xo.  1,  with  the  ex* 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  861 

ception  of  the  Roman  numerals  "  xvi "  appearing  at  each  side 
of  the  anchor.  Weight:  25.625  grains.  Fineness:  895. 
Value:  $0.06.2449. 

In  1869  a  Nickel  Penny  and  Half-Penny  were  struck  in 
England  for  Jamaica. 

1.  Xickel  Penny  of  Queen  Victoria,  1869  and  since.  Ob- 
verse :  Head  of  Queen  Victoria,  facing  to  the  left,  surrounded 
by  a  circle  of  dots.  Legend:  "victoria  queen."  Exergue: 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 


XICKEL   FES^TT  OP  JAMAICA. 

Reverse :  A  shield,  upon  it  five  pineapples  on  a  cross,  an  al- 
ligator surmounting  it,  and  below  the  shield  a  badge  with  the 
inscription  :  "iXDCS  UTERQCE  SERVIET  USI."  Legend  :  "JA- 
MAICA." Exergue:  "one  pe.vxy."  Composition:  20  parts 
nickel  and  80  parts  copi)er.  Weight:  150  grains.  Value 
nominal  at  2  cents. 

2.  Nickel  Half-Penny  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1869  and  since. 
Obverse,  Legend,  and  Excise:  Same  as  No.  1. 


XICKEL  half-penny  op  JAMAICA. 

Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.     Exergue:  '-half- 


862  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

PENNY."     Composition:  Same  as  No.  1.     Weight:  75  grains. 
Value,  nominal :  1  cent. 

BRITISH    GUIANA. 

During  the  reign  of  William  IV.  there  were  struck  for 
circulation  in  British  Guiana  silver  coins  of  one,  half,  and 
quarter  Guilder. 

1.  Guilder  of  William  IV.  Obverse:  Head  of  William 
IV.  Legend:  "gulielmus  iiii.  d.  g.  britanniar  rex  f, 
D."  Reverse :  "  1  Guilder,"  encircled  by  oak  branches,  and 
crowned  with  a  royal  crown.  Legend:  "British  guiana." 
Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  120  grains. 
Fineness:  816.666.     Value:  $0.28.3879. 

2.  Half  Guilder  of  William  IV.  Obverse  and  Legend  : 
Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  "J  Guilder;"  rest  same  as  No.  1. 
Weight:  60  grains.     Fineness:  816.666.     Value:  $0.14.1939. 

3.  Quarter  Guilder  of  William  IV.  Obverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  "\  Guilder;"  rest  same  as  No.  1. 
Weight:  30 grains.     Fineness:  816.666.     Value:  $0.07.0969. 

EAST   INDIA    COINS. 

Before  the  British  Colonies  were  established,  particularly 
while  the  Mogul's  power  prevailed  in  Hindostan,  the  monetary 
system  was  very  simple.  There  was  current  througiiout  those 
dominions  one  principal  coin  of  silver,  denominated  the  "Sicca 
Rupee."  There  were,  however,  gold  coins  minted.  The  prin- 
cipal piece  was  the  "  Mohur."  Both  the  Sicca  Rupee  and  the 
Mohur  were  originally  coined  of  pure  silver  and  gold,  without 
any  alloy. 

These  denominations  of  money  are  still  current  in  India,  but 
they  differ  from  each  other  and  all  have  departed  from  the  orig- 
inal purity. 

The  monies  of  some  of  the  Native  Princes  are  still  of  a  high 
degree  of  fineness,  but  they  are  subject  to  frequent  alterations ; 
and   hence  the  necessity  of  Shroffs,  who  are  a  kind  of  money 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  863 

brokers  and  assayers,  appointed  to  set  a  value  upon  the  different 
coins  that  may  require  examination. 

The  principal  money  of  account  in  India  is  the  "  Current 
Rupee."  It  is  an  imaginary  money,  to  which  real  coins  are 
generally  reduced  before  they  are  entered  into  books  of  account. 
This  reduction  is  performed  by  allowing  a  certain  percentage, 
called  the  "  Batta,"  which  varies  according  to  circumstances. 

There  are  under  the  Presidency  of  Bengal  three  Mints,  the 
principal  of  which  is  at  Calcutta;  and  the  subordinate  are:  one 
at  Benares,  and  the  other  at  Furruckabad. 

At  the  Mint  of  Calcutta  there  are  coined  gold  Mohurs  and 
silver  Sicca  Rupees.     The  fineness  of  both  coins  is  916.666. 

It  being  found  that  money  of  the  native  Legends  circulatetl 
more  freely  than  with  English  ones,  exact  imitations  of  the 
native  Rupees  were  issued,  even  to  the  defects  in  the  mode  of 
coinage.  Thus,  the  native  dies  being  always  made  much  larger 
than  the  piece  of  metal  to  be  coined,  the  latter  only  received  a 
portion  of  the  Legends;  except  when  presentation  pieces  were 
struck,  as  on  the  accession  of  a  new  monarch. 

In  1790,  however,  machinery  was  forwarded  from  England 
for  the  Calcutta  mint,  and  Rupees  were  issued  showing  the 
entire  legend,  and  properly  milled  at  the  edge  like  American 
coins;  this  improvement  was  shortly  afterwards  adopted  in  the 
Madras  and  Bombay  mints. 

In  1830  the  mint  was  completed  in  Calcutta  with  steam- 
power,  capable  of  coining  300,000  coins  in  one  working  day  of 
seven  hours. 

In  1835  it  was  determined  that  the  Anglo-Indian  coinage 
should  henceforward  bear  the  name  of  the  reigning  British 
sovereign,  with  English  Legends,  the  name  of  the  coin  only 
being  repeated  in  Persian.  The  native  gold  coins  which  at  first 
circulated  at  Madras  were  known  as  "Varahas  or  Hoons," 
and  "Fanams."  The  former  is  called  by  the  colonists  a 
"Pagoda,"  the  appellation  being  derived  from  the  Indian 
Pagoda  on  the  Obverse.  A  gold  Rupee  was  afterwards  sub- 
stituted in  the  English  mints,  having  native  inscriptions  similar 


864  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

to  those  or  the  silver  Rupees.  The  principal  gold  coin  after- 
wards received  another  modification,  when  the  lion  rampant, 
holding  a  crown,  became  the  type  of  the  Obverse,  and  on  the 
Reverse  the  name  of  the  coin  in  native  characters.  At  the 
Madras  mint,  where  similar  improvements  had  taken  place  to 
those  at  Calcutta,  very  pretty  small  silver  coins  were  issued,  of  the 
value  of  five  Fanams.  In  1808  there  was  coined  at  Madras  a 
half  Pagoda  of  silver  of  about  the  size  of  the  American  Trade 
Dollar.  It  has  a  temple  in  the  form  of  a  Pagoda  for  principal 
type,  and  on  the  Reverse  the  Indian  deity  "Vishnu."  It  is 
now  superseded  by  the  Rupee  with  the  native  Legends. 

The  Madras  mint  also  issued  pieces  termed  "  Dubs "  or 
"  Cash-pieces,"  being  twenty,  ten,  five  and  one  cash-pieces.  The 
Dubs  or  Cash-pieces  have  the  East  India  Company's  arms  on 
the  Obverse,  and  their  value  in  Persic  on  the  Reverse.  At 
Bombay,  silver  and  gold  Rupees  with  native  Legends  are  coined 
as  at  Calcutta  and  Madras.  The  Bombay  mint  is  now  supplied 
with  steam-power,  and  issues  the  same  amount  of  coins  in  a  day 
as  that  of  Calcutta.  The  early  copper  coins  of  Bombay  were 
struck  in  England.  Ceylon  has  always  been  supplied  with 
coins  struck  in  Europe.  The  elephant  formed  the  principal 
type,  till  the  head  of  the  British  sovereign  was  adopted. 

A  copper  coinage  has  also  been  struck  in  England  for  St. 
Helena,  with  the  arms  of  the  East  India  Company  on  the  Ob- 
verse; and  the  inscription:  "sT.  Helena  half-penny,"  and 
the  date,  with  a  wreath  of  laurel  on  the  Reverse. 

For  Fort  Marlboro  (Bencoolee),  half  dollars  were  issued  as 
early  as  1783 ;  they  were  coined  in  the  style  of  the  native 
money,  having  Persian  legends  on  the  Obverse;  but  on  the 
Reverse  "Fort  Marlboro"  in  English,  with  the  date. 

The  Island  of  Mauritius  was  supplied  with  British  coin  in 
1822  from  the  mint  at  Calcutta,  where  pieces  of  fifty  and  twenty- 
five  Sols  or  Sous,  of  a  low  standard,  were  issued. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  THE  MOGULS. 
1.  Mohur,  coined  under  the  reign  of  the  Mogul  Shah  Allum, 


SREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  865 

1776.  Obverse:  Inscription  in  Persic,  which  translated  means: 
"He  who  is  the  shadow  of  God's  favor,  the  Protector  of  the  reli- 
gion of  Mahomet,  the  Mogul  Shah  AUam,  coins  money  for  seven 
climates."  Below  the  date  of  the  Hegira:  "1190."  Reverse: 
"Struck  at  Calcutta  the  year  eight  from  the  happy  accession." 
Weight:  204.700  grains.  Fineness:  916.666.  Value:  $8.07- 
.0279. 

2.  Mohur,  coined  under  the  reign  of  the  Mogul  Shah  Allam, 
1789.  Obverse:  Inscription  in  Persic,  which  translated  means: 
"  Coin  of  the  Mogul  Shah  AUam  ;  "  below  the  date  of  the  Hegira : 
"1203."  Reverse:  "Year  nineteen  of  the  happy  accession," 
Weight:  204.700  grains.  Fineness:  916.666.  Value:  $8.07- 
.0279.  These  two  Mohurs  are  of  16  Rupees,  and  are  still  in 
circulation. 

Half  and  Quarter  Mohurs  of  the  same  devices  and  in  pro- 
portion to  weight  and  value  are  still  in  general  circulation  in 
the  interior  of  Hindostan. 

3.  Mohur  of  Tippoo  Saib.  Obverse:  Inscription  in  Persic, 
which  translated  means  :  "The  faith  of  Mahomet,  the  most  excel- 
lent in  this  world,  is  supported  by  the  splendor  of  the  victories  of 
Hyder.  Hyder  !  exalted,  in  equity."  Below  :  "Struck  at  Patian 
[Seringapatam)  the  year  pre-eminent  in  prosponty."  As  exergue, 
the  date  of  the  Indian  era:  "  81 "  instead  of  the  usual  Hegira. 
The  Indian  era  is  divided  into  Cycles  of  60  years  each,  of  which 
about  82  Cycles  have  already  passed.  "He  alone  is  the  equitable 
Sultan  ;  the  epoch  of  the  accession  was  a  year  of  happy  omen." 
Weight:  190  grains.  Fineness:  983.  Value:  $8.02.9725. 
This  Mohur  is  very  scarce  and  brings  a  high  premium. 

4.  Faruki,  or  Quarter  Mohur  of  Tippoo  Saib,  1782-1799. 
Obverse :  Inscription  in  Persic,  which  translated  means : 
"Mahomet !  He  is  the  only  and  right  Sultan."  Below :  The 
date  of  the  Hegira :"  1 1 97  to  1 204."  "Faniki,  struck  at  Pattan  " 
{SeHngapatam),  and  the  date  of  Tippoo  Saib's  reign  which 
commenced  in  1782  and  ended  with  1799;  in  Persian  figures. 
As  exergue:  "The  letter  "h"  in  Persic;  the  initial  of  Mogul 
Hyder  Ally,  father  of  Tippoo  Saib,  who  fought  so  bravely 

3C 


866  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

against  the  English  troops  in  1780,  and  died  in  1782.    Weight: 
27.250  grains.     Fineness:  983.     Value:  $2.00.7481. 

5.  Pagoda  of  Hyder  Ally.  Obverse:  Inscription  in  Persic, 
which  translated  means :  "Blessed  coin  of  the  conquering  Mogul 
Hyder  Ally."  Reverse :  "Struck  at  Arcot  in  the  fifth  year  of  the 
reign,  which  God  may  'prolong"  Weight :  62.83  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 916.666.     Value:  $1.91.1113. 

6.  Pagoda  of  Tjppoo  Saib.  Obverse  :  Inscription  in  Persic, 
which  translated  means :  "Mahomet !  He  is  the  power  of 
equity"  Below  the  date  of  the  Hegira:  "1197  to  1204."  Re- 
verse :  "Struck  at  Pattan."  Below  the  initial  "  H  "  of  Hyder. 
Weight:  52.83  grains.  Fineness:  839.925.  Value:  $1.91- 
.1113. 

7.  The  Zodiacal  Rupees  are  pieces  of  twelve  different  im- 
pressions, representing  the  twelve  signs  of  the  Zodiac.  They 
were  coined  between  1616  and  1624  of  the  Christian  era,  by  the 
great  Mogul  Jehangeer,  and  have  long  been  out  of  circulation. 
They  are,  however,  much  sought  after,  and  highly  valued  as 
objects  of  curiosity.  Each  sign,  or  figure,  is  surrounded  by 
rays  representing  the  sun  ;  and  on  the  Reverse  is  the  following 
inscription  in  native  Indian  characters,  which  translated  means : 
"This  ornamented  coin  in  Agra,  found  its  face  (received  its  im- 
pression), in  the  year  (first  to  ninth)  from  the  Sovereign  Jehan- 

'  geer,  son  of  King  Akber." 

The  Zodiacal  Rupees  are  exceptions  to  the  Mahometan  law 
which  forbids  the  representation  or  embossment  of  figures,  but 
it  is  said  that  Mogul  Jehangeer  had  little  respect  for  his  reli- 
gion. Under  his  reign  was  also  struck  a  gold  coin,  a  Rupee  of 
Queen  Nour-Mahal,  his  favorite  Queen,  who  had  obtained  per- 
mission to  reign  for  one  day.  To  perpetuate  the  memory  of 
her  short  reign,  she  had  a  beautiful  coin  issued  which  for  a  long 
time  circulated  largely  in  Hindostan.  So  far  as  known  only 
four  of  these  coins  exist  in  the  Museums  of  Europe;  their  in- 
trinsic value  about  $8.15  each;  their  weight  185  grains,  their 
fineness  almost  pure  gold. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  867 

GOLD  COINS  OF  THE  EAST  INDIA  COMPANY. 

1.  Mohur  of  15  Kupees.  Obverse:  Coat  of  arms  of  the  East 
India  Company,  a  quartered  shield  surmounted  by  a  helmet 
upon  which  a  lion  rampant;  the  shield  is  supported  by  two  lions, 
each  holding  a  staff,  with  Union  Jack  upon  the  flag.  Legend: 
"  ENGLISH  EAST  INDIA  COMPANY."  Reverse :  In  native  char- 
acters :  "  The  Ashrafee  or  Mohur  of  the  Honorable  English  Com- 
pany." Weight:  180  grains.  Fineness:  916.666.'  Value: 
$7.09.6979. 

2.  Mohur  of  15  Rupees  of  1841  to  1860.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Queen  Victoria.  Legend  :  "  victoria  queen."  Exergue ; 
« 1841-1860." 


GOLD   MOHUR  OF    15   RUPEES. 

Reverse:  A  lion,  a  palm  tree  occupying  the  field.     Legend: 
"east   INDIA   COMPANY."      Excrguc :    "one   MOHUR,"   and 
below,  the  same  in  native  characters.     Weight:  180   grains.* 
Fineness:  916.666.     Value:  $7.09.6979. 

3.  One-third    Mohur   of  5   Rupees.      Obverse:    Quartered 
shield    surmounted  by  a  lion  rampant.     Legend :  "  ENGLISH 

EAST  INDIA  COMPANY." 


ONE-THIRD   MOHUR   OF   5   RUPEES. 


Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.     Weight:   60  grains.     Fineness: 
916.666.     Value:  $2.36.5659. 


868  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

4.  One  Mohur  of  Queen  Victoria,  1862,  and  since.     Ob- 
verse: Crowned  bust  of  Queen  Victoria.     Legend:  "victobia 

QUEEN." 


MOHUR  OP  QUEEN   VICTORIA  OP   15   RUPEES. 

Reverse :  "  one  mohur  "  —  "  india  ; "  and  below,  the  date 
of  the  year  of  issue,  the  whole  iu  four  lines  occupying  the  field, 
surrounded  by  a  circle  of  dots  and  fancy  arabesques.  Weight : 
180  grains.     Fineness:  916.666.     Value :  $7.09.6979. 

5.  Two  Pagoda  piece  of  1799.  Obverse  :  A  pagoda  of  sev- 
eral stories  high,  surrounded  by  stars;  hence  often  called  East 
India  Star  Pagodas ;  the  whole  occupying  the  field.  Legend 
inscribed  upon  a  belt :  "  two  pagodas,"  and  tlie  same  repeated 
in  native  characters.  Reverse:  The  deity  Vishnu  surrounded 
by  dots ;  the  whole  occupying  the  field.  Legend  in  native 
characters,  inscribed  upon  a  belt:  "mahomet!  he  is  the 
power  of  equity."  Weight :  105.660  grains.  Fineness : 
916.666.     Value:  $3.92.2227. 

6.  Pagoda  of  1799.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  1. 
Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  52.830 grains. 
Fineness:  916.666.     Value:  $1.96.11135. 

The  old  Pagodas  of  the  Moguls,  especially  of  Tippoo  Saib, 
are  still  in  general  circulation ;  these  pieces  differ  in  shape  from 
all  American  and  European  coins ;  they  have  a  convex,  with 
prominent  dots,  and  a  flat,  side,  which  generally  bears  a  figure, 
and  in  some  three  figures  of  Indian  idols. 

The  Star  Pagoda  is  marked  on  the  convex  side  with  a  star; 
the  Crescent  Pagoda  with  a  crescent. 

The  Pagodas  of  Masulipatam  have  nothing  on  the  convex 
side  but  dots. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  809 

The  Pagodas  of  Tippoo  Saib  have  no  figures  on  the  flat  side, 
but  a  Legend  in  Persic,  which  translated  means:  "Jfahomet! 
The  power  of  equity ;"  below,  the  date  of  the  Hegira.  The 
Pagodas  of  Hyder,  father  of  Tippoo  Saib,  have  on  the  convex 
side  the  letter  "  H  "  in  Persic  character. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  EAST  INDIA. 

The  silver  coins  of  the  Moguls  are  devoid  of  likenesses:  their 
Koran  forbids  the  use  of  them  on  their  coins ;  therefore  they 
have  only  inscriptions  of  the  name  and  era  of  the  ruling  Mogul. 

The  silver  coins  of  the  East  India  Company,  which  was 
founded  by  charter  from  Queen  Elizabeth,  in  1602,  are  quite 
handsome.  The  East  India  Company  soon  found  that  the 
Spanish  Dollar  was  the  best  piece  they  could  carry  thither, 
being  better  than  bullion^as  the  natives  were  well  acquainted 
with  them,  and  liked  them  better  than  any  other  kind ;  they 
therefore  applied  to  Queen  Elizabeth  for  liberty  to  export  a 
certain  quantity  of  these  pieces  yearly,  alleging  that  her  own 
money  was  not  known  there,  for  which  very  reason  the  Queen 
refused  to  grant  it,  being  determined  that  if  they  were  not 
acquainted  with  her  coins,  they  should  be;  therefore  she  ordered 
a  particular  sort  of  money  to  be  struck  on  purpose  for  this  trade, 
of  the  same  weight  and  fineness  as  the  Spanish  Dollar,  but  with 
her  royal  arms  and  device  of  the  Portcullis,  called  from  thence 
the  Portcullis  money. 

The  Portcullis  forms  part  of  the  armorial  shield  of  the  Tudor 
family. 

1.  Crown  or  Ryal  of  Elizabeth.  Obverse:  Crowned  quar- 
tered shield,  bearing  arms  of  England  and  France ;  the  letters 
"e"  and  "r"  crowned  at  the  side  of  the  shield,  the  whole  sur- 
rounded by  a  circle  of  dotted  lines.  Legend:  "Elizabeth,  d. 
G.  ang:  era:  et  hirer:  regina."  Reverse:  Portcullis  sur- 
mounted by  a  large  royal  crown.  Legend:  "posvi.  devm. 
ADIVTOR.  mevm."  (/  have  made  God  my  helper).  Weight :  420 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.00. 

There  was  also  coined  halves,  quarters  and  eighths  of  this 


870  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Portcullis  money,  of  the  same  devices  and  bearing  the  same 
Legends  as  No.  1,  only  in  proportion  to  size  and  weight;  their 
value  of  course  corresponding  accordingly. 

Upon  the  marriage  of  Charles  II.  with  the  Infanta  Catherine 
of  Portugal,  in  1662,  the  island  and  port  of  Bombay  were  ceded 
to  him  as  part  of  her  portion,  and  by  him  ceded  to  the  East 
India  Company  in  1668. 

Among  the  first  money  coined  in  the  Bombay  mint  was  the 
silver  Rupee. 

2.  Silver  Rupee  of  the  East  India  Company,  struck  at  Bom- 
bay, by  authority  of  Charles  II.  Obverse :  "  the  rupee  of  bom- 
BAiM;"  occupying  the  field,  two  rosettes  below.  Legend: 
"  1678.  BY  AUTHORITY  OF  CHARLES  THE  SECOND."  Reverse : 
Crowned  quartered  shield  bearing  the  arms  of  England,  France, 
Ireland  and  Scotland.  Legend:  "  ^ing  of  great  britaine, 
FRANCE  and  IRELAND."  Weight:  175  grains.  Fineness: 
916.666.     Value:  $0.45.3698. 

3.  Bombay  Rupee  of  the  East  India  Company.  Obverse: 
"pax  deo"  {God's  Peace),  occupying  the  field,  surrounded  by 
a  circle  of  large  dots.  Legend:  "moneta  bombaiensis" 
[Money  of  Bombay).  Reverse :  Shield,  bearing  the  arras  of 
England  and  France  upon  two  of  the  upper  middle  compart- 
ments, at  each  side  a  star ;  below  and  middle  of  the  field  two 
vessels,  still  lower  one  vessel ;  the  whole  surrounded  by  palm 
branches.  No  Legend.  This  piece  is  smaller  than  the  usual 
Rupee;  but  is  thicker  in  proportion.  Weight:  175  grains. 
Fineness:  916.666.     Value:  $0.45.3698. 

4.  Bombay  Rupee  of  the  E.  I.  C.  Obverse :  Same  as  No. 
3,  only  in  Indian  characters.  Reverse :  Same  as  No.  3. 
Weight,  Fineness,  and  Value :  Same  as  No.  3. 

5.  Rupee  of  the  East  India  Company  of  1687.  Obverse: 
Shield,  bearing  arms  of  the  East  India  Company.  Reverse: 
"mon:  BOMBAY  ANGLIC  REGIMS."  Weight:  175  grains. 
Fineness:  916.666.     Value:  $0.45.3698. 

6.  Fanam,  or  one-fifth  of  a  Rupee  of  the  E.  I.  Co.,  of  1687. 
Obverse :  Same  as  No.  5.  Reverse :  Same  as  No.  5.  Weight : 
35  grains.     Fineness:  916.666.     Value:  $0.09.0739. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  871 

7.  Bombay  Rupee  of  the  E.  I.  Co.  Obverse :  "  MOirr  bom- 
bay  AXGLic  REGIM."  {Money  of  the  English  Regivie).  Le- 
gend :  "  HON  soc  ANG.  IND.  ORE "  {Honorable  Society  of  the 
English  Indian  Corporation).  Reverse :  Same  as  No.  3.  Le- 
gend :  "  INCREMENTUM  A  DEO  ET  PAX "  {Increase  unth  God 
and  peace).  Weight:  175  grains.  Fineness:  916.666.  Value: 
$0.45.3698. 

8.  Sicca  Rupee  of  Mogul  Shah  Allam  of  1789.  Obverse: 
Inscription  in  Persic  which  translated  means:  "Stt-uck  in  the 
seven  climates  by  the  shadow  of  God's  favor,  Shall  Allam,  Mogul, 
disciple  in  the  faith  of  Mahomet." 


SICX7A   RUPEE   OF  SHAH   ALLAM. 

Reverse :  "Struck  at  Pattan,  in  the  nineteenth  year  of  the  august 
and  glorious  reign  of  the  Moguly  Shah  Allam."  Weight:  185 
grains.  Fineness:  916.666.  Value:  ^0.47.9048.  Some  of 
the  Sicca  Rupees  bear  the  date  of  the  Hegira  instead  of  the 
year  of  the  Mogul's  reign.  The  East  India  Company  has 
struck  for  many  years  the  Sicca  Rupee  with  the  nineteenth  year 
of  Mogul  Shah  AI lam's  reign. 

9.  The  Arcot  Rupee  of  Mogul  Hyder.  Obverse:  Inscrip- 
tion in  Persic,  which  translated  means:  "Blessed  ea/n  of  the  con- 
quering Mogul  Hyder  Ally."  Reverse  :  "Struck  at  Arcot  in  the 
ninth  year  of  the  reign,"  and  the  dat^  of  the  Hegira  below ; 
which  corresponds  with  1781.  Weight:  185  grains.  Fineness: 
916.666.  Value:  $0.47.9048.  .Most  of  the  Ru|)ees  of  Hyder 
and  Tippoo  Saib  are  so  badly  coined  that  the  inscriptions  are 
hardly  legible. 

10.  Sultanee  Rupee  of  Tippoo  Saib.  Obverse:  Inscription 
in  Persic,  which  translated  means:  "The  faith  of  Mahomet,  the 


872  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

most  excellent  in  this  world,  is  supported  by  the  splendor  of  the  vic- 
tories of  Hyder.  Hyder!  exalted  in  equity;  struck  at  Seringapatam, 
the  year  pre-eminent  in  prosperity"  Below,  the  date  of  the 
Hegira.  Reverse:  "He  alone  is  the  equitable  Sultan:  the  epoch 
of  the  accession  was  a  year  of  happy  omen."  Weight:  185 
grains.     Fineness:  916.666.     Value:  $0.47.9048. 

11.  Half  Rupee  of  Tippoo  Saib.  Obverse:  Inscription  in 
Persic,  which  translated  means:  "The  faith  of  Mahomet  is  sup- 
ported by  the  splendor  of  the  victories  of  Tippoo  Saib."  Reverse : 
"Sti'uck  at  Seringapatam,  the  year  pre-eminent  in  gloicy  and  pros- 
perity." Weight:  92.500  grains.  Fineness:  916.666.  Value: 
$0.23.9524. 

12.  Quarter  Rupee  of  Tippoo  Saib.  Obverse:  Inscription 
in  Persic,  which  translated  means:  "Blessed  coin  of  the  glorious 
Mogul  Tippoo  Saib."  Reverse :  "Struck  at  Seringapatam  in  the 
victorious  reign  of  the  Mogul  Tippoo  Saib."  Weight:  46.250 
grains.     Fineness:  916.666.     Value:  $0.11.9762. 

13.  Half  Pagoda.  Obverse :  A  Pagoda  nine  stories  high, 
surrounded  by  a  belt  upon  which  the  Legend :  "  half  pagoda  ; " 
and  the  same  repeated  in  native  characters.  Reverse :  Indian 
Deity,  Vishnu,  at  each  side  dots  formed  into  the  shape  of  a 
cross  and  string;  and  surrounded  by  three  circles  formed  of 
dots.  Weight:  326  grains.  Fineness:  902.  Value:  $0.83- 
.1340. 

14.  Quarter  Pagoda.  Obverse  and  Legends :  Same  as  No. 
13. 


QUARTER  PAGODA. 

Reverse :  Same  as  No.  13.    Weight :  164  grains.     Fineness : 
902.    Value:  $0.41.5670. 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESSIONS.  873 

15.  Rupee  of  William  IV.  Obverse :  Head  of  William  IV. 
Legend  :  **  William  iiii  king."  Reverse ;  "  one  rupee," 
below  the  same  repeated  in  native  characters ;  the  whole  sur- 
rounded by  a  laurel  wreath,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend  :  "  east 
INDIA  COMPANY."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  180  grains.     Fineness:  925.     Value:  $0.47.1446. 

16.  Rupee  of  Queen  Victoria,  1840-1860.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Queen  Victoria.  Legend  :  "  victoria  queen."  Reverse  : 
Same  as  No.  15.  Weight:  180  grains.  Fineness:  925. 
Value:  $0.47.1446. 

17.  Rupee  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1861  and  since.  Obverse: 
Bust  of  Queen  Victoria,  crowned.  Legend :  "  Victoria 
QUEEN."  Reverse:  "one  rupee."  " india,"  and  the  date  of 
the  year  of  issue;  surrounded  by  arabesques  of  flowers  and 
leaves.  Weight:  180  grains.  Fineness:  925.  Value:  $0.47- 
.1446. 

18.  Half  Rupee  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1840-1860.  Obverse 
and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  16.  Reverse:  "half  rupee," 
and  the  same  repeated  in  native  characters ;  rest  same  as  No. 
16.  Weight:  90  grains.  Fineness:  925.  Value:  $0.23- 
.5723. 

19.  Half  Rupee  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1861  and  since.  Ob- 
verse and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  17. 


half  rupee  of  queen  victoria. 

Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  17.     Weight :  90  grains. 
Fineness  :  925.     Value  :  $0.23.5723. 

20.  Quarter  Rupee  of  Queen  Victoria.     Obverse  and  Le- 


874  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

gends:  Same  as  No.  16  and  17.  Reverse:  "^  rupee;"  rest 
same  as  No.  16  and  17.  Weight:  45  grains.  Fineness:  925. 
Value:  $0.11.78615. 

20.  Two  Annas  of  Queen  Victoria.     Obvei-se  and  Legend  : 
Same  as  No.  16. 


TWO  ANNAS  OF  QUEEN  VICTORIA. 

Reverse :  "two  annas,"  the  same  repeated  below  in  native 
characters;  the  whole  surrounded  by  branches  of  laurel,  crossed 
and  tied.  Legend  :  "  east  India  company."  Exergue :  Date 
of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  22.500  grains.  Fineness :  925. 
Value:  $0.05|. 

21.  Double  Fanam  of  Charles  II.  Obverse :  An  East  India 
idol.  Reverse  :  Two  "  c'*,"  crossed,  saltier-wise.  Weight :  70 
grains.     Fineness:   916.666.     Value:  $0.18.1478. 

22.  Fanam  of  Charles  II.  Obverse  and  Reverse:  Same  as 
No.  21.  Weight:  35  grains.  Fineness:  916.666.  Value: 
$0.09.0739. 

TUTANAGUE  OR  TIN  COINS  OF  EAST  INDIA. 

1.  Pice  of  1717-1718.  Obverse:  Large  crown,  surmounted 
by  the  letters  "g.  R."  {George  Rex),  below  the  crown  "bomb." 
Reverse:  "auspicio  regiset  senatus  angliae;"  and  the 
date  of  the  year  of  issue.     Value  entirely  nominal. 

2.  Half  Pice  of  1739.  Obverse,  Reverse  and  Value:  Same 
as  No.  1.  There  were  also  coined  that  year  some  half  Pice 
pieces  with  "  J  p."  on  the  Obverse,  and  "  e.  i.  c."  on  the  Re- 
verse.    Value  entirely  nominal. 

COPPER  COINS  OF  EAST  INDIA. 

1.  4  Pice  of  1791,  and  the  last  coin  struck  in  England  for 
circulation  in   the   East   Indies.      Obverse:    A   heart-shaped 


GREAT  BRITAIN  AND  POSSESS fONS.  875 

shield,  quartered,  bearing  the  letters  "  v.  e.  i.  c."  in  each  angle 
( United  East  India  Company),  above  the  heart  a  clumsy  figure 
"  4,"  meaning :  4  Pice.  Reverse :  A  pair  of  scales ;  below  in 
native  characters:  "adil"  {Just  weight).  Value  entirely 
nominal  at  1  cent. 

2.  Half  Anna  of  1832.  Obverse:  Arms  of  the  East  India 
Company.  Legend  :  "  east  india  company,"  and  in  a  scroll 
beneath  "aus.  reg.  et.  sen.  ang."  {Auspicio  Begiset  Senatus 
Angliae).  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Reverse :  Pair 
of  scales.  Legend :  "  half  anna."  Exergue :  "adil,"  mean- 
ing: {Just  weight).     Value  nominally  1^  cents. 

3.  Quarter  Anna  of  the  E.  I.  Co.  Obverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse:  A  pair  of  scales,  above  them  "  quar- 
ter ANNA,"  and  below  "just  weight."  Exergue:  "1246" 
of  the  Hegira,  which  corresponds  with  a.  d.  1830. 

4.  One  Pie  or  Pice  of  1795,  altered  from  the  earlier  Anglo^ 
Indian  types  of  coins  of  Charles  II.  and  James  II.,  and  issued 
with  Legend  in  native  character,  having  upon  the  Obverse: 
"In  the  S7th  year  of  tlie  reign  of  Shah  Allam."  Reverse :  In 
Bengalee,  Najari  and  Persian  characters  "  one  pai  sicca" — 
the  term  Sicca,  in  reference  to  the  standard  weight  of  that 
name. 

5.  One  Pie  or  Pice  of  E.  I.  Co.,  1831,  in  imitation  of  the 
aforementioned  native  coin.  It  was  made  thicker,  but  smaller 
in  diameter,  and  the  Legends  differently  disposed  on  the 
Obverse.  Reverse:  "one  pie,"  and  the  same  repeated  in 
Bengalee  characters.  Value  entirely  nominal  at  one-fourth  of 
a  cent. 

6.  Four  Pie  or  Pice  piece  of  1833.  Obverse:  Arms  of  E. 
I.  Co.  Reverse :  Large  figure  "  4 "  inclosed  in  a  wreath. 
Value  nominal  at  one  cent. 

7.  One  Pice  or  Pie  piece  of  1833.  Obverse:  Arms  of  E.  I. 
Co.  Exergue :  "  1833.  Reverse :  "i'^  anna,"  and  the  same 
repeated  in  native  characters:  the  whole  inclosed  by  two 
branches  of  laurel.     Legend  :  "  east  india  company." 

8.  One  Half  Anna  of  1835.     Obverse:  Arms  of  the  E.  I. 


876  'DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Co.,  a  scroll  with  "ausp.  reg.  sen.  ang."  upon  it.  Reverse : 
"half  anna"  in  two  lines  surrounded  by  oak  branches, 
crossed  and  tied.  Legend :  "  east  india  company."  Value : 
One  and  a  half  cents. 

9.  Quarter  Anna  of  1835.  Obverse  and  Reverse:  Same  as 
No.  8,  only  the  inscription  on  Reverse  is  changed  to  "one 
quarter  anna  "  in  three  lines.  Value,  nominally  at  three- 
quarters  of  a  cent. 

10.  Twenty  Cash  piece  of  the  E.  I.  Co.  Obverse :  Arms 
of  the  East  India  Company.  Legend:  "east  india  com- 
pany." Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue  from  1803  to  1815. 
Reverse  :  In  Persic  letters  "  xx  cash."  Value  entirely  nom- 
inal at  one  cent. 

11.  Ten  Cash  and  5  Cash  pieces.  Obverse  and  Reverse: 
Same  as  No.  10,  with  the  exception  that  "  x "  and  "  v "  take 
the  place  of  "  xx."  Values  entirely  nominal  at  a  half  and  a 
quarter  cent. 

12.  One  Cash  piece.  Obverse:  Lion  rampant.  Reverse: 
"  1  CASH."     Value,  nominally  one-twentieth  part  of  a  cent. 

13.  Cent,  Half  Cent  and  Quarter  Cent  pieces  of  Queen 
Victoria.  Obverse :  Head  of  Queen  Victoria,  the  hair  encircled 
by  a  diadem.  Legend :  "  victoria  queen."  Reverse :  A 
wreath  inclosing  :  "  ONE  cent,"  "  half  cent  "  and  "  quarter 
cent."  Legend  :  "  east  india  company."  Exergue :  Date 
of  the  year  of  issue,  beginning  with  1845. 

14.  One  Quarter  Anna  of  Queen  Victoria  of  1862  and  since. 
In  1858  the  British  government  ceased  to  coin  money  for  the 
E.  I.  Co.,  and  from  that  date  the  Legend  of  "  east  india  com- 
pany" disappears  from  all  the  East  India  coins.  Obverse: 
Crowned  bust  of  Queen  Victoria.  Legend  :  "  victoria  queen." 
Reverse :  "  one  quarter  anna  "  —  "  india,"  and  the  date 
of  the  year  of  issue,  occupying  five  lines  of  the  field  ;  surrounded 
by  a  circle  of  dots.  No  Legend  or  Exergue ;  but  in  their  stead 
a  heavy  arabesque  border  of  leaves  and  flowers.  Value  entirely 
nominal  at  three-quarters  of  a  cent. 


GREECE.  '  877 

GREECE. 

From  1453  to  1829  Greece  under  Turkish  rule  had  no  coins 
of  her  own  ;  using  the  Piasters  and  Paras  of  Turkey. 

In  1827  Capo  D'Istria  was  chosen  governor  of  the  new  Greek 
republic,  but  being  unpopular  in  the  extreme,  he  was  assassi- 
nated in  1831.  His  coinage  is  limited  to  a  few  coins  only.  His 
coins  were  struck  at  ^gina,  in  1829,  by  means  of  a  coining 
press  that  had  been  used  formerly  by  the  Knights  of  Malta. 

These  coins  consisted  of  the  "  phoenix  "  of  100  Leptas,  in 
silver,  and  the  Lepton,  five  and  ten  Lepta  pieces  in  copper. 

1.  Phoenix,  silver.  Obverse:  A  Phoenix,  a  cross  above  its 
head.  Legend :  eaaanikh.  noAiTEiA,  1821 "  {State  of 
Greece,  1821).  Reverse :  A  wreath  of  olive  and  laurel  branches, 
inclosing  Value  and  Legend  :  "  ktbepnhths  i.  a.  KAno  ais- 
TPIA2, 1828  "  {Governor  J.  A.  Capo  D'Istria,  1828).  Weight": 
47  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value:  $0.16.666. 

2.  Twenty  Lepta  copper  piece.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same 
as  No.  1.  Reverse  :  "  20  lepta,"  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Value, 
nominally  3 J  cents. 

3.  Ten  and  Five  Lepta  copper  piece.  Same  as  No.  2,  only 
upon  the  Reverse :  "  10  and  5  lepta"  instead  of  "  20."  Value 
about  one  and  a  half  and  three-quarters  of  a  cent. 

4.  The  Lepton  copper  piece.  Same  as  No.  2  and  3,  only 
upon  the  Reverse  the  word  "  aehton"  {Lepton)  occupying  the 
field.     Value  one-fifteenth  of  a  cent. 

In  1832  Otto  of  Bavaria  was  elected  King  of  Greece,  and  in 
that  year  a  new  coinage  was  inaugurated. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  KING  OTTO. 

1.  Forty  Drachma  piece  of  King  Otto.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Otto.  Legend :  "oenN  ba2IAET2  the  eaaaaos  "  {Otho  King 
of  the  GreeJcs).  Reverse:  Crowned  shield  bearing  the  arms  of 
Greece  {azure;  a  cross  argent),  with  the  arms  of  Bavaria  in  the 
centre  of  the  cross,  inclosed  between  two  branches  of  laurel. 


878  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Exergue :  "  40  apaxmai."  (40  Drachmas),  and  the  date  of  the 
year  of  issue.  Weight:  178.274  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  86.90.4544. 

2.  Twenty  Drachma  piece  of  Otto.     Obverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  1. 


TWENTY   DRACHMAS  OP  OTHO. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue:  "20  apaxmai"  (20 
Drachmas),  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  89.137 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.45.2274. 

*  SILVER  COINS  OF  KING  OTTO. 

1.  Five  Drachmas  of  Otto.  Obverse :  Head  of  Otto  facing  to 
the  right.  Legend:  "O0QN  basiaets  the  eaaaaos"  {Otho 
King  of  the  Greeks). 


FIVE   drachmas   of   OTHO. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Greece  with 
the  arms  of  Bavaria  in  the  centre,  surrounded  by  laurel 
branches,  a  sectional  line  dividing  the  Exergue :  "5  apaxmai  " 
(5  Drachmas),  and  below,  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight : 
345.452  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.87.1964. 


GREECE.  879 

2.  Drachma  of  Otho.    Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1. 


DRACHMA   OF   OTHO. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue:  "iapaxmh"  {One 
JDraehma).  Weight :  69.090  grains.  Fineness  :  900.  Value : 
$0.17.4393. 

3.  Half  Drachma  of  Otho.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same  as 
No.  1. 


HALF   DRACHMA   OF   OTHO. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue:  "|  apaxmh  "  (Half 
Drachma).  Weight :  34.545  grains.  Fineness :  900.  Value : 
$0.08.7196. 

4.  Quarter  Drachma  of  Otho.  Obverse  and  Reverse:  Same 
as  No.  1.  Exergue  on  Reverse:  "J  apaxmh"  {Quarter 
Drachma).  Weight :  17.272  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.04.3598. 

COPPER  COINS  OF  OTHO. 

1.  Ten  Lepta  piece.  Obverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  the 
arms  of  Greece.  Legend  :  "  basiaeia  the  eaaaaos  "  {King- 
dom of  Greece).  Reverse :  "  10  aehta  "  {Ten  Lepta),  and  the 
date  of  the  year  of  issue  inclosed  in  a  heavy  wreath  of  laurel. 
Value,  nominal,  at  $0.01.7440. 

2.  Five  Lepta  piece.     Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  1 . 


880  DYBPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Reverse:    "5  aehta"   [Five  Lepta).  .  Rest  same  as  No.  1. 
Value:  $0.00.8719. 

3.  Two  Lepta  piece.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1. 
Reverse :  "  2  aehta  "  {Two  Lepta).  Rest  same  as  No.  1. 
Value:  $0.00.3488. 

4.  Lepton.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse: 
"aehton"  (LepUm).     Rest  same  as  No.  1.    Value :  $0.00.1744. 

From  1833  to  1847  the  branches  of  the  wreath  on  Reverse 
were  composed  of  laurel,  and  solid  all  round.  In  1847  to  1863, 
olive  branches  took  the  place  of  the  laurel  wreath,  and  were 
fastened  below ;  the  Legend  :  "  BASIAEIA  "  [King)  was  changed 
to  "  BA2IAEION  "  {Kingdom). 

The  reign  of  Otto  was  not  a  fortunate  one,  and  his  unpopu- 
larity ended  in  a  revolution  in  1863.  During  this  uprising 
King  Otto  abdicated  the  throne  of  Greece,  and  retired  to  Ba- 
varia. 

Soon  after  Prince  George,  of  Denmark,  accepted  the  then 
vacant  throne,  and  in  1867  joined  the  Latin  Union,  adapting 
his  coins  to  the  French  Franc  monetary  system. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  KING  GEORGE  L 

1.  One  Hundred  Drachmas.  Obverse:  Head  of  George  I. 
Legend :  "  rEOPriox  a !  basiasts  ton  eaahnqn "  {George  /., 
King  of  the  Greeks).  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Re- 
verse :  The  Greek  shield,  inclosed  by  heavy  drapery  suspended 
from  a  crown  above,  while  on  a  ribbon  running  across  the 
drapery,  are  the  words  "ISXTS  MOT  h  ATAHH  T0T  aaot" 
(3/j/  strength  is  in  my  people's  love).  Legend:  "baxiaeion 
THE  eaaaaos  "  {Kingdom  of  the  Greeks).  Exergue :  "  100 
APAXMAi"  (100  Drachmas).  Weight:  497.816  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  §19.30. 

2.  Fifty  Drachmas.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1. 
Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergq*:  "  50  apaxmai  " 
(50  Drachmas).  Weight:  248.908  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $9.65. 

3.  Forty  Drachmas.     Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1. 


GREECE.  881 

Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue:  "40 
APAXMAI "  (40  Drachmas).  Weight :  199.1235  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $7.72. 

4.  Twenty  Drachmas.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No. 
1.  Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue:  "20 
APAXMAi"  (20  Drachmas).  Weight:  99.561  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $3.86. 

5.  Ten  Drachmas.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1. 
Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue:  "10 
APAXMAI '** (10  Drachmas).  Weight:  49.769  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $1.93. 

6.  Five  Drachmas.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1. 
Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue:  "5  apaxmai" 
(5  Drachmas).  Weight:  24.876  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.96|. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  KING  GEORGE  L 

1.  Five  Drachmas.  Obverse:  Head  of  George  I.  Legend: 
"  rEQpnos  A  !  basiaets  tqn  eaahnqn"  {George  I.,  King  of 
the  Greeks).  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Reverse : 
The  Greek  shield,  inclosed  by  heavy  drapery  suspended  from  a 
crown  above,  while  on  a  ribbon  running  across  the  drapery  are  the 
words:  "isxrs  mot  h  atahh  tot  aaot"  {3Iy  strength  is  in 
my  people^s  love).  Legend  :  "  basiaeion  the  eaaaaos  "  {The 
Kingdom  of  the  Greeks).  Exergue :  "  5  apaxmai  "  (5  Drach- 
ma). Weight:  385.808  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.96|. 

2.  Two  Drachmas.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1. 
Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1^  Exergue:  " 2  apaxmai  " 
(2  Drachmas).  Weight:  154.323  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.38.600. 

3.  One  Drachma.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1. 
Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue :  "1  apaxmh" 
(1  Drachma).  Weight:  77.161  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.19.300. 

4.  Fifty  Lepta.     Obverse  and   Legend:    Same  as  No.  1. 

3D 


882  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA, 

Reverse :  A  large  crown  occupying  the  field.  Legend :  Same 
as  No.  1 .  Below  the  crown  :  "  50  aehta  "  (50  Lepta).  Ex- 
ergue: Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  38.580  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.09.650. 

5.  Twenty  Lepta.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1. 
Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  4.  Below  the  crown  :  "  20 
aeiita"  (20  Lepta).  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  15.432  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.07.720. 

COPPER  COINS  OF  KING  OTHO. 

1 .  Ten  Lepta.  Obverse :  Crowned  shield  of  Greece.  Le- 
gend :  "basiaeion  the  eaaaaos"  {Kingdom  of  the  Greeks). 
Reverse  :  "  10  aehta"  (10  Lepta),  and  the  date  of  the  year  of 
issue,  surrounded  by  a  heavy  laurel  wreath.  Value,  entirely- 
nominal  at  1|  cents. 

2.  Five  Lepta.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1.  Re- 
verse: "5  aehta"  (5  Lepta);  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Value: 
Dominally  at  seven-eighths  of  a  cent. 

3.  Two  Lepta.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  1.  Re- 
verse :  "2  aehta"  (2  Lepta);  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Value: 
nominally  at  three-sixteenths  of  a  cent. 

4.  Lepton.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Re- 
verse: "  aeuton"  {Lepton). 

BRONZE  COINS  OF  KING  GEORGE  L 

1.  Ten  Lepta.  Obverse:  Head  of  George  I.  Legend: 
"rEQPnos  a  !  basiaets  ton  eaahnqn."  Exergue:  Date  of 
the  year  of  issue.  Reverse :  "  10  aehta  "  (10  Lepta),  surrounded 
by  a  laurel  wreath.  Legend:  "aiq  boaon"  {Two  Obolons). 
Value:  entirely  nominal  at  If  cents. 

2.  Five  Lepta.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  1.  Re- 
verse: "5  aehta;"  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Legend:  "boaos" 
{Obol).     Value:  nominally  at  seven-eighths  of  a  cent. 

3.  Two  Lepta.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1.  Re- 
verse: "2  AEnTA,"  surrounded  by  a  laurel  wreath.  Value: 
norainallv  at  three-sixteenths  of  a  cent. 


HOLLAND.  883 

4.  Lepton.     Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1.    Reverse: 
"aehton"  {Lepton);  rest  same  as  No.  4. 


HOLLAND. 

In  1795  the  territory  of  the  Netherlands  was  conquered  by 
the  French,  and  formed  soon  after  into  the  Batavian  Republic. 
In  1806  Napoleon  the  First  changed  it  into  the  Kingdom  of 
Holland,  and  in  1810  it  was  incorporated  into  the  French  Empire. 
After  the  fall  of  Napoleon  it  was,  in  1815,  erected  into  a  king- 
dom with  Belgium.  In  1830  the  Belgians  took  advantage  of 
the  revolution  in  France,  and  have  maintained  to  this  day  their 
independence.  The  Netherlands  now  exist  as  a  distinct  king- 
dom, comprising  the  seven  principalities  :  Holland,  Zealand, 
West  Friesland,  Utrecht,  Guelderiand,  Overyssel,  and  Gron- 
ingen.  Each  of  the  seven  provinces  had  its  own  mint.  Their 
coins,  however,  have  differed  but  little.  They  are  generally 
quite  readily  distinguished  by  the  name  of  the  Province,  which 
appears  in  an  abbreviated  form  at  the  end  of  the  Legend. 

Thus  the  coins  of  the  Province  Holland  are  known  by  Holl. 
or  Holland;  those  of  Zealand  by  Zel.  or  Zeelandia — sometimes 
merely  the  letter  Z;  those  of  West  Friesland  by  Wesff. ;  those 
of  Utrecht  by  Tra.  or  Trajed;  those  of  Guelderiand  by  Geldria; 
those  of  Overyssel  by  Tran.,  Transisal,  or  Transisalania ;  those 
of  Groningen  by  Or  on, 

GOLD  COINS. 

1.  The  Ryder.  Obverse  :  Armed  horseman  above  the  arms 
of  the  province.  Legend :  "  mo.  aur.  peo.  confoed.  belg. 
ZELAND."  {Moneta  Aurece  Frovhicice  Oonfoederationis  Belgicce 
Zelandice,  meaning :  Gold  coin  of  Zealand,  'province  of  the  Bclgic 
Confederacy).  Reverse  ;  Arms  of  the  seven  United  Provinces, 
with  "  14  gl"  (14  Guilders  or  Florins),  in  the  field.     Legend  : 


884  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

"CONCORDIA  RES  PARVAE  crescunt"  {Small  things  irurease 
by  concord).  Weight :  153.500  grains.  Fineness :  917.  Value: 
$5.63.4996. 

2.  Dukaat  of  Lodewig  Napoleon,  1809.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Louis  Napoleon.  Legend :  "  lodew.  nap.  kon.  van  holl." 
[Lodewig  Napoleon  Koning  Van  Holland,  meaning :  Louis  Na- 
poleon, King  of  Holland).  Reverse  :  Quartered  shield,  bearing 
two  French  Eagles  and  two  Hollandish  lions,  surmounted  by  a 
large  royal  crown;  beneath  the  shield  "1809."  Legend: 
"  HOLLAND  KONINGRIJK  "  {Kingdom  of  Holland).  Weight : 
53.92  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $2.28.1169. 

3.  DuJjaat  of  1817  and  since.  Obverse:  Knight  in  armor, 
sword  drawn  in  dexter,  bundle  of  arrows  in  sinister  hand ;  at 
the  side  of  Knight  the  year  of  issue,  divided.  Legend :  "  Con- 
cordia RES  PARVAE  CRESCUNT."  Above  and  at  the  side  of 
helmet  of  Knight  the  mint-marks. 


MO.  Ann. a 

RECBELUnlc)^., 


DUCAT  OF   HOLLAND. 

Reverse :  "  mo.  aur.  reg.  belgii  ad.  legem  imperii."  {Mon- 
eta  Aur  COS  Regnum  Belgii  ad  legem  imperii,  meaning :  Gold  coin 
of  the  Kingdom  of  Belgium  according  to  the  law  of  the  Empire). 

This  gold  Ducat  was  coined  first  for  the  province  of  Belgium 
under  Netherland's  rule,  but  has  ever  since  been  struck  by  Hol- 
land for  general  circulation.  Li  1831,  during  the  revolution  in 
"Poland,  Russia  coined  the  Hollandish  Ducat  for  circulation  in 
Poland  and  the  Russian  Empire,  continuing  ever  since  to  coin 
these  Ducats,  according  to  the  mint  regulations  of  Holland,  with 
respect  to  Weight,  Fineness,  and  Impression,  distinguishing  it 
from  the  Dutch  Ducat  by  the  Polish  eagle  at  the  beginning  of 
the  Legend.     Russia  and  Holland  still  use  the  words :  "  REG- 


HOLLAND.  886 

NUM  BELGii "  upon  their  coins.    Weight :  63.92  grains.     Fine- 
ness :  983.     Value :  $2.28^. 

4.  Ten  Guilders  of  Willem  of  1816-1840.  Obverse :  Head 
of  William  I.  Legend  :  "  willem  koning  deb  ned.  g.  h.  v. 
L."  ( Willem  Koning  der  Nederlanden,  Groot  Hertog  van  Luxem- 
burg, meaning :  William,  King  of  the  Netherlands^  Grand  Duke 
of  Luxemburg). 


10  GUILDERS,  OR  FLORINS  OF  WILLIAM,  1816-1840. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Holland,  the  lion 
rampant,  with  a  sword  in  his  right  and  a  bundle  of  arrows  in 
his  left  paw;  "  10"  at  the  left  of  shield,  and  "g."  at  the  right 
(10  Guilders  or  Florins).  Legend  :  "munt  van  het  koning- 
EYK  der  nederlanden,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue 
(Coin  of  the  Kingdom  of  the  Netherlands).  Round  the  edge: 
"  GOD  zij  MET  ON8  "  {God  be  with  us).  Weight :  103.828  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $4.01.4862. 

5.  Five  Guilders  of  Willem  of  1816-1840.  Obverse  and 
Legend :  Same  as  No.  4. 


five  GUILDERS,   OR   FLORINS   OF   WILLIAM,  1816-1840. 

Reverse :  Same  as  No.  4,  with  the  exception  of  5  G."  taking 
the  place  of  "10  g.,"  and  the  edge  grained.  Weight:  51.914 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $2.00.7431. 

6.  Ten  Guilders  of  Willem  II.  of  1840-1849.  Obverse: 
Head  of  William  II.      Legend :  "  willem  ii  koning  der 


886  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 

NED.  G.  H.  V.  L."  Reverse ;  Shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Hol- 
land, the  lion  rampant,  a  helmet  above  the  shield  ;  the  whole 
upon  a  mantle  of  ermine,  draped  from  a  crown  from  above. 
Legend:  "10  guldex"(10  Guilders  or  Florins).  Exergue: 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  103.828  grains.  Fineness : 
900.     Value:  H01.4862. 

7.  Five  Guilders  of  Willem  II.  of  1841-1849.     Obverse 
and  Legend :  Same  as  !Xo.  6. 


FIVE  GUILDERS,   OR  FLORINS  OF  WILLIAM  H.,   1840-1849. 

Reverse  and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  6.  Legend:  "funf 
gulden"  {Five  Guilders  or  Florins).  Weight:  51.914  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  §2.00.7431. 

8.  Double  William  of  20  Florins  of  William  III.,  1849  and 
since.  Obverse :  Head  of  William  III.  Legend  :  "  god  zij 
MET  ONS "  {God  be  with  vs)  Exergue :  " koning  willem  de 
derde"  {King  William  the  Third).  Reverse:  Crowned  shield, 
upon  it  lion  rampanL  "  20  "  at  the  left  and  "  g  "  at  the  right 
of  shield  (20  Guilders  or  Florins).  Legend:  "koningrijk 
der  nederlands,  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight : 
207.656  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $8.02.9724. 

9.  William  of  10  Florins  of  William  III.  Obverse,  Le- 
gend, and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  8. 


AVILLIAM    OF   10  GUILDERS   OR  FLORINS  OF   WILLIAM   III. 


HOLLAND, 


887 


Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  8,  only  "10  o"  taking 
the  place  of  "  20  g."  Weight :  103.828  grains.  Fineness :  900. 
Value:  $4.01.4862. 

10.  Half  William  of  5  Florins  of  William  III,  Obverse, 
Legend,  and  Exergue:  Same  a.s  No.  8.  Reverse  and  Legend  : 
Same  as  No.  8,  only  "5  g"  taking  the  place  of  "20  g." 
Weight:  51.914  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value:  $2.00.7431. 

There  are  yet  a  few  Double  Ducats  in  circulation  of  former 
coinage,  bearing  the  same  Impressions  and  Legends  as  the 
Ducat,  described  as  coin  No.  3,  only  larger  in  proportion. 
Weight:  107.84  grains.     Fineness:  983.     Value:  $4.59. 

SILVER  COINS. 

In  1680  there  were  coined  Half  Pound  Flemish  silver  pieces 
of  10  Shillings,  each  Shilling  being  again  divided  into  12 
Groats.  The  Groat  was  again  equal  to  a  Half  Stiver:  the 
Stiver  of  that  period  is  worth  about  2  cents. 

1.  Crown  or  Ten  Shillings  Current  of  Zealand.  Obverse: 
Knight  in  armor,  carrying  a  sword,  one  leg  hidden  by  a  crowned 
.shield,  with  wavy  lines  to  represent  water,  with  a  lion  rampant 
rising  from  it.    Legend :  "  luctor  et  emebgo." 


CROWN  OR  TEN  SHILLINGS  CURRENCY  OF  ZEELAND,  1689. 

Reverse:  Seven  shields.  "10  s.  c,"  in  the  field.  {Ten 
Shillings  currency)  "mo.  no.  arg.  ord.  zeelandi^e,  1689." 
Weio-ht:  462  grains.     Fineness:  917.     Value:  §1.20. 


888 


DYIPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


2.  Crown  or  Ten  Shillings  Current  of  Gueldres.  Obverse : 
Knight  in  armor,  both  legs  hidden  by  a  shield,  upon  which  is 
a  lion  rampant.  Legend:  "mo.  arg.  pro.  cx)NFCe.  belg.  gel." 
[Monda  Aurece  Provincice  Confoederationis  Belfficce  Gebice; 
meaning :  Silver  money  of  Gueldres,  a  province  of  the  Belgic  con- 
federacy). 


CROWX   OR  TEN   SHILLINGS   OP  GUELDRES,  1696. 

Reverse:  hlon  rampant  Legend:  "confidexs  dno.  non. 
MOVLTVR,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  462 
grains.     Fineness:  917.     Value:  $1.20. 

3.  Ducatoon  of  Utrecht,  1801.  Obverse:  Armed  horseman, 
below  tlie  arras  of  the  province  Utrecht,  a  crowned  shield,  with 
cross  and  lion  rampant,  borne  double.  I^egend :  "mo:  NO: 
ARG:  CONFCE:  BELG:  PRO:  TRAi."  {Moneta  Nova  Argentca  Con- 
foederatarum  Belgicanim  Provinciae  Trajectus,  n)eaning :  New 
silver  money  of  Utrecht,  a  province  of  the  Belgic  Confederacy). 


DUCATOON  OF  UTRECHT,  1794. 


HOLLAND.  889 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  a  lion  ramparU,  carrying 
a  sword  and  a  bundle  of  arrows,  supported  by  two  lions.  le- 
gend :  "  CONCORDIA  RES  PARV^  CRESCUNT."  Weight :  522 
grains.     Fineness:  937.     Value:  $1.33.6625. 

4.  Half  Ducatoon  of  Utrecht.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same 
as  No.  3.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  3.  Weight : 
261  grains.     Fineness :  937.     Value:  $0.66.8312. 

5.  Three  Guilder  or  Florin  piece  of  Utrecht,  1793.  Obverse: 
Crowned  shield,  with  cross  and  lion  rampant^  borne  double. 
Legend:  "mo.  no.  argent,  ordin.  traj."  {Moneta  Nova 
Argentea  Ordinum  Trajedus;  meaning:  Common  new  silver 
coin  of  Utrecht). 


THREE  GUILDER  OR  FLORIN   PIECE  OF  UTRECHT. 

Reverse :  A  full-length  female  figure,  holding  in  her  dexter 
hand  a  lance,  with  the  point  downward  and  resting  upon  the 
ground ;  a  hat  hung  upon  the  other  end  ;  her  left  arm  resting 
upon  a  clasped  book,  which  stands  upon  its  end,  and  is  sup- 
ported by  a  pedestal.  Legend:  "hac  nitimvr.  hanc.  tve- 
mvr"  {This  ice  support,  on  this  we  depend).  Date:  1793. 
Weight:  487  grains.     Fineness:  917.     Value:  §1.20. 

6.  Silver  Lion  of  the  revolted  Netherlands,  1790.  Obverse: 
Lion  rampant,  supporting  a  shield  with  his  left  paw,  and  sword 
in  the  right.  Legend:  "domine  est  regnum"  {The  Kingdom 
is  the  Lord!s). 


890 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


Reverse :  A  sun,  with  eleven  escutcheons  round  it.     Legend : 
"et  ipse  dominabitvr  gentivm  "  {And  he  himself  shall  reign 


SILVER   LION   OF   NETHERLANDS,  1790. 

over  the  Nations).  Around  the  edge :  "quid  fortius  leone" 
(  What  is  stronger  than  a  lion)  f  Weight :  507  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 871.     Value:  $1.05. 

7.  Florin  of  the  revolted  Netherlands,  1790.  Obverse  and 
Legend:  Same  as  No.  6.  Reverse:  Two  joined  hands  and 
eleven  arrows,  with  the  mark  "1  flor"  {One  Florin).  Le- 
gend :  "  ET  IPSE  DOMINABITUR  GENTIUM."  Weight :  144.500 
grains.     Fineness:  867.     Value:  ^0.34.4710. 

8.  Florin  of  the  revolted  Netherlands,  1791.  Obverse:  Lion. 
Legend :  "  mon.  nov.  arg.  pro  v.  fced.  belg."  {New  silver 
coin  of  the  Confederated  Belgic  Provinces). 

Reverse :  Two  joined  hands  and  eleven  arrows,  with  the 
mark  "  1  flor."  Legend :  "  in  unione  salvs."  {Safety  in 
Union).  Weight:  144.500  grains.  Fineness:  867.  Value: 
$0.34.4710. 

9.  Three  Guilder  or  Florin  of  West  Friesland.  Obverse : 
Crowned  shield,  bearing  a  lion  rampant;  at  the  left  of  shield 
"  3,"  and  at  the  right  "  gl."  (3  Ghilden).  Legend  :  "  mo  :  arg  : 
ORD :  fced  :  beixj  :  west  f."  {Moneta  Aurece  Provincice  Con- 
foederaii&nis  BdgiccB  West  Frieslandice ;  meaning:  Silver  money 
of  West  Friesland,  a  Province  of  the  Belgic  Confederation). 


HOLLAND. 


891 


Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  5.     "Weight :  487  grains. 
Fineness:  917.     Value:  $1.20. 


THREE   GUILDEES   OR   FLORINS   OF   WEST   FRIESLAND. 

9.  Three  Guilders  or  Florins  of  Guelders  and  Zealand.  Ob- 
verse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  lion  rampant.  Legend  :  "  mo  : 
ARG :  ORD :  BELG :  D :  GEL :  &  c :  z : "  ( Common  silver  coin  of 
the  Duchy  of  Guelders  and  the  County  of  Zealand  of  the  Belgic 
Federation). 


THREE   GUILDERS  OR   FLORINS   OF  GUELDERS  AND  ZEALAND. 

Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  5.  Weight :  487  grains. 
Fineness:  917.     Value:  $1.20. 

10.  Rijksdaaler  of  Utrecht.  Obverse :  Knight  in  armor,  one 
leg  hidden  by  a  crowned  shield,  upon  which  the  arms  of  the 
province  of  Utrecht,  in  his  dexter  hand  a  drawn  sword.  Le- 
gend :  "  MO :  NO :  ARG  :  PRO :  confce  :  BELG  :  TRAI." 


892 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  lion  rampant;  at  the  left 
of  shield  "  18,"  and  at  the  right  "01."     Legend  :  "  concordia 


RIJKSDAALER  OR   DOLLAR  OF   UTRECHT,  1801. 

BE8  PARV^  CRESCUNT."     Weight:    438    grains.     Fineness: 
858.     Value:  $0.98^. 

11.  Rijksdaaler  of  Zealand.  Obverse:  Knight  in  armor, 
holding  a  crowned  shield,  bearing  a  lion  rampant  emerging  from 
the  waves.  Legend:  "mon:  nov:  arg.  pro.  confced.  belg. 
COM.  ZEL."  [New  silver  coin  of  Zealand  a  Province  of  the  Belgic 
Confederation). 


RIJKSDAALER  OF  ZEALAND,  1813. 

Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  10,  with  the  exception 
that  "1813"  instead  of  "1801"  is  divided  by  the  shield. 
Weight:  450  grains.     Fineness:  858.     Value:  $1.02. 

12.  Half  Rijksdaaler  of  the  Provinces  of  the  Belgic  Con- 
federation, bear  the  same  devices  and  Legends  as  the  Rijks- 
daalers  No.  10  and  11.  Weight:  216  grains.  Fineness:  858. 
Value:  $0.47.256. 


HOLLAND. 


893 


13.  Daalder  of  30  Stivers  of  West  Friesland  of  1686.  Ob- 
verse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  West  Friesland,  two 
lions  courant.  Legend :  "devs.  forti.  et.  spes.  nost  :"  {God 
our  strength  and  hope). 


DAALDEE  OF   30  STIVERS  OF   WEST   FRIESLAND,    1686. 

Reverse :  Three  crowned  shields,  in  the  upper  angle  "1686," 
left  angle  "sT,"  right  angle  "30"  (30  Stivers).  Legend: 
"mo  no  arg.  ordin  w  FRisiA."  Weight :  246  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 875.     Value:  $0.59. 

13.  Daalder  of  30  Stivers  of  West  Friesland,  1796.  Ob- 
verse :  Knight  in  armor,  one  leg  hidden  by  a  crowned  shield 
upon  which  is  the  arms  of  West  Friesland.  Legend :  "  DEVS 
FORTI  ET  SPES.  NOST:"  [God  our  strength  and  hope). 

Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  12,  only  better  executed 
and  the  coin  of  regular  shape.  Weight:  246  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 875.     Value:  $0.59. 

14.  Guilder  of  Utrecht,  1717.  Obverse:  Crowned  shield, 
bearing  lion  rampant.  Legend:  "mo  arg  ord  fced  belg 
TRAl."     At  the  left  of  shield  "  1  "  {One  Guilder  or  Florin). 


GUILDER  OR  FLORIN  OF   UTRECHT,  1717. 


894  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  5.     Weight:  158  grains. 
Fineness:  908.     Value:  $0.40. 

15.  Half  Guilder  of  Utrecht.     Obverse  and  Legend:  Same 
as  No.  14. 

Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  5.     Weight :  79  grains. 
Fineness:  908.     Value:  $0.20. 

16.  Eight  Stivers  of  1776.     Obverse:  Crowned  shield, bear- 
ing lion  rampant. 


EIGHT   STIVERS  OF    1776. 

Reverse:  Rider,  sword  drawn.  Legend:  "concordia  res 
PARViEJ  CRESCUNT."  Weight:  72  grains.  Fineness:  850. 
Value:  $0.15. 

17.  Six  Stivers  of  Zealand,  1770.  Obverse:  Crowned 
shield,  bearing  a  lion  rampant,  rising  from  the  waves;  at  the 
left  of  shield  "6,"  at  the  right  "st"  (6  Stivers).  Legend: 
"mon:  NOV:  argent:  ordin:  Zealand."  Above  the  shield 
"  1770." 


SIX  STIVERS   OF   ZEALAND,  1770. 

Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  16.  Weight:  54  grains. 
Fineness:  850.     Value:  $0.11  f. 

18.  Two  Stivers  of  Holland,  1727.  Obverse:  Crowned 
shield,  bearing  lion  rampant,  "2  s"  {Two  Stivers),  divided  by 
the  shield.     No  Legend  or  Exergue. 


HOLLAND.  895 

Reverse:    "hol— lan— dia,"  in  three  lines,  occupying  the 


TWO   STIVERS   OF   HOLLAND,  1727. 

field;    below   "1727."      Weight   18   grains.     Fineness:    850. 
Value  nominally  at  3  cents. 

20.  Quarter  Guilder  of  Zealand.     Obverse:  Crowned  shield, 
bearing   lion  rampant,  above   the   crown    "1774."     Legend: 

"  CONCORDIA  RES  PARV^  CRESCUNT." 


QUARTER  GUILDER   OF   ZEALAND,  1774. 

Reverse  :  Knight  in  armor,  one  leg  hidden  by  crowned  shield, 
bearing  lion  rampant,  emerging  from  the  waves.  Legend : 
"mon:  NOV:  arg:  pro.  confced.  belg.  com.  zel."  Weight: 
39.500  grains.     Fineness :  908.     Value:  $0.10. 

19.  Half  Guilder  of  10  Stivers  of  Holland,  1749.     Obverse: 


HALF   GUILDER   OF    10   STIVERS   OF   HOLLAND,  1749. 

Crowned  shield,  bearing  lion  rampant,  sword  in  dexter  and 


896  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

bundle  of  arrows  in  sinister  paw;  above  the  crown  "1749." 
At  the  left  of  shield  "  x.,"  and  at  the  right  "  ST."  (10  Stivers). 
Legend  :  "  MO :  ARG :  ORD :  FCED :  belg  :  HOLL : " 

Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  5.  Weight :  79  grains. 
Fineness:  908.     Value:  $0.20. 

21.  Rijksdaaler  of  Napoleon,  1808.  Obverse:  Head  of  Louis 
Napoleon.  Legend :  "  nap.  lodew.  i  kon  van  holl,."  [Naj^o- 
leon  Louis  I.  King  of  Holland).  Reverse :  Arms  of  Holland, 
lion  rampant,  with  "  50  st  "  (50  Stivers).  Legend  :  "  koning- 
RIJK  HOLLAND "  (jK^n^rdom  of  Holland).  Exergue:  "1808." 
Weight :  450  grains.     Fineness :  858.     Value:  $1.02. 

22.  Three  Guilders  or  Florins  of  Willem.  Obverse :  Head 
of  William  I.  Legend  :  "willem  koning  der  ned.  g.  h.  v. 
L."  ( William  King  of  the  Nethen-lands,  Grand  Duke  of  Luxem- 
burg), 


THREE  guilders   UK   FLORINS   OF   WILLIAM   I. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  lion  rampant,  right  paw 
sword,  left,  bundle  of  arrows.  Above  the  crown,  the  date  of 
the  year  of  issue ;  at  the  left  of  shield  "  3,"  at  the  right  "  G." 
Legend  :  "  munt  van  het  koningryk  der  nederlanden  " 
{31oney  of  the  Kingdom  of  the  Ndhei-lands).  Weight :  462.989 
grains.     Fineness:  945.     Value:  $1.21.6625. 

23.  Two  and  a  Half  Guilders  or  Florins  of  Willem  II.  Ob- 
verse :  Head  of  William  II.  Legend  :  "  willem  ii.  koning 
der  ned.  g.  h.  v.  l." 

Reverse :    Crowned  Shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Holland ; 


HOLLAND. 


897 


above  the  crown,  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue ;  at  the  left  side 
of  shield  "  2J,"  at  the  right  "  G."     Legend  :  "  munt  van  het 


TWO   AND  A   HALF  GUIUDEES  OR  FLORINS  OF  WILLIAM  II. 


KONINGRYK  DER  NEDERLANDEN."     Weight".  385.808  grains. 
Fineness:  945.     Value:  $1.01.3864. 

24.  Two  and  a  Half  Guilders  of  Willem  III.     Obverse : 
Head  of  William  III.,  full  beard,  facing  to  the  right    Legend: 

"  WILLEM  III  KOXING  DER  NED.  G.  H.  V.  L." 


TWO  AND   A   HALF  GUILDERS  OF  WILLIAM   III.    , 

Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  23.  Weight :  385.808 
grains.     Fineness:  945.     Value:  $1.01.3854. 

25.  Guilder  or  Florin  of  Willera  I.  Obverse :  Head  of  Wil- 
liam I.  facing  to  the  right.  Legend:  "willem  koning  der 
NED.  G.  H.  V.  L."  Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of 
Holland  ;  above  the  crown,  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue ;  below 
the  shield  "  100  c."  (100  Cents),  at  the  left  of  shield  "1,"  at  the 
right  "g"  {One  Guilder  or  Florin).  Legend:  "munt  van 
3E 


898  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

HET    KOXINGRYK    DER    XEDERLANDEN."        Weight:     154.323 

grains.     Fineness  :  945.     Value :  $0.40. 

26.  Guilder  or  Florin  of  Wiilem  II.     Obverse :  Head  of 
William  II.  facing  to  the  left.     Legend  :  "  willem  il  koning 

DER  NED.  G.  H.  V.  L." 


GUILDER  OR   FLORIN    OF   WILLIAM   II. 

Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  25.  Weight:  154.323 
grains.     Fineness:  945.     Value:  $0.40. 

27.  Guilder  or  Florin  of  Willem  III.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Willem  III.,  full  beard,  facing  to  the  right.  Legend:  "wil- 
lem III.  KONING  DER  NED.  G.  H.  V.  L."  Reverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  25.  Weight:  154.323  grains.  Fineness:  945. 
Value:  $0.40. 

28.  Half  Guilder  or  Florin  of  Willem  I.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  25.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No. 
25,  with  the  exception  that  at  the  sides  of  the  shield,  "^  G.," 
takes  the  place  of  "  1  g.,"  and  below  the  shield  "  50  c,"  instead 
of  "100  c."  Weight:  77.161  grains.  Fineness:  945.  Value: 
$0.20. 

29.  Half  Guilder  or  Florin  of  Willem  II.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  26.  Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  26, 
with  exceptions  noted  in  No.  28.  Weight:  77.161  grains. 
Fineness:  945.     Value:  $0.20. 

30.  Half  Guilder  or  Florin  of  Willem  III.  Obverse  and 
Legend :  Same  as  No.  27.  Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No. 
27,  with  the  exceptions  noted  in  No.  28.  Weight:  77.161 
grains.     Fineness:  945.     Value:  $0.20. 

31.  Twenty-five  Cents,  Ten  Cents  and  Five  Cent  pieces  of 
Willem  I.  bear  upon  the  Obverse  a  "  W  "  crowned,  and  on  the 


HOLLAND.  899 

Reverse  the  King's  arm,  between  "  25  CT.,"  "  10  CT."  and  "  5 
CT."  respectively. 

32.  Twenty-five  Cents  of  Willem  II.  Obverse:  Head  of 
William  II.  Legend  :  "  WILLEM  II.  KONING  DER  NED.  G.  H. 
V.  L."  Reverse :  "  25  cents,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue 
iu  three  lines  occupying  the  field,  surrounded  by  heavy  branches 
of  oak,  crossed  and  tied.  Weight:  65.170  grains.  Fineness: 
640.     Value:  $0.09. 

33.  Ten  Cents  of  Willem  II.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same 
as  No.  32.  Reverse:  "10  cents;"  rest  same  as  No.  32. 
Weight:  21.605  grains.     Fineness:  640.     Value:  $0.03 J. 

34.  Five  Cents  of  Willem  II.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same 
as  No.  32.  Reverse:  "5  cents;"  rest  same  as  No.  32. 
Weight:  10.571  grains.     Fineness:  640.     Value:  $0.01|. 

35.  Twenty-five  Cents  of  Willem  III.  Obverse :  Head  of 
Willem  III.,  full  beard.  Legend :  "willem  hi.  koning  dek 
NED.  G.  H.  V.  L."  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  32.  Weight:  65.170 
grains.     Fineness:  640.     Value:  $0.09. 

36.  Ten  Cents  of  Willem  III.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same 
as  No.  35.  Reverse :  Same  as  No.  33.  Weight:  21.605  grains. 
Fineness:  640.     Value:  $0.03i. 

37.  Five  Cents  of  Willem  III.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same 
as  No.  35.  Revei-se :  Same  as  No.  34.  Weight :  10.671  grains. 
Fineness:  640.     Value:  $0.01 1. 

COPPER  COINS. 

1.  Two  Cents  of  William  L,  II.  and  III.  Obverse:  Large 
"  W  "  crowned,  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue  divided  by  the 
"  W."  Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  lion  rampant.  "  2 
c"  divided  by  the  shield.     Value  entirely  nominal. 

2.  One  Cent  of  William  I.,  IL  and  IIL  Obverse:  Same  as 
No.  1.     Reverse  :  "  1  C ;"  rest  same  as  No.  1. 

3.  Half-Cent  of  William  I.,  II.  and  III.  Obverse:  Same 
as  No.  1.     Reverse :  "  ^  c ;"  rest  same  as  No.  1. 


900  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

COINS  OF  THE  POSSESSIONS  OF 
HOLLAND. 

EAST  AND  WEST  INDIES. 

1.  Gold  Mohur  of  the  East  India  Company  of  Holland. 
Obverse,  in  native  character,  which  translated  means :  "3Iohur 
Coin  of  the  Company  of  Holland"  occupying  the  field ;  above  it 
a  cock,  and  below  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue  of  the  Christian 
era.  Reverse,  in  native  characters,  which  translated  means : 
"In  the  great  Island  of  Java."  Weight  of  Mohur  of  1783 :  242 
grains.  Fineness:  750.  Value:  $7.88.  That  of  1797: 
Weight :  236  grains.     Fineness :  710.     Value :  $7.30. 

2.  Gold  Half  Mohur  of  the  East  India  Company  of  Holland. 
Obverse,  in  native  characters,  which  translated  means:  "Coin 
of  the  Company  of  Holland"  occupying  the  field,  below  the  date 
of  the  Christian  era  (1801).  Reverse,  in  native  characters, 
which  translated  means :  "In  the  great  Island  of  Java." 
Weight:  123.500  grains.     Fineness:  740.     Value:  $4.13. 

3.  Silver  Rupee  of  the  East  India  Company  of  Holland. 
Obverse,  in  native  characters,  which  translated  means :  "Rupee 
Coin  of  the  Company  of  Holland"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of 
issue  below.  Reverse,  in  native  character,  which  translated 
means:  "In  the  great  Island  of  Java."  Weight:  180  grains. 
Fineness:  925.     Value:  $0.47^. 

4.  Guilder  or  Gulden  of  the  East  India  Company  of  Holland, 
Sumatra  and  Borneo.     Obverse:  Head  of  William  I.     Legend: 

"  WILLEM  KONING  DER  NEDERLANDEN,  GROOT  HERTOG  VAN 
LUXEMBURG  "  ( WiUiam,  King  of  the  Netherlands,  Grand  Dtike 
of  Luxemburg)  Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  the  lion 
rampant  between  "1  6."  (1  Gulden).     Legend:   "munt  van 

HET    KONINGRYK    DER    NEDERLANDEN."       Weight:     154.323 

grains.     Fineness:  945.     Value:  $0.40. 

5.  Guilder  or  Gulden  of  Java.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same 
as  No.  4.  Reverse :  A  woman  leaning  on  a  book  which  lies 
on  an  altar,  holding  in  the  other  hand  a  lance  with  the  cap  of 
liberty.     Legend :   "  n.  o.  mo.  arg.  reg.  tot.  belg,  jav." 


HOLLAND.  901 

{Nova  Or  dinar  ea  Moneta  Argentea  Regni  Totiua  Bdgicae  Javae; 
meaning :  New  Common  iSilver  Coin  bf  the  whole  Kingdom  of 
Belgium  and  Java).  Weight:  154.323  grains.  Fineness:  945. 
Value:  $0.40. 

6.  Guilder  or  Gulden  of  Willem  I.,  of  1840,  for  circulation 
in  Java,  Sumatra  and  Borneo.  Obverse :  Head  of  William  I. 
Legend :  "  willem  koning  der  ned.  g.  h.  v.  l."  Reverse : 
Crowned  shield,  bearing  lion  rampant  between  "1  G."  (1 
Guilder),  below  the  shield  "  niederlandish  indie  "  {Dutch 
East  India).  Legend :  "  munt  van  het  koningryk  der 
nederlanden,  1840."  Weight:  154.323  grains.  Fineness: 
945.     Value:  $0.40. 

7.  Kwart  Gulden  or  one-fourth  of  a  Guilder  or  Gulden  of 
1837  and  1840.     Obverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  6. 


■-^if. 


li  GULDEM,)/   ' 


KWART  GULDEN  OF   1837   AND    1840. 

Keverse:  "kwart  gulden"  {One  fourth  of  a  Gulden),  sur- 
rounded by  a  palm  wreath.  Legend:  " niederlands(.'H 
indie."  Exergue:  "1837"  and  "1840."  Weight:  66.170 
grains.     Fineness:  640.     Value:  $0.09^. 

8.  One-Fourth  of  a  Gulden  of  1854.  Obverse,  in  native 
characters,  which  translated  means :  "  25  cents  of  the  dutch 
EAST  indies."  Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  lion  ram- 
pant, between  "  \  G."  {\  of  a  Guilder  or  Gidden).  Legend  : 
"nederl  indie"  {Dutch  East  Indies).  Exergue:  "1854." 
Weight:  55.170  grains.     Fineness:  640.     Value :  ^0.09^. 

9.  One-Tenth  of  a  Gulden.  Obverse  and  Legend:  "10 
cents  ;"  rest  same  as  No.  8.  Reverse :  "  iV  G ;"  rest  same  as 
No.  8.  Weight:  21.605  grains.  Fineness:  640.  Value: 
$0.03|. 

10.  Six    Stivers   of    the    Dutch    West    Indies.      Obverse: 


902  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Cix)wned  shield,  bearing  two   lions  courant,  between  "  6  s." 
{Six  Stivers).     Legend:  "  mo.  no  ordin  west  frisiae,  1678." 


SIX  STIVERS  OF   1678. 

Reverse :  Ship  under  full  sail.  Legend  :  "devs  fortitvdo. 
ET.  speS.  nostra."  {God  our  Strength  and  Hope).  Weight: 
54  grains.     Fineness:  850.     Value:  $0.1  If. 


ITALY. 

The  territory  comprised  this  day  under  the  name  of  Italy 
consists  of  a  considerable  stretch  of  peninsular  mainland,  be- 
sides several  islands,  situated  in  Southern  Europe,  between 
latitude  36°  35'  and  47°  north,  and  between  longitude  6°  35' 
and  18°  35'  east.  Its  boundaries  on  the  north  are  Austria  and 
Switzerland,  on  the  south  the  Mediterranean  sea,  on  the  west 
France  and  the  Mediterranean,  and  on  the  east  the  Ionian  and 
Adriatic  «eas,  while  its  natural  limits  are  strongly  defined  by 
the  Alps  and  the  sea.  King  Victor  Emanuel  IL,  of  Sardinia, 
was  the  first  King  of  the  United  Italy  of  to-day. 

The  coins  of  Italy  of  former  days  are  varied  and  numerous, 
and  we  shall  give  them  in  their  alphabetical  order,  irrespective 
of  their  dates  and  former  sovereignties. 

REPUBLIC    OF   ITALY,  180Q-1805. 
GOLD  COINS. 

1.  Doppia  of  Bonaparte,  11th  year  of  the  French  Republic, 
1804.     Obverse:    Head   of    Napoleon    Bonaparte.      Legend: 


ITALY.  903 

"BONAPARTE  FONDATORE  E  PRESIDENTE "  {Bonaparte  Founder 
and  President).  Exergue:  "anno  11."  Reverse:  "doppia," 
occupying  the  field,  surrounded  by  oak  branches,  crossed  and 
tied.  Legend  :  "  republica  italiana  "  {Republic  of  Italy). 
Exergue:  "d.  12.142"  (12.142  Grammes  or  187.379  grains). 
Weight:  187.379  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $7.25. 

2.  Mezza  or  Half  Doppia  of  1804.  Obverse,  Legend,  and 
Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  "mezza  doppia"  {Half 
Doppia),  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Exergue:  "d' 6.071."  (6.071 
Grammes  or  93.689  grains).  Weight:  93.689  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $3.62i. 

3.  Marengo  or  Piece  of  20  Francs  of  1801.  Obverse:  Head 
of  a  woman  with  a  helmet.  Legend:  "l'italie  delivree  a 
MARENGO  "  {Italy  delivered  or  liberated  at  Marengo).  Reverse: 
A  wreath  containing:  "20  francs  l'an  9."  (20  Francs,  dth 
year).  Legend :  "  LiBERTE  EGALITE  "  {Liberty,  Equality).  Ex- 
ergue: "eridania"  {The  name  that  was  given  to  that  part  of 
Italy).  Weight:  99.561  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$3.86. 

SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Five  Francs  of  Gaule  Subalpine,  10th  year  of  the  French 
Republic,  1803.     Obverse:  Two  females,  one  holding  spear  with 


FIVE   FRANCS  OF  GAULE  SUBALPINE,  1803. 


liberty  cap,  the  other  a  palm   branch  and  wreath.     Legend: 
"GAULE  subalpine"  {Gavl  beyond  the  Alps). 


904  DYIPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Reverse :  "6  francs  l'an  10."  {Five  Francs,  10th  year  of  the 
French  B^pvhlic).  Legend :  "  liberte  egalite  "  (Libeiiy, 
Equality).  Exergue:  "eridania"  {The  name  given  to  that 
jpart  of  Piedmont).  Weight :  385.808  grains.  Fineness :  900. 
Value:  $0.96 J. 

KINGDOM    OF    ITALY   UNDER   NAPO- 
LEON I.,  1805-1814. 

GOLD  COINS. 

1.  Forty  Lire  Piece  of  Napoleon  I.,  1805-1814.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Napoleon  I.,  below,  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  and 
"  M."  {Mini-mark  of  Mantua),  beneath.  Legend :  "  napoleone 
IMPERATORE  E  RE  "  {NapoUon,  Emperor  and  King). 


FORTY  LIRES  OF  NAPOLEON  I.,  1805-1814. 

Reverse:  The  French  eagle,  with  a  shield  upon  its  breast, 
draped  with  an  order  chain  and  star;  a  shield  of  pretence, 
bearing  the  iron  crown  of  Mantua ;  behind  the  eagle  are  two 
spears  in  saUiere,  the  whole  being  displayed  upon  a  mantle  of 
ermine,  draped  from  a  crown ;  beneath  is  the  deifomination : 
"  40  LIRE."  Legend :  «  regno  d'italia  "  {Kingd&m  of  Italy). 
On  the  edge  is  inscribed :  "dio  protegge  la  italia"  {God 
protects  Italy).  Weight:  199.123  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $7.72. 

2.  Twenty  Lire  Piece  of  Napoleon  I.  of  1805-1814.  Ob- 
verse and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  1. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue:  "20  lire."  Weight: 
99.569  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value :  |3.86. 


ITALY. 


905 


TWENTY   LIRES   OF   >APOL,EON   I.,  1805-1814. 

SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Five  Franc  Piece  of  Napoleon  I.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Napoleon  I.,  below  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue,  and  beneath 
it  the  letter  "  m  "  (3Iint-mark  of  Mantua).     Legend  :  "  napo- 

LEONE  IMPERATORE  E  RE." 


FIVE   FRANCS   OF   NAPOLEON   I.,    1805-1814. 

Reverse :  The  French  eagle,  with  a  shield  upon  its  breast, 
draped  with  an  order  chain  and  star;  a  shield  of  pretence, 


TWO   FRANCS   OF   NAPOLEON   L,    1805-1814. 

bearing  the  iron  crown  of  Mantua ;  behind  the  eagle  are  two 
spears  in  saUiere,  the  whole  being  displayed  upon  a  mantle  of 


90|6i  DYE'S  COIN  ENGYCLOPJEDIA. 

ermine,  draped  from  a  crown.  Exergue :  "  5  lire."  Legend  : 
"  REGNO  d'italia."  Around  the  edge :  "  dio  protegge  la 
ITALIA."  Weight :  385.808  grains.  Fineness :  900.  Value : 
$0.96|. 

2.  Two  Franc  Piece  of  Napoleon  I.     Obverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  1. 

Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1.     Exergue :  "  2  lire." 
Weight:  154.323  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value :  $0.38.600. 

3.  Lira  of  Napoleon  I.   Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1. 


lira  op  napoleon  l,  1805-1814. 


Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue :  "  1  lira." 
Weight:  77.161  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.19.300. 

4.  Three-Quarter  Lira  of  15  Soldi  of  Napoleon  L  Obverse, 
Legend,  and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse :  Sharp- 
pointed  crown  of  Italy ;  below  "35  soldi,"  and  "  m  "  {Mint- 
mark  of  Mamiua). '  Legend  :  "  regno  d'italia."  AVeight : 
57.871  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value:  $0.1 4f. 

5.  Half  and  Quarter  Lira  of  10  and  5  Soldi,  respectively,  of 
Napoleon  I.     Obverse,  Legend,  and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1. 


ten  and  five  soldi  of  napoleon  l,  1805-1814. 

Reverse :  "  10  "  and  "  5  soldi  "  respectively,  rest  same  as  No. 
4.  Weight:  38.580  grains  and  19.290  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.09|  and  $0.04i. 


ITALY.  907 

KINGDOM   OF   ITALY   SINCE   I860. 

GOLD  COINS. 

1.  Hundred  Lires  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Victor  Emanuel  II.  Legend:  "vrrroBio  emanuele." 
Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Reverse :  Crowned  shield, 
bearing  arms  of  Italy,  surrounded  by  two  branches  of  laurel, 
crossed  and  tied.  Legend  :  "  regno  d'italia  "  {Kingdom  of 
Italy).  Exergue:  "L  100"  (100  Lives).  Weight:  497.816 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $19.30. 

2.  Eighty  Lires  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as 
No.  1.  Exergue:  "l  80"  (80  Lires).  Weight:  398.246 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $15.44. 

3.  Forty  Lires  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as 
No.  1.  Exergue:  "l  40"  (40  Lires).  Weight:  199.123 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $7.72. 

4.  Twenty  Lires  or  Doppia  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.  Obverse, 
Legend,  and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse  and  Legend  : 
Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue:  "l  20"  (20  Lires).  Weight:  99- 
.569  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value:  $3.86. 

5.  Ten  Lires  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.  Obverse,  Legend,  and 
Exergue :  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No. 
1.  Exergue:  "X  10"  (10  Lires).  Weight:  49.784  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.93. 

SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Five  Lires  of  Victor  Emanuel  IL,  1861.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Victor  Emanuel  IL  Legend  :  "  vittorio  emanuele 
II."     Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Italy,  surrounded 
by  two  branches  of  laurel,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend  :  "  regno 
d'italia"  {Kingdom  of  Italy).  Exergue:  "l  5"  (5  Lires). 
Weight:  385.808  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.96 J. 

2.  Two  Lires  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.,  1860,  issued  by  the 


908  DYBPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

mint  of  Florence.     Obverse:  Head  of  Victor  Emanuel  II. 
Legend:  "viTTORio  emanuele  re  eletto"  {Victor  Emaniid, 


FIVE  LIBES  op  victor  EMANUEL   II.,  1869. 

King  Elected).  Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of 
Italy,  surrounded  by  two  branches  of  laurel,  crossed  and  tied. 
Legend:  "due  lire  italiane"  {Two  Lires  of  Italy).  Ex- 
ergue: "firenze"  {Florence)  "1860."  Weight:  154.323 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.38.600. 

3.  Lira  of  Victor  Emanuel,  1860.  Obverse  and  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse :  Same  as  No.  2.  Legend :  "  una 
LIRA  ITALIANA."  Exergue:  "firenze"  (i^forence)  "1860." 
Weight;  77.161  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value :  $0.19.300. 

4.  Half  Lira  of  Victor  Emanuel,  1860.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse :  Same  as  No.  2.  Legend : 
"ciNQUANTA  CENTESiMi."  Exergue:  "firenze  1860." 
Weight:  38.580  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.09.650. 

5.  Quarter  Lira  of  Victor  Emanuel,  1860.  Obverse  and 
Legend :  Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse :  Same  as  No.  1 .  Legend : 
"vENTi  cinque  CENTESIMI."  Excrgue :  "firenze  1860." 
Weight:  19.790  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  §0.04.826. 

BOLOGNA. 

GOLD  COINS. 

1.  Double  Doppia,  or  Pistole  of  Pius  VI.  Obverse:  Two 
escutcheons,  occupying  the  field.     Legend :  "  bonon  docet." 


ITALY.  909 

(Bononia  Bocet;   meaning:  Bologna  teaches).     Exergue:  "2 
DOP  "  {Two  Doppia). 


DOUBLE   DOPPIA,  OR  PISTOLE  OF  POPE  PIUS  VI. 

Reverse :  A  lily  plant  in  blossom.  Legend :  "  Pivs.  VI. 
PONT.  MAX.  A.  XIII."  {Pius  VL  Supreme  Pontiff,  ISth  year  of 
his  reign).  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  i&sue.  Weight :  140- 
.156  grains.     Fineness:  905.     Value:  $5.45. 

2.  Ten  Zecchini  of  Bologna  of  Pius  VI.  Obverse :  Shield 
bearing  the  arms  of  Pope  Pius  VI.,  with  keys  and  tiara.  Le- 
gend :  "  PIVS  SEXTVS  PON.  MA."  {Plus  Scxtus  Pontifex  Maximus; 
meaning:  Pius  VI.  Supreme  Pontiff).  Reverse :  A  bishop  seated 
on  a  cloud,  supported  by  two  small  escutcheons.  Legend :  "s. 
PETRON.  BON.  PROT."  {St.  Pdronius,  Protector  of  Bologna).  Ex- 
ergue :  "  ZECCH  10  "  (10  Zecchini  or  Sequins).  Weight :  537- 
.810  grains.     Fineness :  993.056.     Value:  $23.01.4539. 

3.  Five  Zecchini  of  Bologna  of  Pius  VI.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  2. 
Exergue:  "zecch5"(5  Zecchini  or  Sequins).  Weight:  268- 
.905  grains.     Fineness :  993.056.     Value:  $11.50.7265. 

4.  Double  Zecchino  of  Bologna  of  Pius  VL  Obverse  and 
Legend  :  Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No. 
1.  Exergue:  "DUE  ZECCHINI "  {Two  Zecchini  or  Sequins). 
Weight :  107.562  grains.  Fineness :  993.056.  Value :  $4.60- 
.2907, 

5.  Zecchino  of  Bologna  of  Pius  VI.  Obverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  2.  No 
Exergue.  Weight:  53.781  grains.  Fineness:  993.056. 
Value:  $2.30.1453. 

6.  Half  Zecchino  of  Bologna,  Pius  VI.    Obverse  and  Le- 


^  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

gend  :  Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  2. 
No  Exergue.  Weight:  26.890  grains.  Fineness:  993.056. 
Value:  $1.15.0721. 

The  Zecchini  of  Pope  Pius  VII.  and  Leo  XII.  bear  upon 
the  Obverse  their  respective  arms,  and  the  Legends  are  changed 
to  Pius  VII.  and  Leo  XII.,  otherwise  no  change  was  made. 

SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Scudo  of  Bologna.  Obverse:  View  of  the  City,  and 
above  it  the  Virgin  and  Child  on  a  cloud.  Legend  :  "  PR.ESI- 
T>IUM  ET  DECVS  "  (Protection  and  Ornament). 

'TiHilitltn'gT  I 


SCUDO   OP  TEN  PAOLI  OF   BOLOGNA. 

Reverse :  The  arms  of  the  city  of  Bologna.  Legend : 
"POPVLVS  ET  SENATVS.  BON."  (The  People  and  the  Senate  of 
Bohgna).  Exergue:  "plO"  (10  Paoli,  or  100  Soldi,  or  5 
lAres),  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  "Weight:  415.099 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.01. 

2.  Half  Scudo  of  Bologna.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as 
No.  1.  Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue:  "p 
5"  (5  Paoli).  Weight:  207.549  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value :  $0.50. 

3.  Half  Scudo  of  Pope  Pius  VI.  Obverse :  Bust  of  Pius 
VI.  Legend  :  "pivs  sextvs  font  max  an.,"  and  the  date  of 
his  reign  in  Roman  numerals.  Reverse :  A  chapel,  with  shield 
at  each  side,  one  surmounted  by  the  hat  and  tassels,  and  the 


ITALY.  911 

other  by  a  lion's  head.  L^end  :  "adventus  optimi  principis" 
{Advent  of  the  best  Prince).  Exergue :  "  bonoxia,"  and  the 
date  of  the  year  of  issue.  "  50  "  (50  ba joccHi),  Weight : 
207.549  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.50. 

4.  Paolo  of  Bologna.  Obverse:  Shield,  with  the  arms  quar- 
tered, the  abbreviated  word  "  liber  "  {Libertas),  occupying  the 
second  and  third,  beneath  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Re- 
verse: A  lily,  with  the  letter  "b"  [Bologna),  and  the  numeral 
"  10."  in  the  Exergue.  Legend :  "  pivs  vi  pont.  maxim." 
Value  quite  nominal  at  10  cents. 

5.  Half  Paolo  of  Bologna.  Obverse,  Reverse,  and  Legends : 
Same  as  No.  4;  only  the  Exergue  on  Reverse:  "5."  Value 
quite  nominal  at  5  cents. 

GENOA. 

GOLD  COINS. 

1.  Genovina  of  96  Lires,  formerly  of  100  Lires.  Obverse: 
Virgin  and  Child  on  a  cloud,  with  a  sceptre  and  a  crown  of 
stars.  Legend  :  "  et  rege  eos  "  {And  govern  them),  and  the 
date  of  the  year  of  issae.     Exergue :  "  L  96  "  (96  Lires). 


GENOVINA   OF   96    LIRES   OF   THE   REPUBLIC  OF   GENOA. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  upon  it  a  cross,  the  shield  sup- 
ported by  two  griffins,  the  whole  upon  a  pedestal,  beneath  which 
a  lion's  head.  Legend :  "  dux  et  gub.  reip.  genu  "  {Dux  et 
Chihernntor  Reipvhlicce  Geniiemsis,  meaning:  Doge  and  Gov- 
ernor of  the  Republic  of  Genoa).  Weight :  398  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 916.     Value:  $15.39.0146. 


912  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

2.  Genovina  of  48  Lires,  formerly  of  50  Lires.  Obverse  and 
Legend  :  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue  :  "  l  48  "  (48  Lires).  Re- 
verse and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  199  grains. 
Fineness:  916.     Value:  $7.69.5073. 

3.  Genovina  of  24  Lires,  formerly  of  25  Lires.  Obverse 
and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue:  "l24"  (24  Lires). 
Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  99.500  grains. 
Fineness:  916.     Value:  $3.84.7536. 

4.  Four  Pistole  or  Doppia  Piece  of  the  Ligurian  Republic. 
Obverse :  Woman  seated,  holding  a  spear  and  resting  her  left 
arm  on  a  shield  bearing  the  arms  of  Genoa.  Legend :  "  re- 
PUBBLICA  LiGURE,  ANNO  i"  {Liguvian  Repvhlic^  first  year). 
Exergue :  "l  96  "  (96  Ures). 


FOUR  PISTOLE  PIECE  OF  THE   LIGURIAN   REPUBLIC. 

Reverse :  A  wreath  of  laurel,  with  the  fasces  and  the  cap  of 
liberty.  Legend  :  "  nell'  unione  la  farza  "  [Strength  in 
Union).  Around  the  edge :  "  peso  grani  550,  bonta  car.  22" 
Weight,  550  grains  of  Genoa,  equal  to  414  grains  Troy ;  fineness, 
22  caraiSy  equal  to  916.660 j^ne).  Weight:  414  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 916.660.     Value:  $16.05.945. 

5.  Two  Pistole  or  Double  Doppia  of  the  Ligurian  Republic. 
Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  4.  Exergue :  "  l  48 " 
(48  Lires).  Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  4.  Around  the 
edge:  "peso  grani  275,  bonta  car.  22."  Weight:  207 
grains  Troy,  or  275  grains,  the  Ligurian  Republic.  Fineness : 
916.660.     Value :  $8.02.972. 

6.  Pistol^  or  Doppia  of  the  Ligurian  Republic.     Obverse 


ITALY.  913 

and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  4.  Exergue:  "l  24"  (24  Lires). 
Ee verse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  4.  Weight :  103.500  grains. 
Fineness:  916.660.     Value:  $4.01.486. 

7.  Five  Doppie  Piece  of  the  Republic  of  Genoa.  Obverse  : 
Virgin  and  Child  on  a  cloud,  with  sceptre  and  crown  of  stars. 
Legend  :  "  et  rege  eos  "  {And  govern  them).  Exergue  :  Ini- 
tial of  the  Doge's  name  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Re- 
verse :  A  cross  with  four  stars.  Legend  :  "  dvx  et  gvb.  reip. 
GENv"  {Dux  et  Gubernaior  Reipuhlicce  Genuemis,  meaning: 
Doge  and  Governor  of  the  Republic  of  Genoa).  Weight:  517- 
.500  grains.     Fineness:  915.     Value:  $20.05. 

8.  Four,  Two,  and  One  Doppie  Pieces  of  the  Republic  of 
Genoa.  Obverse,  Reverse,  Legends,  and  Exergues :  Same  as 
No.  7.  Weights:  414  grains,  207  grains,  and  103.500  grains, 
respectively.  Fineness:  915.  Values:  $16.05,  $8.02^,  and 
$4.01J. 

9.  Zecchino  or  Sequin  of  the  Republic  of  Genoa.  Obverse: 
Figure  of  St.  John  the  Baptist.  Legend:  "non  svrrexit 
MAJOR  "  {A  greater  has  not  arisen).  Reverse :  Crowned  shield, 
with  the  arms  of  Genoa.  Legend :  "  dvx  et.  gvb.  reip. 
genv."  Weight:  53  grains.  Fineness:  963.  Value:  $2.29- 
.1310. 

SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Scudo  Delia  Croce  {Scudo  of  the  cross).  Obverse:  Virgin 
and  child  on  a  cloud.  Legend:  *'et  rege  eos."  Reveree: 
A  cross  with  four  flowers.  Legend:  "dvx  et  gvb.  reip. 
genv."     Weight:  592  grains.     Fineness:  954.    Value:  $1.59. 

2.  Scudo  di  S.  Giambatista  {Scudo  of  St.  John  the  Baptist). 
Obverse :  Figure  of  St.  John  the  Baptist.  Legend :  "  NON 
svrrexit  major  "  {A  greater  has  not  arisen).  Exergue :  In- 
itials of  the  Doge's  name.  Reverse:  Shield  bearing  arms  of 
Genoa.  Legend:  "dvx  et  gvb  reip.  genv."  Weight:  320 
grains.     Fineness:  917.     Value:  $0.83.1360. 

3.  Scudo  of  8  Lires.  Obverse,  Legend,  and  Exergue :  Same 
as  No.  2.     Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  2.     Exergue : 

3F 


914  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

"L   8."   (8    Lires).      Weight:    513   grains.      Fineness:    892. 
Value:  $1.29. 

4.  Scudo  of  4  Lires,  2  Lires  and  1  Lira.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as 
No.  2.  Exergue :  "  L  4,"  "  L  2,"  "  l  1,"  respectively.  Weights : 
256.500  grains,  128.250  grains,  and  64.125  grains.  Value: 
$0,641,  $0.32i  and  $0.16i. 

5.  Double  Madonnina.  Obverse:  Whole  length  figure  of 
the  Virgin.  Legend:  "stb  tvvm  presidivm  "  {Under  Thy 
protection),  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Around  the  figure 
of  the  Madonna  "ne  dereling  nos  "  {Do  not  forsake  us). 
Reverse :  Shield,  with  the  arms  of  Genoa,  crowned.  Legend  : 
"dvx  et  gvb.  reip.  genv.'  Weight:  139  grains.  Fineness: 
833.     Value :  $0.32. 

6.  Madonnina.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  a^.  No.  5.  Re- 
verse and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  5.  Weight:  69.500  grains. 
Fineness:  833.     Value:  $0.16. 

7.  Half- Madonnina.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  5. 
Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  5.  Weight:  34.750  grains. 
Fineness:  833.     Value:  $0.08. 

8.  Scudo  of  the  Ligurian  Republic.  Obverse :  Two  figures, 
representing  a  soldier  and  a  woman.  Legend:  "liberta 
eguaglianza  "  {Liberty,  Equality),  and  the  date  of  the  year  of 
issue.  Reverse :  Arms  of  Genoa,  encircled  by  palm  and  laurel 
branches,  surmounted  by  a  cap  of  liberty.  Legend  :  "repub- 
BLICA  LIGURE  ANNO  I."  Exergue:  ''l  8."  (8  Lives).  Around 
the  edge:  "peso  grani  726;  bonta  oncie  10.  16."  {Weight, 
726  grains  of  Genoa,  equal  to  513  grains  Troy;  fineness  10 
ounces  16  Deniers,  equal  to  889  fine).  Weight:  513  grains. 
Fineness:  889.     Value:  $1.27. 

LOMBARDY. 
GOLD  COINS. 

1.  Sequin  or  Zecchino  of  Joseph  II.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Joseph  11.     Legend:  " Joseph  ii.  d.  g.  r.  imp.  s.  auq.  g.  h. 


ITALY.  915 

ET  B.  REX.  A.  A."  {Joseph  II,,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  Emperor  of 
Rome,  ever  August,  King  of  Germany,  Hungary  and  Bohemia, 
Archduke  of  Austria).  Reverse:  The  arms  of  Milan.  Le- 
gend: "mediotani  et  MANTUA  DUX."  {Dukc  of  Milan  and 
Mantua).  Weight:  53.750  grains.  Fineness:  962.  Value: 
$2.29. 

2.  Doppia  or  Pistole  of  Joseph  II.  Obverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  2.  Weight: 
97.500  grains.     Fineness:  915.     Value :  $3.79.1864. 

3.  Forty  Lire  Piece  of  the  Provisional  Government  of  Lom- 
bardy,  1848.  Obverse:  Full  length  figure,  a  staff  in  her  right 
hand  ;  a  star  above  her  head.  Legend :  "  italia  libera  dio  lo 
VUOLe"  {Italy  free,  80  GodwHl).     Exergue:  "m."  {Milan). 


FORTY   LIRES   OF   THE   PROVISIONAL    GOVERNMENT  OF    1848. 

Reverse:  "40  lire  italiane;"  surrounded  by  a  wreath  of 
oak  and  palm  branches.  Legend:  "ooverno  provvisorio 
Di  LOMBARDIA  "  {Provisional  Government  of  Lomhardy).  Ex- 
ergue: Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  199.123  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $7.70.5291. 

4.  Twenty  Lire  Piece  of  the  Provisional  Government  of 
Lombardy,  1848.  Obverse,  I^egend,  and  Exergue:  Same  as 
No.  3.  Reverse:  "  20  lire  italiane;"  rest  same  as  No.  3. 
Weight:  99.569  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.85.2645. 

5.  Ten  Lire  Piece  of  the  Provisional  Government  of  Lom- 
bardy, 1848.  Obverse,  Legend,  and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  3. 
Reverse  :  "  10  lire  italiane  ;  "  rest  same  as  No.  3.  Weight: 
49.784  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.92.6323. 


916  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Scudo  of  Prince  Hercules  III.  of  1782.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Prince  Hercules  III.  Legend  :  "hercules  hi.  d.  g.  mvt. 
REG.  MIR.  EC.  DVX  "  {Hercules  III.,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  Duke 
of  Modena,  Reggio,  Mirandola,  etc.)  Reverse :  Shields  bearing 
arms  of  Modena.  Legend  :  "  proxima  soli  "  [Next  to  the  sun). 
Weight:  356.750  grains.  Fineness:  913.  Value:  $0.91- 
.2191. 

2.  Scudo  of  Prince  Hercules  III.  of  1796.  Obverse  and 
Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  Arms  of  Modena.  Le- 
gend :  "  DEXTERA  DOMINI  EXALTAVIT  me"  {The  right  hand  of 
the  Lord  hath  exalted  me).-  Weight:  356.750  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $0.91.2191. 

3.  Lira  of  Joseph  II.  Obverse :  Head  of  Joseph  II.  Le- 
gend :  "  JOSEP  II.  D.  G.  R.  IMP.  S.  AUG  G.  H.  ET  B.  REX  A.  A." 
[Joseph  II.,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  Emperor  of  Home,  ever  Au- 
gust, King  of  Germany,  Hungary,  and  Bohemia,  Archduke  of 
Austria).  Reverse:  Arms  of  Milan.  Legend:  "mediolani 
ET  MANX.  DUX "  [Duke  of  Milan  and  Mantua).  Exergue : 
" UNA  LIRA  "  {One  Lira).  Weight :  58  grains.  Fineness :  915. 
Value:  $0.14. 

4.  Scudo  of  the  Cisalpine  Republic.  Obverse :  An  armed 
female   sitting,  and   another  standing   before  her.      Legend : 

"ALLA    NAZ.    FRAN.    LA    REP    CISAL.    RICONOSCENTE "  {To   the 

French  Nation,  the  grateful  Cisalpine  Republic).  Reverse :  A 
wreath  of  oak  leaves,  and  within  it :  "  scudo  di  lire  sei,  27 
PRATILE  ANNO  VIII "  [Scudo  of  Six  Lires,  27th  of  the  month 
Pratile,  year  Sth).  Around  the  edge:  " union E  ET  virtute" 
( Union  and  Virtue).  Weight :  348.500  grains.  Fineness : 
900.     Value:  $0.89.2191.  i 

5.  Thirty  Soldi  of  the  Cisalpine  Republic.  Obverse :  Head 
of  a  woman.  Legend:  "repvbblica  cisalpine,  soldi  30." 
Reverse,  within  the  field :  "  pace  celebrata,  fobo  Bona- 
parte fondate  anno  IX "  {Peace  proclaimed,  foundation  of 
Bonaparte s  Forum,  year  ninth).  Weight:  113  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 700.     Value:  $0.21. 


ITALY. 


917 


6.  Five  Lire  Italiane  of  the  Provisional  Government  of 
Lombardy,  1848.  Obverse:  Full  length  figure,  holding  a 
staff  in   her  right  hand ;   a  star   above   her   head.     Legend : 

"  ITALIA    LIBERA    DIO   LO  VUOLE "   {ItcUy  free,   SO  God    wiU). 

Exergue :  "  m  "  (Milan). 


FIVE    LIRE    ITALIANE  OP    THE    PROVISIONAL  GOVERNMENT, 

1848. 

Reverse:  "5  lire  italiane;"  surrounded  by  branches  of 
laurel  and  oak  leaves.  Legend :  "  governo  provvisorio  di 
LOMBARDIA."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight : 
385.808  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.96^. 

LUCCA    AND    PIOMBINO. 
GOLD  COIN. 

1.  Doppia.  Obverse:  Head  of  Jesus,  crowned.  Legend: 
**VULTVS  sanctvs"  {Holy  countenance).  Reverse:  Shield, 
with  arms  of  the  Republic  of  Lucca.  Legend  :  "respublica 
lucensis  "  (Republic  of  Lucca).  Weight :  85  grains.  Fine- 
ness :  916.     Value:  $3.34.5718. 

SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Scudo  of  5  Lires.  Obverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  the 
word  "  LIBERT  AS."  Legend :  "  respublica  lucensis."  Ex- 
ergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Reverse :  A  beggar,  and  a 
mounted  knight,  throwing  his  mantle  over  the  former.     Le- 


918  DYKS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

geiid :  "SANCTUS  MARTiNUS."      Weight:  408  grains.      Fine- 
ness: 916.     Value:  $0.99. 

2.  Mezzo  Scudo  or  Half  Scudo.  Obverse,  Legend,  and  Ex- 
ergue :  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1. 
Weight:  204  grains.     Fineness:  915.     Value:  $0.49|. 

3.  Terzo  Scudo  or  One-Third  of  a  Scudo.  Obverse:  A 
crucifix.  Legend:  "vultvs  sanctvs"  {Holy  countenance). 
Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  136  grains. 
Fineness:  915.     Value:  $0.33. 

4.  Quinto  Scudo  or  One-Fifth  of  a  Scudo.  Obverse: 
Crowned  shield,  bearing  the  word:    "libertas."     Legend: 

"  RESPUBLICA  liUCENSIS." 


QUINTO  OR  ONE-FIFTH   OF   A  SCUDO  OF    THE  REPUBLIC  OP 

LUCCA. 

Reverse:  A  be^ar,  and  a  mounted  knight  throwing  his 
mantle  over  the  former.  Legend  :  "  SANCTUS  martinus  '*  {St. 
Martin).  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight : 
44.250  grains.     Fineness:  915.     Value:  $0.19.800. 

5.  Barbone.  Obverse :  Head  of  Jesus,  crowned.  Legend  : 
Same  as  No.  3.  Reverse :  A  cross.  Legend :  "  respublica 
LUCENSis."  Weight :  44.250  grains.  Fineness :  665.  Value : 
$0.08. 

6.  Five  Francs  of  the  Principality  of  Lucca  and  Piombino. 
Obverse:  Busts  of  Felix  and  Eliza.  Legend:  "felice  et 
ELISA  p.  p.  Di  LUCCA  E  PIOMBINO "  {Felix  and  Eliza,  prince 
and  princess  of  Lucca  and  Piombino). 

Reverse :  "  6  franchi  "  (5  Francs),  inclosed  in  a  wreath  of 
laurel.     Legend :"  pbincipate  Di  lucca  e  piombino."     Ex- 


ITALY. 


919 


ergue :   Date  of  the  year  of  issue.     Weight :  385.808  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.96|. 


FIVE    FRANCS   OF    FELIX   AND    ELIZA  OP   LUCCA   AND   PIOM- 

BINO. 

7.  One  Franc  of  Felix  and  Eliza.     Obverse  and  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  6. 


FRANC   OF   FELIX   AND   ELIZA   OF   LUCCA   AND  PIOMBINO. 

Eeverse:  "1  franco;"  rest  same  as  No.  6.  Weight:  77- 
.161  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value:  $0.19.300. 

8.  Five  Lires  of  Carlo  Lodovico.  Obverse :  Head  of  Charles 
Louis  of  Lucca.  Legend ;  "carlo  lod.  i.  d.  s.  duca  di 
IjVCCA  "  ( Charles  Louis  I.,  Duke  of  Lucca).  Reverse :  Crowned 
fliield,  with  the  three  lilies  of  the  Bourbon  dynasty,  surrounded 
by  branches  of  laurel  and  oak,  at  the  sides  of  shield  "5"  "l."  (5 
Lires).  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  385.808 
grains.     Fineness  :  900.     Value  :  $0.96i. 

9.  Two  Lires  of  Carlo  Lodovico.  Obverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  8.  Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  6.  At  the 
sides  of  shield  "2"  "l."  Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight:  154.323  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.38.600. 


920  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

10.  One  Lira  of  Carlo  Lodovico.  Obverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  8.  Reverse:  "lira,"  surrounded  by  a  heavy 
wreath;  no  Legend  or  Exergue.  Weight:  77.161  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.19.300. 

MONACO. 
SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Five  Francs  of  Honore  V.  Obverse:  Head  of  Prince 
Honore  V.  Legend  :  "honore  v.  prince  de  Monaco"  {Ho- 
no?'e  v.,  Prince  of  Monaco).  Reverse  :  Crowned  shield,  bearing 
arms  of  Monaco,  supported  by  two  priests  in  robes.  No  Le- 
gend. Exergue:  "5  francs,"  and  below  the  date  of  the  year 
of  issue. 

2.  One  Franc  of  Honore  V.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as 
No.  1.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue:  "1  franc;"  be- 
low, the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  77.161  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.19.300. 

NAPLES  AND   SICILY. 
GOLD  COINS. 

1.  Forty  Lires  of  Giocchino  Napoleone,  1813.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Giocchino  Napoleone,  facing  to  the  left.  Legend : 
"giocchino  NAPOLEONE."  Exergue:  "  1813."  Reverse:  "40 
LIRE,"  surrounded  by  branches  of  laurel  and  olive.  Legend: 
"regno  delle  due  sicilie"  {Kingdom  of  the  two  Sicilies). 
Weight :  199.123  grains.     Fineness  :  900.     Value :  $7.72. 

2.  Twenty  Lires  of  Giocchino  Napoleone,  1813.  Obverse, 
Legend  and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  1. 


TWENTY  lires  OF  GIOCCHINO  NAPOLEONE,  1813. 


ITALY.  921 

Reverse:  "20  lire;"  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  99.569 
grains.     Fineness  :  900.     Value:  $3.86. 

3.  Thirty  Ducati  or  Ten  Oncette  Piece  of  Ferdinand  II. 
Obverse:  Head  of  Ferdinand  II.,  facing  to  the  right.  Ijegend: 
"  FERDINANDVS  11.  DEI  GRATIA  REX "  {Ferdinand  IL,  by  the 
rjrace  of  God,  King.)  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  He- 
verse  :  An  angel,  full  figure,  beside  a  column,  upon  which  lies 
a  cushion,  and  upon  the  cushion  a  royal  crown,  the  right  hand 
of  the  angel  resting  upon  the  cushion,  his  left  hand  resting  on 
an  oval  shield,  upon  which  are  the  three  lilies  of  the  Bourbon 
dynasty.  Legend  :  "  regni  vtr  sic  et  hier."  [Regni  Utriusque 
Slciliae  Et  Hierosohjmae ;  meaning :  Kingdom  of  both  Sicilies  and 
Jerusalem)  Exergue:  "trapp.  42i®o°o  titolo  millesimi  996. 
DUCATI  30  "  {Trappesi  42jVo  equal  584.375  grains  Troy.  MiUe- 
simi  996,  equal  to  996  fine;  Ducati  30  =  30 Ducats.)  Weight: 
584.375  grains.     Fineness :  996.     Value:  $25.06. 

4.  Fifteen  Ducati  or  Five  Oncette  Piece  of  Ferdinand  II. 
Obverse,  Legend  and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  3.  Reverse  and 
Legend:  Same  as  No.  3.  Exergue:  "trapp  21iVo  titolo 
MILLESIMI  996  ducati  16"  {Trappesi  21  i^^a  equal  to  292.1S0 
grains  Troy.  Millesimi  996,  equal  to  ddQfine;  Ducati  15=  15 
Ducats.)  Weight:  292.180  grains.  Fineness:  996.  Value: 
$12.53. 

5.  Six  Ducati  or  Two  Oncette  Piece  of  Ferdinand  II.  Ob- 
verse, Legend  and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  3.  Reverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  3.  Exergue:  "trapp  8,Vd  millesimi  996. 
DUCATI  6  "  {Trappesi  8iVo  equal  to  116.868  grains  Troy.  Mil- 
lesimi 996,  equal  to  d9Qfine;  Ducati  6  =  6  Ducats).  Weight: 
116.868  grains.     Fineness :  996.     Value:  $5.01.200. 

6.  Three  Ducats  or  One  Oncette  Piece  of  Ferdinand  II. 
Obverse,  Legend  and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  3.  Reverse  and 
Legend  :  Same  as  No.  3.  Exergue:  "trapp.  4,Vo  millesimi 
996.  ducati  3  "  {Trappesi  4jVo  equal  to  58.426  grains.  Mille- 
simi 996,  equal  to  996  fine.     Value :  $2.50.600.) 


922  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

SILVER  COINS. 
1.  Scudo  of  Prince  Charles,  Archduke  of  Austria,  1734. 
Obverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Naples,  Castile, 
Aragon,  Parma  and  Tuscany,  with  the  arms  of  Anjou  {fieur-de- 
lis)  on  a  shield  of  pretence.  (It  is  rather  presumptive  on  the 
part  of  Prince  Charles,  Archduke  of  Austria,  to  place  upon  his 
Neapolitan  coins  the  arms  of  Aragon  and  Castile,  together  with 
the  title  "  Hispaniarum  Infans,"  Infant  of  Spain  ;  because  Pope 
Clement  XI.  had  acknowledged,  through  compulsion,  his  right 
to  the  crown  of  Spain.  He  seems  to  have  considered  his  claim 
to  a  throne  a  sufficient  reason  for  the  adoption  of  the  family  arms 
of  Aragon  and  Castile.  He  assumes  also  upon  his  coins 
the  arras  of  Tuscany ;  but  why  he  had  the  arms  of  Anjou,  the 
Jleur-de-lis,  of  the  Bourbon  dynasty,  put  upon  his  coins,  is  in- 
explicable, he  being  the  Count  of  Hapsburg  and  Archduke  of 
Austria;  therefore  he  had  no  claim  to  a  Bourbon  pedigree. 
Still  more  strange,  that  on  none  of  his  Neapolitan  coins  he 
acknowledges  his  Hapsburg  pedigree.)  Legend:  "car:  d:  g. 
KEX  NEA.  hisp:  INFANS  &c."  (Charles  by  the  Grace  of  God 
King  of  Naples,  Infant  of  Spain.)  Exergue:  "g  120"  (120 
grani.) 


SCUDO  OF  PRINCE  CHARLES  OF  AUSTRIA,  1734-1736. 

Reverse:  Aquarius  with  water,  and  a  volcano  in  the  back- 
ground: Legend:  "desocio  princeps."  Exergue:  "1734." 
Weight:  424.574  grains.  Fineness:  833.333.  Value: 
$0.98J. 


ITALY. 


923 


2.  Half  Scudo  of  Prince  Charles,  Archduke  of  Austria.  Ob- 
verse, Reverse,  Legends;  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue:  "g  60" 
(60  grani.)  Weight:  212.287  grains.  Fineness:  833.333. 
Value:  $0.49^. 

3.  Ducat  of  Prince  Charles,  Archduke  of  Austria.  Obverse 
and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1. 


DUCAT  OP  PRINCE   CHARLES   OF   AUSTRIA. 

Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Exergue:  "100" 
(100 ^ram.)  Weight :  350.822 grains.  Fineness:  840.  Value: 
$0.88.1360. 

4.  Scudo  of  Charles  VII.  of  Sicily,  1736.  Obverse :  Bust 
laureated  of  Charles  VII.  Legend  :  "  carol vs  D.  G.  sic.  ET. 
HiER  REX  HIS.  INF."  ( Carolus  Dei  Gratiae  Siciliae  et  Hieroaolymae 
Rex,  Hispaniarum  infans;  meaning  :  Charles  by  the  grace  of  God 
King  of  Sicily,  Jerusalem,  Infant  of  Spain).   Reverse :  A  double 


half  scudo   of  CHARLES   VII.   OF  SICILY,  1738. 

cross  moline;  three  limbs  surmounted  by  crowns ;  fleur-de-lis 


924  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

in  the  angles.  Legend:  "fausto  coronatis  anno:  1738" 
{In  the  happy  year  of  the  coronation,  1738).  Weight :  424.574 
grains.     Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  $0.98|. 

6.  Half  Scudo  of  Charles  VII.  of  Sicily,  1736.  Obverse 
and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  4. 

Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  4.  Weight:  212.287 
grains.     Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  $0.49J. 

6.  Quarter  Scudo  of  Charles  VII.  of  Sicily,  1736.  Obverse 
and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  4. 


quarter  scudo  of  CHARLES  VII.   OF  SICILY,  1736. 

Reverse :  Crowned  eagle.  Legend :  "  favsto  coronatIonis 
anno"  (Happy  year  of  the  coronation).  Weight:  106.143 
grains.     Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  $0.24|. 

7.  Two  Carlini  of  Charles  VII.  of  Sicily,  1736.  Obverse 
and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  4. 


TWO  CARLINI  OF  CHARLES  VII.   OF  SICILY,  1736. 

Reverse :  Crowned  eagle.  Legend :  "  hispa.  infans." 
Exergue :  "  1736."  Weight :  70.760  grains.  Fineness :  833- 
.333.     Value:  $0.13. 

8.  Scudo  of  Charles  VII.  of  Sicily,  1750.  Obverse:  Bust 
of  Charles  VII.,  decorated  with  the  cross  of  Malta.     Legend: 

"  CAR.  D.  G.  UTR.  SIC.  ET  HIER.  REX." 


ITALY. 


925 


SCUDO  OP  CHARLES  VII.  OF  SICILY,   1750. 

Reverse :  Crowne<l  shield,  with  the  arms  of  Naples,  Castile, 
Aragon,  Parma  and  Tuscany.  Legend :  "  hispaniarum 
INFANS,  1750."  Exergue:  "g.  120"  (120  ^mm).  Weight: 
424.574  grains.     Fineness :  833.333.     Value  :  $0.98|. 

In  1759  Charles  VII.,  being  called  to  the  throne  of  Spain, 
vacated  that  of  Naples,  and  was  succeeded  by  his  son  Ferdi- 
nand. This  monarch  bore  the  two  titles  of  Ferdinand  IV.  of 
Naples,  and  Ferdinand  III.  of  the  Island  of  Sicily.  Having 
joined  in  the  alliance  against  France,  Ferdinand  was  expelled 
from  Naples,  1799,  and  his  kingdom  erected  into  the  Neapolitan 
Republic.  In  1801  Ferdinand  made  a  treaty,  by  which  he  re- 
covered his  dominions. 

He  again  made  war  upon  Napoleon,  and,  in  1805,  he  was  a 
second  time  driven  from  the  Neapolitan  throne  and  compelled 
to  retire  to  the  Island  of  Sicily,  where  he  established  his  court, 
and  was  permitted  to  continue  in  power;  Joseph  Napoleon 
being  placed  upon  the  throne  of  Naples.  In  1808  this  Prince 
was  transferred  to  the  throne  of  Spain,  and  Joachim  Napoleon, 
Prince  Murat,  was  placed  upon  the  throne  of  Naples.  In  1814 
the  power  of  Napoleon  came  to  an  end,  and  the  rearrangement 
of  Europe,  which  then  took  place,  not  only  deprived  Joachim 
of  his  transitory  title,  but  of  his  life  also.  Ferdinand,  finding 
himself  again  reinstated  upon  the  throne  of  the  Two  Sicilies, 
assumed  the  title  of  Ferdinand  I. ;  thus  the  coins  of  this  King 
bear  the  several  titles  of  Ferdinand,  Ferdinand  IV.,  Ferdi- 


926 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


nand  III.,  and  during  the  latter  years  of  his  reign  Ferdi- 
nand I. 

9.  Scudo  of  Ferdinand  IV.,  1784.  Obverse :  Bust  of  Ferdi- 
nand IV.  Legend  :  "  ferdinan.  iv.  sicil.  rex."  Reverse : 
A  cross,  three  limbs  surmounted  by  crowns  :  fieur-de-lis  in  each 
angle.  Legend  :  "his  pan  inf  ans,"  divided  by  the  ends  of 
the  cross.  Exergue:  "1784."  Weight:  424.574  grains. 
Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  $0.98^. 

10.  Half  Scudo  of  Ferdinand  IV.,  1784.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  9. 


half  scudo   of    FERDINAND   IV.,  1784. 


Reverse,  L^end,  and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  9.  Weight ; 
212.287  grains.     Fineness :  833.333.     Value :  $0.49^. 

11.  Ducat  of  100  grani  of  Ferdinand  IV.,  1785.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Ferdinand  IV.,  facing  to  the  right.  Legend  :  "fer- 
dinan IV.  D.  G.  SICILIAR.  ET.  HIE  REX  "  [Ferdinandus  IV.  Dei 
Gratiae  SicUlarum  et  Hierosolymae  Rex  ;  meaning  :  Ferdinand 
IV.y  by  the  Grcuse  of  God,  King  of  Sicily  and  Jerusalem). 


DUCAT  of    100   GRAJJI    OF    FERDINAND   IV.,  1785. 


ITALY. 


927 


Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  between  branches  of  palm  and 
laurel,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend:  "  hispaniab  infans,  1786" 
{Infard  of  Spain,  1785).  Exergue:  "  ducato  nap.  g.  100" 
(Bucat  of  Naples  of  100  Grani).  Weight:  350.822  grains. 
Fineness:  840.     Value:  $0.83.1360. 

12.  Scudo  of  Ferdinand  IV.,  1787.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Fer- 
dinand IV.    Legend:  "ferdixan.  iv.  d.  g.  siciliar  et  hie. 

REX." 


•■c-z 


SCITDO   OF   FERDIXAND   IV.,  1787. 


Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Naples,  Castile, 
Aragon,  Parma  and  Tuscany,  with  arms  of  Anjou,  fleurs-de-lis, 
on  a  shield  of  pretence;  the  upper  ends  of  the  shield  are  draped 
with  laurel.  Legend:  " HisPANiARtTM  INFAXS,  1787."  Ex- 
ergue: "g.  120"  (120  ^rams)  between  two  branches  of  palms. 
Weight:  424.574  grains.     Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  $0.98 J. 

13.  Twelve  Carlini  Piece  or  Scudo  of  120  grains  of  Ferdi- 
nand IV.  and  Maria  Carolina.  Obverse :  Profiles  of  the  King 
and  Queen.  Legend :  "  ferdinandus  iv.  et  maria  Caro- 
lina." Reverse :  The  sun  in  the  zodiac,  with  the  globe  of  the 
earth  at  the  bottom.  Legend  :  "soli  redvci."  (To  the  retum- 
i7ig  sun).  Weight:  424.674 grains.  Fineness:  833.333.  Value: 
$0.98i. 

14.  Twelve  Carlini  Piece  or  Scudo  of  120  grani  of  Ferdi- 
nand IV.  and  Maria  Carolina.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same  as 
No.  2.  Reverse:  A  man  and  a  woman  making  a  sacrifice  on  an 
altar,  behind  which  is  a  view  of  Mount  Vesuvius.     Legend : 


928  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

"pro  favsto  p.  p.  reditr."  [For  the  happy  return  of  our 
Sovereigns).  Weight:  424.574  grains.  Fineness:  833.333. 
Value:  $0,981. 

15.  Ducato  of  Ferdinand  IV.  and  Maria  Carolina,  1791. 
Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  2.  Exergue:  "dvcato  nap.  qra.  100"  (Neapol- 
itan Ducat  of  100  grant).  Around  the  edge:  "propugna- 
CULA  FiRMA  ADVERSUS  FRAUD ATORES  "  [A  firm  guard  ogainst 
fraudulent  persons).  Weight :  350.822  grains.  Fineness :  840. 
Value:  $0.83.1360. 

16.  Half-Ducato  of  Ferdinand  IV.  and  Maria  Carolina,  1792. 
Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  2.  Reverse  and  Legend  : 
Same  as  No.  2.  Exergue :  "  me.  d.  nap.  g.  50  "  {Half-Ducat 
of  Naples  of  60  grani).  Weight:  175.411  grains.  Fineness: 
840.     Value:  $0.41.5680. 

17.  Ducato  of  Ferdinand  IV.,  1795.  Obverse:  Bust  of 
Ferdinand  IV.  Legend:  "ferdinan.  iv.  d.  g.  siciliar.  et 
HIE.  REX."  Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Naples, 
Castile,  Aragon,  Parma  and  Tuscany,  with  the  arms  of  Anjou 
on  a  shield  of  pretence;  the  whole  draped  with  laurel  leaves. 
Legend:  "hispaniar.  infans.  1795."  Exergue:  "g.  120," 
within  palm  and  laurel  branches,  crossed.  Weight:  424.574 
grains.     Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  $0.98|. 

18.  Half-Scudo  of  Ferdinand  IV.,  1798.  Obverse:  Bust  of 
Ferdinand   IV.     Legend:  "ferdinan.  iv.  d.  g..  sicil.  et 

HIE  REX." 


HALF-SCUDO  OF   FERDINAND  IV. 

Reverse:    An  eagle,  with  shield  upon   his  breast,  bearing 


ITALY. 


929 


arms  of  Naples,  Castile,  Aragon,  Parma  and  Tuscany,  with  the 
arms  of  Anjou,  fleurs-de-lis ^  upon  a  shield  of  pretence.  Legend : 
"HisPAN  INFANS."  Exergue :  "1798."  Weight:  212.287 
grains.     Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  $0.49^. 

19.  Scudo  of  Ferdinand  IV.,  1800,  during  his  sojourn  in 
Sicily.  Obveree:  Bust  of  Ferdinand  IV.  Legend:  "ferdi- 
NAN.  IV.  D.  G.  siciL  ET.  HiER.  REX."  {Ferdinand  IV.,  by  the 
Grace  of  God,  King  of  Sicily  and  Jerusalem). 


SCUDO  OF   FERDINAND   IV.,  1800,      (Siclly.) 

Reverse:  An  eagle,  with  shield  upon  his  breast,  bearing  arms 
ot  Naples,  Castile,  Aragon,  Parma  and  Tuscany.  Legend: 
"HiSPANiARUM  INFANS."  Exergue :  "1800."  Weight:  424- 
.574  grains.     Fineness  :  833.333.     Value:  $0.98|. 

20.  Twelve  Carlini  of  the  Neapolitan  Republic,  1799-1802. 
Obverse:  A  woman  with  a  spear,  a  cap  of  liberty  in  one  hand, 
and  supporting  the /osces  with  the  other.  Legend:  "repub- 
BLICA  NAPOLITANA  "  {Republic  of  Naples). 


TWELVE  CARLINI  OF  THE  REPUBLIC  OF  NAPLES,  1799-1802. 
3G 


930  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Reverse:  A  wreath  enclosing  the  vahie:  "carlini  dodici" 
{Twelve  Carlini).  Legend:  "anno  settima  della  liberta" 
(Seventh  year  of  liberty).  Weight :  424.574  grains.  Fineness  : 
833.333.     Value:  $0.98 J. 

21.  Six  Carlini  of  the  Neapolitan  Republic,  1799-1802. 
Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  20.  Reverse :  A  wreath 
enclosing  the  value:  "carlini  sei."  {Six  Chrlini).  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  20.  Weight:  212.287  grains.  Fineness:  833- 
.333.     Value:  §0.49J. 

22.  Scudo  of  120  grani  of  Ferdinand  IV.,  of  1805.  Ob- 
verse :  Bust  of  Ferdinand  IV.  Legend :  "  ferdinandus  rv. 
D.  G.  rex."     Exergue:  "1805." 


SCUDO  OF   FERDINAND   IV.,  1805. 

Reverse :  A  pointed  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Naples,  Castile, 
Aragon,  Parma  and  Tuscany,  with  arms  of  Anjou,  on  a  shield 
of  pretence.  Legend  :  "vtr.  sic.  hier.  hisp.  inf."  {Utriusque 
Siciliae,  Hierosolymae,  Hispaniarum  Infantus;  meaning:  Of 
both  Sicilies,  Jerusalem,  Infant  of  Spain).  Exergue :  "  g  1 20." 
The  rim  of  this  Scudo,  bearing  the  legends,  value  and  date,  is 
slightly  raised  above  the  surface  of  the  field.  On  the  edge  is 
inscribed:  "providentia  optimi  PRJ'scitis "  {Hie precaution 
of  the  best  Prince).  Weight :  426.225  grains.  Fineness :  833- 
.333.     Value:  $0.99 J. 

22 J.  Half-Scudo  of  60  grani.  Obverse,  Legend  and  Exergue : 
Same  as  No.  21.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  21.  Ex- 
ergue: "g  60."  Weight:  213.1125  grains.  Fineness:  833- 
.333.     Value:  $0.49f. 


ITALY. 


931 


23.  Scudo  of  12  Tari  of  Ferdinand  III.,  of  Sicily,  1810. 
Obverse:  Bust  of  Ferdinand  III,  Legend:  "ferdinandus 
ni.  D.  G.  HEX."  Exergue:  "tari  12."  The  Legend  and  Ex- 
ergue are  on  a  raised  rim.  Reverse :  An  eagle  inclosed  in  an 
olive  wreath.  Legend  :  "utr.  sic.  hier.  infans  hisp."  Ex- 
ergue :  "  1810."  This  coin  bears  the  Legend  of  Ferdinand  III. 
notwithstanding  that  a  few  years  previous  the  same  King 
stamped  his  coins  with  Ferdinandus  IV.  Weight:  424.574 
grains.     Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  $0.98|. 

24.  Ducato  of  Joseph  Napoleon,  1808.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Joseph  Napoleon.  Legend:  " Joseph,  napol.  d.  g.  utr. 
SICIL.  REX  "  {Joseph  Napoleon,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  IRng  of 
both  Sicilies). 


DUCATO  OF  JOSEPH   NAPOLEON,  1808. 

Reverse:  A  crowned  shield,  with  two  fields;  two  cornuco- 
pias, crossed,  and  a  dolphin  in  the  upper  field,  and  three  legs  in 
the  lower;  a  shield  of  pretence,  surmounted  by  a  crown,  bear- 
ing the  French  eagle;  at  either  side  is  a  mermaid,  one  holding 
an  anchor,  and  the  other  a  paddle  or  rudder.  Legend  :  "  princ. 
GALLIC.  MAGN.  ELECT.  IMP."  Exergue :  "1808."  "G.  120." 
Around  the  edge  are  Six  Dolphins,  and  the  inscription  :  cu.STU8 
REGNI  DEUS."  Weight :  424.883  grains.  Fineness :  833.333. 
Value:  $0.98^. 

25.  Ducat  of  Joachim  Napoleon,  1809-1810.  Obverse: 
Undraped  bust  of  Joachim  Napoleon.  Legend:  "gioacchino 
NAPOL.  RE  DELLE  DUE  siciLiE  "  [Joachim  Nupoleon,  King  of 


932  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

both  Sicilies).     Reverse:  " dodici  carlini  1809  and  1810;" 
surrounded    by   a   wreath   of   laurel    and    wheat.      Legend : 

"  PRINCIPE  E  GRAN  d'AMMI  RAGmO  DI  FRANCIA  "  [PHnce  and 

Ch^and  Admiral  of  France).     Weight :  424.574  grains.     Fine- 
ness: 833.333.     Value:  $0.98.400. 

26.  Five  Lires  of  Joachim  Napoleon,  1813.  Obverse:  Un- 
draped  bust  of  Joachim  Napoleon,  facing  to  the  right.  Legend: 
'^GIOAOCHINO  NAPOLEONE."  Exergue :  "1813."  Reverse: 
Pointed  shield,  surmounted  by  a  helmet,  upon  the  shield  a 
shield  of  pretence,  with  the  French  eagle ;  around  the  shield  the 
chain  of  the  Grand  Legion  of  Honor  of  France,  supported  by 
two  nymphs,  the  one  holding  a  horn  of  plenty,  the  other  the 
rudder  of  Aquarius,  the  whole  displayed  upon  a  mantle  of  er- 
mine, draped  from  an  imperial  crown  from  above;  behind  the 
mantle  of  ermine  two  sceptres,  saltiere.  Legend :  "  regno 
DELLE  due  sicilie"  {Kingdom  of  both  Sicilies).  Exergue: 
«  5  LIRE."  Weight:  385.808  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
§0.96J. 

27.  Two  Lires  of  Joachim  Napoleon,  1813.  Obverse,  Le- 
gend, and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  26. 


TWO  LIRES  OF  JOACHIM  NAPOLEOW,  1813. 

Reverse :  "  2  lire,"  surrounded  by  a  wreath  of  laurel  and 
olive  branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend :  "  regno  delle 
DUE  sicilie."  Weight:  154.323  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.38.600. 

28.  Lira  of  Joachim  Napoleon,  1813.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  26. 


ITALY. 


LIRA  OP  JOACHIM  NAPOLEON,  1813. 

Reverse :  "  1  lira  ; "  rest  same  as  No.  26.  Weight :  77.161 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  ^.19.300. 

29.  Mezza  Lira  of  Joachim  Napoleon.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  26.  Reverse:  "mez  lira" 
{Mezza  Lira  or  Half  Lira) ;  rest  same  as  No.  27.  Weight : 
38.580  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value :  $0.09.650. 

29.  Scudo  of  Ferdinand  IV.  Obverse:  Draped  bust  of 
Ferdinand  IV.  Legend  :  "  ferd  iv.  d.  g.  vte,  sic.  et  hieb. 
EEX."     Exergue:  "1816." 


SCUDO  OP   FERDINAND   IV.,    1816. 

Reverse :  Crowned  round  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Naples, 
Castile,  Aragon,  Parma,  and  Tuscany,  with  a  shield  of  pre- 
tence, bearing  arms  of  Anjou,  surrounded  by  palm  branches. 
Legend:  "hispaniarum  infans."  "g.  120."  Weight:  424- 
.883  grains.     Fineness :  833.333.     Value :  $0.98|. 

30.  Half  Scudo  of  Ferdinand  IV.  Obverse,  Legend,  and 
Exergue :  Same  as  No.  29.  Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No. 
29,  with  the  exception  of  "g  60  "  taking  the  place  of  "g  120." 
Weight:  212.442  grains.     Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  ^0.49i. 

31.  Scudo,  120  Graui  of  Ferdinand  I.,  1818.     Obverse: 


934  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Bust  of  Ferdinand  I.  Legend  :  "  ferd.  i.  d.  g.  regni  sicil- 
lARUM  ET  HiEE.  KEX  "  {Ferdinand  I,  by  the  Grace  of  Gody  King 
of  Sicily  and  Jerusalem).     Exergue:  "1818." 


8CUDO  OF   FERDI2JAND   I. 


Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Naples,  Castile, 
Aragon,  Parma,  and  Tuscany,  with  the  arms  of  Anjou  on  a 
shield  of  pretence :  from  the  shield  are  suspended  several  order 
chains  and  orders.  Legend  :  "hispaniarvm  infans,"  and  the 
value:  "g  120."  Around  the  edge:  "  providentia  optimi 
PRiNCiPi"  {The precaution  of  the  best  Prince).  Weight:  424- 
.883  grains.     Fineness :  833.333.     Value :  $0.98J. 

32.  Half  Scudo  of  Feixlinand  I.,  1818.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  31.  Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same 
as  No.  31,  with  the  exception  that  "g  60"  takes  the  place  of 
"G  120."  Weight:  212.442  grains.  Fineness:  833.333. 
Value:  $0.49^. 

33.  Carlino  of  Ferdinand  I.,  1818.  Obverse,  Legend,  and 
Exergue:  Same  as  No.  31.  Reverse:  A  crowned  shield,  with 
a  stalk  of  wheat  at  each  side,  and  bedecked  with  order  chains 
and  badges  of  the  Golden  Fleece.  Legend :  "  hispan.  infans." 
Value  quite  nominal  at  8  cents. 

34.  Scudo  of  Franciscus  I.,  1826.  Obverse :  Bust  of  Fran- 
cesco I.  Legend :  "  franciscus  i.  dei  gratiae  rex."  Ex- 
ergue: "1826."  Reverse:  Shield,  crowned,  bearing  arms  of 
Naples,  Castile,  Aragon,  Parma,  and  Tuscany,  with  the  arms 
of   Anjou    on   a  shield   of   pretence,  surrounded    by   laurel 


i 


ITALY. 


935 


branches,  crossed  and  tied;  from  the  branches  are  suspended  the 
orders  of  the  Golden  Fleece,  Malta,  and  St.  George.  Legend  : 
"REGNi  VTR  SIC  ET  HiER."  Exergue :  "G  120."  Weight: 
424.882  grains.     Fineness :  833.333.     Value :  $0.98  J. 

35.  Half  Scudo  of  Franciscus  I.,  1826.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  34.  Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as 
No.  34.  Exergue:  "g  60"  (60  grani).  Weight:  212.441 
grains.     Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  $0.49 J. 

36.  Scudo  of  Ferdinand  II.,  1834.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Fer- 
dinand II.     Legend :  "  febdinandvs  n.  dei  gratia  rex." 


SCUDO  OF   FERDINAND   II.,  1834. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Naples,  Castile, 
Aragon,  Parma  and  Tuscany,  with  the  arras  of  Anjou  on  a 
shield  of  pretence.  Legend :  "  regni  vtr  sic  et  hier."  Ex- 
ergue :  "g  120"  (120  grani).  Weight:  424.881  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 833.333.     Value:  $0.98|. 

37.  Scudo  of  Ferdinand  II.,  1856.  Obverse :  Bust  of  Fer- 
dinand II.,  heavier  and  older  in  profile  than  the  preceding,  side 
whiskers,  and  beard  under  the  chin ;  rest  same  as  No.  36. 
W^eight:  424.881  grains.     Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  $0.98 J. 

38.  Half-Scudo  of  Ferdinand  II.  Obverse,  Legend,  and  Ex- 
ergue: Same  as  No.  37.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  36. 
Exergue:  "g  60."  Weight:  212.441  grains.  Fineness:  833- 
333.     Value:  $0.49 J. 

39.  Two  Carlini  of  Ferdinand  II.,  1856.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  37.     Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as 


936  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

No.   36.     Exergue:    "g  20 **   (20  ffrani).     Weight:    70.818 
grains.     Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  $0.16. 

40.  Scudo  of  Frauciscus  II.  Obverse:  Youthful  face  of 
Franciscus  II.  Legend :  "  franciscvs  ii.  dei  gratia  rex." 
Exergue;  "1859."  Reverse,  Legend,  and  Exergue:  Same  as 
No.  36.  Weight:  424.881  grains.  Fineness:  833.333. 
Value:  $0.98i. 

41.  Half-Scudo  of  Franciscus  II.  Obverse,  Legend,  and  Ex- 
ergue :  Same  as  No.  40.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No. 
36.  Exergue:  "g  60"  (60  ^rmni).  Weight:  212.441  grains. 
Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  $0.49J. 

42.  Two  Carlini  of  Franciscus  II.,  1859.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  40.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same 
as  No.  36.  Exergue:  "g  20"  (20  grani).  Weight:  70.818 
grains.     Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  $0.16. 

43.  Carlino  of  Franciscus  II.,  1859.  Obverse,  Legend,  and 
Exergue:  Same  as  No.  40.  Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No. 
36.  Exergue:  "g  10"  (10  grant).  Weight:  37.409  grains. 
Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  $0.08. 

44.  Half-Carlino  of  Franciscus  II.  Obverse,  Legend,  and 
Exergue:  Same  as  No.  40.  Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No. 
36.  Exergue:  "g  5"  (5  grant).  Weight:  17.700  grains. 
Fineness:  833.333.     Value:  $0.04. 

PARMA. 
GOLD  COINS. 

1.  Doppia  of  Ferdinand  I.,  1786.  Obverse :  Head  of  Fer- 
dinand I.  Legend:  "ferdinandus  i.  hispaniar  infans." 
Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Parma,  with  a 
shield  of  pretence;  and  a  heart  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of 
Spain  and  Anjou  ;  branches  of  laurel  at  either  side.  L^end  : 
"d.  g.  PARMA  PLAC.  ET.  VASTAL.  DUX,  1786"  {Dei  Gratia 
Parma  Placentiae  et  Vastaliae  Dux;  meaning:  By  the  grace  of 
Godj  Duke  of  Parma,  Placentia  and  Guastalla).  Weight:  110 
grains.     Fineness:  913.     Value:  $4.17.7079« 


ITALY.  937 

2.  Doppia  of  Ferdinand  I.,  1796.  Obverse  and  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1. 
Weight:  110  grains.     Fineness:  875.     Value:  04.11.6147. 

3.  Forty  Lires  of  Maria  Louise,  1815.  Obverse:  Bust  of 
Maria  Louise.  Legend  :  "maria  luiqia  princ.  imp.  arcid. 
d'austria  "  (Maria  Louise  Princess  Imperial,  Archduchess  of 
Austria).  Exergue:  "1815."  Reverse:  Shield,  bearing  arms 
of  Parma,  Piaceuza  and  Guastalla,  with  the  arms  of  Austria  on 
a  shield  of  pretence,  displayed  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine  draped 
from  a  crown,  and  encircled  by  the  order  chains  and  badge  of 
St.  George.  Legend :  "  per  la  gr.  di  dio  duch  di  parma 
PI  AC  E  guast"  (Per  La  Gracia  Di  Dio  Duchessa  Di  Parma 
Piacenza  e  Guastalla ;  meaning :  By  the  grace  of  God  Duchess 
of  Parmu,  Piacenza  and  Guastalla).  Exergue:  "40  lire,"  in 
sunken  letters.  On  the  edge:  "dirige  me  domine"  (God 
guides  me).  Weight:  199.123  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$7.72. 

4.  Twenty  Lires  of  Maria  Louise,  1815.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  3.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as 
No.  3.  Exergue:  "20  lire;"  rest  same  as  No.  3.  Weight: 
99.562  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value :  $3.86. 

SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Ducat  of  Ferdinand  I.  Obverse:  Head  of  Ferdinand  I. 
Legend:  "ferdinandvs  l.  hispaniar  infans."  Exergue: 
A  star.  Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Parma. 
Legend :  "D.  G.  parmje  plac.  et.  vastal.  dux."  (By  the  grace 
of  God,  Duke  of  Parma,  Piacenza  and  Guastalla).  Exergue : 
Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  396  grains.  Fineness:  915. 
Value:  $0.98. 

2.  Half-Ducat  of  Ferdinand  I,  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same 
as  No.  1.  Reverse:  A  wreath,  inclosing  the  Value:  "lire 
tre  di  PARMA  "  (Three  Lires  of  Parma).  Exergue :  Date  of 
the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  198  grains.  Fineness:  915. 
Value:  $0.49. 

3.  Two  Lires  of  Ferdinand  I.     Obverse  and  Legend :  Same 


938  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

as  No.  1.  Reverse:  A  wreath  inclosing  the  Value:  "like 
DUE  Di  PARMA "  {I\do  Lives  of  Patina);  rest  same  as  No.  2. 
Weight:  132  grains.     Fineness:  915.     Value:  $0.32i. 

4.  Lira  of  Ferdinand  I.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No. 
1.  Reverse:  A  wreath,  inclosing  the  Value:  "lira  una  di 
PARMA "  (One  Lira  of  Parma).  Weight:  66  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 915.     Value:  $0.16. 

5.  Five  Lires  of  Maria  Louise,  1815.  Obverse:  Bust  of 
Maria  Louise.  Legend :  "  maria  luigia  princ  imp.  arcid. 
d' AUSTRIA."  Exergue:  "1815."  Reverse:  Shield,  bearing 
arms  of  Parma,  Piacenza  and  Guastalla,  with  arms  of  Austria 
on  a  shield  of  pretence,  displayed  upon  a  mantle  of  ermine 
draped  from  a  crown  from  above,  and  encircled  by  the  order 
chain  and  badge  of  St.  George.  Legend  :  "per  la  gr.  di  dio 
DUCH  di  PARMA.  PIAC  E.  GUAST."  {By  the  grace  of  God  Duchess 
of  Parma,  Piacenza  and  Guastalla).  Exergue :  "  6  lire." 
Weight:  385.808  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.96 J. 

6.  Two  Lires  of  Maria  Louise,  1815.  Obverse,  Legend,  and 
Exergue :  Same  as  No.  5.  Reverse  :  Same  as  No.  5.  Exergue  : 
"2  lire."  Weight:  154.323  grains.  Fineness  :  900.  Value: 
$0.38.600. 

7.  Lira  Nuova  of  Maria  Louise,  1815.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  5. 


lira   nuova   of   MARIA   JX)UISE. 

Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  5.  Exergue :  "  lira 
nuova"  (New  Lira).  Weight:  77.161  grains.  Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $0.19.300. 

8.  Half  Lira  or  Ten  Soldi  of  Maria  Louise,  1815.  Obverse, 
Legend,  and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  5. 


ITALY.  939 

Keverse:  "ml"  in  a  monogram,  surmounted  by  a  crown. 


HALF   LIRA   OR    10   SOLDI   OF   MARIA   LOUISE,  1815. 


Legend:  Same  as  No.  5.     Exergue:  'ilO  soldi.;'     Weight: 
38.580  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.09.650. 

9.  Quarter  Lira  or  Five  Soldi  of  Maria  Louise,  1815.     Ob- 
verse, Legend,  and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  5. 


QUARTER  LIRA  OR  5  SOLDI  OF  MARIA    LOUISE,  1815. 


Reverse :  Same  as  No.  8.  Legend :  Same  as  No.  5.  Ex- 
ergue: "5  soldl"  Weight:  19.290  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.04.875. 

PIEDMONT   AND    SARDINIA. 
GOLD  COINS. 

1.  Carlino  of  5  Doppia  of  Victor  Ani'aaeus,  1785.  Head  of 
Victor  Amadeus.  Legend :  "  vie.  Am.  d.  g.  rex  Sardinia." 
Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Reverse:  An  eagle 
crowned,  with  an  escutcheon  on  its  breast,  and  under  it  a 
sceptre  and  staff.  Legend :  "  princ.  pedem.  dvx  sabavd." 
(Princeps  PedemontanVrS  Dux  Sahaudiae;  meaning:  Prince  of 
Piedmont,  Duke  of  Savoy).  Weight :  696  grains.  Fineness : 
900.     Value:  $27.31.3231. 

2.  Double  Doppia  or  Double  Pistole  of  Victor  Amadeus, 
1785.  Obverse,  Legend,  and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1.  Re- 
verse and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  280  grains. 
Fineness:  904.     Value:  $10.80.7686. 


940  DYBPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

3.  Doppia  or  Pistole  of  Victor  Amadeus,  1785.  Obverse, 
Legend,  and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse  and  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  1.  Weight :  140  grains.  Fineness :  904.  Value : 
$5.40.3843. 

4.  Doppietta  of  Victor  Amadeus,  1785.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as 
No.  1.  Weight:  49.250  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
^1.88. 

5.  Sequino  or  Zecchino  of  Charles  Emmanuel  IV.,  1796. 
Obverse :  A  crowned  eagle,  with  an  escutcheon  on  its  breast, 
and  under  it  a  sceptre  and  staff.  Legend :  "  carolvs  Emma- 
nuel D.  G.  SARDINIA  REX."  Reverse :  The  Annunciation  of 
the  Virgin.  Weight :  53.750  grains.  Fineness :  985.  Value : 
$2.27.1033. 

6.  Carlino  of  Charles  Emmanuel  IV.,  1797.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Charles  Emmanuel  IV.  Legend:  "carolus  Emmanuel. 
IV."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Reverse :  Crowned 
eagle.  Legend :  "  d.  g.  rex  sar.  cyp  et  ier."  {By  the  grace 
of  God  King  of  Sardinia,  Oypria  and  Jerusalem).  Weight : 
247.500  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value :  $9.42J. 

7.  Half-Carlino  of  Charles  Emmanuel  IV.,  1797.  Obverse, 
Reverse,  and  Legends.  Same  as  No.  6.  Weight:  123.750 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $4.71^. 

8.  Doppia  or  Pistole  of  Charles  Emmanuel  IV.,  1797.  Ob- 
verse, Reverse,  and  Legends :  Same  as  No.  6.  Weight :  140 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $5.40.3843. 

9.  Doppiettaof  Charles  Emmanuel  IV.,  1797.  Obverse,  Re- 
verse, and  Legends :  Same  as  No.  6.  Weight :  49.250  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.88. 

10.  Doppia  or  Pistole  of  Victor  Emanuel  I.,  1814.  Ob- 
verse: Bust  of  Victor  Emanuel,  the  hair  tied  in  a  queue.  Le- 
gend :  "  victorivs  emanvel."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year 
of  issue.  Reverse:  Crowned  eagle,  with  an  escutcheon  on  its 
breast,  bearing  the  cross  of  Savoy,  under  the  eagle  a  sceptre  and 
staff  with  the  collar  of  the  order  "Prophecy  of  Mary."  Le- 
gend: "d.  g.  rex  sard.  cyp.  et  ier,"  Weight:  140.156 
grains.     Fineness:  905.     Value:  $5.45.4535. 


ITALY.  941 

11.  Doppia  of  20  Lires  of  Charles  Felix,  1826.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Charles  Felix.  Legend:  "car.  felix  d.  g.  rex  sar. 
CYP  ET  HiER."  ( Charles  Felix  by  the  grace  of  God  King  of  Sar- 
dinia, Oypria  and  Jerusalem).  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of 
issue. 


DOPPIA  OF  20  LIRES  OF  CHARLES  ALBERT,  1836. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Sardinia, 
Cypria,  Jerusalem  and  Montferrat,  with  a  shield  of  pretence, 
bearing  an  eagle,  with  the  cross  of  Savoy  upon  its  breast;  the 
whole  encircled  by  the  order  of  chain  and  the  order  of  "The 
Prophecy  of  Maria."  Legend:  "dvx  sab.  genvae  et 
MONTISF  PRINC  PED."  {Duke  of  Savoy,  Genoa  and  Montferrai, 
Prince  of  Piedmont).  Exergue  :  "  L  20  "  (20  lAres).  Weight : 
99.569  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.86. 

12.  Eighty  Lires  of  Charles  Felix,  1829.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  11. 


EIGHTY  LIBES  OF  CHARLES  FELIX,  1829. 


Reverse:  Crowned  pointed  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Sardinia, 
Cypria,  Jerusalem  and  Montferrat,  with  a  shield  of  pretence,  bear- 
ing an  eagle,  with  cross  of  Savoy  on  its  breast :  the  collar  of  the 
order  and  order  of  "The  prophecy  of  Maria"  suspended  from 
the  sides  of  the  shield,  the  whole  inclosed  by  branches  of  laurel. 


942  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 

Legend:    Same  as  No.   11.      Exergue:  "l  80"  (80  lAres). 
Weight:  398.246  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value:  $15.44. 

13.  Forty  Lires  of  Charles  Felix,  1829.     Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  12. 


FORTY  AND  TWENTY  LIRES  OP  CHARLES   FELIX,  1829. 

Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No,  12.  Exergue :  "  L  40  " 
{40  Lires).  Weight:  199.123  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$7.72. 

14.  Twenty  Lires  of  Charles  Felix,  1830.  Obverse,  Le- 
gend, and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  12.  Reverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  12.  Exergue:  "l  20"  (20  Lires).  Weight: 
99.561  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value :  $3.86. 

15.  Hundred  Lires  of  Charles  Albert,  1833.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Charles  Albert.  Legend  :  "car  albertvs  d.  g.  rex 
SARD.  CYP.  et  hier."    Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 


HUNDRED  lires  OP  CHARLES  ALBERT,  1833. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Savoy,  draped 
with  the  order  chain  and  order  of  "  The  Prophecy  of  Maria," 
inclosed  between  two  branches  of  laurel,  crossed.  Legend : 
"dvx  sab.  genvae.  et  montisf.  princ  ped."    Exergne: 


ITALY.  943 

"LlOO."     Weight:  497.816  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value: 
$19.30. 

16.  Eighty  Lires  of  Charles  Albert,  1834.  Obverse,  Le- 
gend, and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  15.  Reverse  and  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  15.  Exergue:  "l  80"  (80  Lires).  AVeight: 
398.246  grains.     Fineness  :  900.     Value:  $15.44. 

17.  Forty  Lires  of  Charles  Albert,  1834.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  15.  Revei-se  and  Legend:  Same 
as  No.  15.  Exergue:  "  i.  40 "  {40  Lires).  Weight:  199.123 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $7.72. 

18.  Twenty  Lires  of  Charles  Albert,  1834.  Obverse,  Le- 
gend, and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  15. 


TWENTY   LIRES   OF  CHARLES   ALBERT,  1834. 


Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  15.  Exergue:  "l20" 
(20  Lires).  Weight :  99.569  grains.  Fineness  :  900.  Value : 
$3.86. 

19.  Ten  Lires  of  Charles  Albert,  1834.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  15. 


TEN   LIRES   OF  CHARLES  ALBERT,  1834. 

Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  15.     Exergue:  "l  10" 
(10  Lires).     Weight :  49.784  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value : 

$1.93. 

20.  Hundred  Lires  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.     Obverse:  Head 
of  Victor  Emanuel   II.     Legend:  "yicroRivs  emanuel  n. 


944  DYFS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

D.  G.  REX.  SARD.  CYP.  ET  HiER."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year 
of  issue.  Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Savoy, 
draped  with  the  order  chain  of  "  The  Prophecy  of  Maria ; "  the 
whole  inclosed  between  two  branches  of  laurel,  crossed  and  tied. 
Legend :  "dvx  sab.  genvae  et  montisf  princ.  ped  "  {Duke 
of  Savoy,  Genoa,  Montferrat,  Prince  of  Piedmont).  Exergue  : 
"l  100."  Weight:  497.816  grains.  Fineness :  900.  Value: 
$19.30. 

21.  Eighty  Lires  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  20.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same 
as  No.  20.  Exergue:  "l  80"  (80  Lires).  Weight:  398.246 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $15.44. 

22.  Forty  Lires  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  20.  Reverse  and  Legend:  Same 
as  No.  20.  Exergue:  "l40"(40  Lires).  Weight:  199.123 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $7.72. 

23.  Twenty  Lires  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue :  Same  a°  ^o.  20.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same 
as  No.  20.  Exergue:  "l  20"  (20  Lires).  Weight:  99.561 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.86. 

24.  Ten  Lires  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  20.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same 
as  No.  20.  Exergue:  "l  20"  (20  Lires).  Weight:  49.784 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.93. 

SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Scudo  of  Charles  Emmanuel  III.,  1765.  Obverse:  Bust  in 
armor  of  Charles  Emmanuel  III.  Legend:  "car.  em  d.  g. 
rex.  sar.  CYP.  ET  ier."     Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

Reverse:  Crowned,  round  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Sardinia, 
Savoy,  Montferrat,  and  Piedmont.  Legend:  "dvx  sabavd. 
ET  MONTISFER.  PRINC.  PEDEM  "  {Dux  Sobaudiae  et  3fontisfer- 
rati,  Princeps  Pedemontii,  meaning  :  Duke  of  Savoy  and  Mont- 
ferrat Prince  of  Piedmont).  Weight :  542  grains.  Fineness : 
902.     Value:  $1.38. 


ITALY. 


945 


2.  Half-Scudo  of  Three  Lires  of  Charles  Emmanuel  III. 
Obverse,  Legend,  and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  1.     Reverse  and 


SCUDO  OP  CHARLES  EMMANUEL  IIL,  1765. 

Legend:    Same  as  No.   1.     Weight:  271  grains.     Fineness: 
902.     Value:  $0.69. 

3.  Two  Lires  of  Charles  Emmanuel  III.     Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exerorue:  Same  as  No.  1. 


TWO   LIRES  OF  CHARLES   EMMANUEL  III.,  1756. 

Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  180.666 
grains.     Fineness:  902.     Value:  $0.46. 

4.  Scudo  of  Victor  Amadeus,  1786.  Obverse:  Head  of 
Victor  Araadeus.  Legend:  "vie  am.  d.  g.  rex  sardini^e." 
Reverse:  Eagle,  crowned,  with  an  escutcheon  on  his  breast, 
bearing  the  cross  of  Savoy ;  under  it  a  sceptre  and  staff.  Le- 
gend :  "  PRINC.  PEDEM.  DVX  SABAVD "  {Frinceps  Pedemontii, 
Jhix  Sabaudiae,  meaning:  Prince  of  Piedmont,  Duke  of  Savoy.) 
3H 


946  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA.     • 

Weight:    362.500   grains.     Fineness:    896.     Value:    $0.91- 
.2468. 

5.  The  Half  and  Quarter  Scudo  bear  the  same  Devices  and 
Legends,  and  their  Weight,  Fineness,  and  Value  in  exact  pro- 
portion. 

6.  Scudo  of  Charles  Emmanuel  IV.,  1797.  Obverse:  Head 
of  Charles  Emmanuel  IV.  Legend :  "  carolus  Emmanuel 
IV."  Keverse:  Same  as  No.  4.  Legend:  '' d.  g.  rex  sar. 
CYP.  ET  ier"  {Dei  Gratia  Rex  Sardiniae  Oypria  et  lerosoly- 
mae,  meaning:  By  the-Grace  of  God,  King  of  Sardinia,  Cyprus, 
and  Jerusalem).  Weight:  362.500  grains.  Fineness:  896. 
Value:  $0.91.2468. 

7.  Scudo  of  6  Lires  of  Victor  Emanuel  I.,  1814.  Obverse: 
Bust  of  Victor  Emanuel  I.  Legend  :  "  viC.  em.  d.  g.  rex.  sar. 
CYP.  ET.  IER."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Reverse : 
Crowned  circular  shield,  the  arms  quartered,  the  arms  of  Sar- 
dinia occupying  the  first  quarter,  Cypria  the  second,  Jerusalem 
the  third,  and  Montferrat  the  fourth ;  a  shield  of  pretence, 
bearing  an  eagle,  with  the  cross  of  Savoy  upon  its  breast;  the 
whole  encircled  by  the  order  chain  and  the  order  of  "TAe  Prophecy 
of  Maria."  Legend:  "dvx  sabavd.  eT.  montisfer.  princ. 
PEDEM."  (Duke  of  Savoy  and  Montferrat,  Prince  of  Piedmont). 
Weight:  541.364  grains.     Fineness:  903.     Value:  $1.37.8841. 

8.  Half-Scudo  of  Victor  Emanuel  I.,  1814.  Obverse,  Le- 
gend and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  '7.  Reverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  7.  Weight:  270.682  grains.  Fineness:  903. 
Value:  $0.68.9420. 

9.  Scudo  of  Five  Lires  of  Victor  Emanuel  I.,  1817.  Ob- 
verse :  Bust  of  Victor  Emanuel  I.,  facing  to  the  right,  his  hair 
tied  with  ribbon  in  a  queue.  Legend:  "vie.  em.  d.  g.  rex 
sard.  CYP.  ET  HIER."     Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing  same  arms,  etc.,  as  upon 
Reverse  of  No.  7.  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  7.  Exergue:  "l  5" 
(5  Lires).  Weight :  385.808  grains.  Fineness :  900.  Value  : 
$0.96|. 

10.  Scudo  of  Five  Lires  of  Charles  Felix,  1828.     Obverse  : 


947 


SCUDO   OF   FIVE   LIRES   OF   VICTOR   EMANUEL   I.,  1817. 

Head  of  Charles   Felix.     Legend:   ''car.  felix  d.  g.  rex 


8AR.  CYP.  ET.  HIER.' 


i 


SCUDO  OF   FIVE   LIRES   OF   CHARLES   FELIX,  1828. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  same  arms,  etc.,  as  upon 
Reverse  of  No.  7.  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  7.  Exergue:  "l  5" 
(5  Lives).  Weight:  385.808  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
10.961. 


SCUDO  OF  FIVE  LIRES  OF  CHARLES  ALBERT,  1833. 


948 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 


11.  Scudo  of  Five  Lires  of  Charles  Albert,  1833.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Charles  Albert.  Legend :  "car.  albertvs.  d.  g.  rex 
SARD.  CYP  ET  HIER."     Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  same  arms,  etc.,  as  upon 
Reverse  of  No.  7.  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  7.  Exergue  :  "  L  5  " 
(5  Lires).  Weight :  385.808  grains.  Fineness :  900.  Value  : 
$0,961. 

12.  Scudo  of  Five  Lires  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.  Legend  :  "victorivs  emanuel 
II  D.  G.  REX  SARD.  CYP.  ET  HIER."  Exergue :  Date  of  the  year 
of  issue. 


FIVE  LIRES  OF   VICTOR  EMANUEL  U.,  1851. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Savoy  draped  from 
the  side  by  the  order  chain  and  order  of  "The  Prophecy  of  Ma- 
ria" encircled  by  two  branches  of  laurel,  crossed  and  tied.  Le- 
gend :    "  DVX  8AB.  GENVAE    ET   MONTISF.   PRINC   PED."      Ex- 

ergue:  "l  5"  (5  Lires).     Weight:  385.808  grains.     Fineness: 
900.     Value:  $0.96J. 


TWO  LIRES  OF  CHARLES  FELIX. 


ITALY.  949 

13.  Two  Lires  of  Charles  Felix,  1827.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  10, 

Reverse  and  L^end  :  Same  as  No.  7.  Exergue :  "  l  2  "  (2 
Lires).  Weight:  154.323  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
30.38.600. 

14.  Lira  of  Charles  Felix,  1827.  Obverse,  Legend,  and  Ex- 
ergue :  Same  as  No.  10. 


LIRA  OF  CHABL£8  FELIX,  1827. 

Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  7.  Exergue:  "l  1 "  (1 
Lira).  Weight:  77.161  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value: 
$0.19.300. 

15.  Two  Lires  of  Charles  Albert,  1833.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  11.  Reverse  and  Legend:  Same 
as  No.  7.  Exergue:  "l  2"  (2  Lires).  Weight:  154.323 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.38.600. 

16.  Lira  of  Charles  Albert,  1833.  Obverse,  Legend,  and 
Exergue:  Same  as  No.  11.  Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as 
No.  7.  Exergue:  "l  1"  (1  Lira).  Weight:  77.161  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.19.300. 

17.  Two  Lires  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.  Obverse,  Legend,  and 
Exergue:  Same  as  No.  12.  Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No, 
12.  Exergue:  "l  2"  (2  Lires).  Weight:  154.323  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.38.600. 

18.  Two  Lires  of  Victor  Emanuel  IL,  1859.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.  Legend:  "vittorio  emanuele 
II."  Exergue:  "1859."  Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  bearing 
arras  of  Savoy,  from  the  upper  end  of  the  shield  is  suspended 
the  collar  chain  and  the  order  of  "The  Prophecy  of  Maria,"  en- 
circled by  laurel  branches,  crossed  and  tied.  Legend:  "dio 
PROTEGE  l'italia  "  ( God  protects  Italy).     Exergue :  "  L  2  "  (2 


060  DYES  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Lire8).     Weight:    154.323   grains.     Fineness:    900.     Yalue : 
$0.38.600. 

19.  Lira  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.  Obverse,  Legend,  and  Ex- 
ergue: Same  as  No.  12.  Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No. 
12.  Exergue:  "l  1"  (1  Lira).  Weight:  77.161  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.19.300. 

20.  Lira  of  Victor  Emanuel  II.,  1859.  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  18.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as 
No.  18.  Exergue:  "l1"(1  Lira).  Weight:  77.161  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.19.300. 

21.  Half-Lira  of  Victor  Emanuel  11.  Obverse,  Legend,  and 
Exergue:  Same  as  No.  12. 


HALF  LIRA  OF  FIFTY  CENTISIMI  OF  VICTOR  EMANUEL  II. 

Reverse  and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  12.     Exergue:  "c  50." 
Weight:  19.290  grains.     Fineness:  900.    Value:  $0.09.650. 

ROME. 

GOLD  COINS. 

1.  Ten  Scudi  of  Pope  Gregorius  XVI.     Obverse :  Bust  of 

Pope   Gregorius   XVI.      Legend:    "gregorivs.   xvi.    pon. 

MAX.  ANNO; "  then  follows  the  date  of  the  Pontiff's  reign  in 

Roman  numerals. 


TEN  SCUDI  OF  POPE  GREGORIUS   XVI. 

Reverse :  Laurel  wreath,  incloBing  the  value :  "  10  scudi/' 


ITALY.  961 

and  below  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.     Weight:  267.534 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $10.20. 

2.  Five  Scudi  of  Pope  Gregorius  XVI.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse  and  inscription  the  same,  with 
the  exception  that  "5"  takes  the  place  of  "10."  Weight: 
133.766  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $5.10. 

3.  Two  and  a  Half  Scudi  of  Pope  Gregorius  XVI.  Ob- 
verse and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  Laurel  wreath, 
inclosing  the  value :  "  scudi,"  below  in  heavy  characters  "  2.50," 
still  lower  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  66.883  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $2.55. 

4.  Scudo  of  Pope  Gregorius  XVI.  Obverse  and  Legend : 
Same  as  No.  L  Reverse:  Laurel  wreath,  inclosing  the  value: 
"  1  SCUDO,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  26.753 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.02. 

5.  Doppia  of  1846,  issued  during  the  interregnum  occasioned 
by  the  death  of  Pope  Gregorius  XVI.,  by  the  Cardinal  Cam- 
raerling,  who  had  the  sole  authority  to  issue  money  during 
that  period.  The  coins  thus  issued  bear  always  the  motto : 
"SEDE  vacante"  (The  Seat  vacant).  Obverse:  Full  length 
figure  of  St.  Peter,  his  right  hand  uplifted  to  heaven,  in  his  left 
two  keys ;  clouds  surrounding  him  and  in  the  background ;  at  his 
feet  a  cardinal's  hat  and  tassels,  inclosing  a  pointed  shield  with 
three  rosettes  upon  it.  Legend :  "apostolorvm  princeps  " 
(Prince  Apostle).  Reverse:  Round  shield,  bearing  a  rosette 
upon  a  field  azure,  two  statfs  saltiere  behind  the  shield,  above  the 
shield  a  cardinal's  hat  with  tassels,  two  keys  saltiere  above  the 
cardinal's  hat.  Legend  :  "  sede  vacante"  {The  Papal  chair 
vacant)  "  mdcccxxxxvi.  (1846)."  Weight:  84.398  grains. 
Fineness:  916.667.     Value:  $3.32.5441. 

6.  Ten  Scudi  of  Pope  Pius  IX.  Obverse :  Bust  of  Pojie 
Pius  IX.  Legend  :  "  Pivsix.  pont.  max.  anno;  "  then  follows 
the  date  of  the  year  of  the  Pontificate  (Pins  IX.  PontifcxMaxi- 
mus;  meaning:  Pius  IX.  Supreme  Pontiff).  Reverse:  Laurel 
wreath,  inclosing  the  value:  "  10  scudi;"  and  below,  the  date 
of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  267.534  grains.  Fineness :  900. 
Value':  $10.20. 


952  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

7.  Five  Scudi  of  Pope  Pius  IX.  Obverse  ana  L^end: 
Same  as  No.  6.  Reverse :  Laurel  wreath,  inclosing  the  value  : 
"  6  SCTJDI ;"  and  below  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight : 
133.766  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $5.10. 

8.  Two  and  a  Half  Scudi  of  Pope  Pius  IX.  Obveree  and 
Legend:  Same  as  No.  6.  Reverse:  Laurel  wreath,  inclosing 
the  value :  "  scudi,"  below  in  heavy  character :  "  2.50,"  still 
lower  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  66.883  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $2.55. 

9.  Scudo  of  Pope  Pius  IX.  Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as 
No.  6.  Reverse:  Laurel  wreath,  inclosing  the  value:  "1 
SCUDO,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  26.753 
grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value:  $1.02.  The  Scudo  of  Pope 
Pius  IX.,  of  1853,  is  smaller  in  size,  but  of  the  same  weight. 

SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Scudo  of  Pope  Pius  VII.  Obverse:  Arms  and  Insignia 
of  Pope  Pius  VII.  Legend :  "  pivs  vii.  pon.  m.  an.,"  and 
the  date  of  the  Pontificate  in  Roman  numerals. 


SCUDO  OF  POPE  PIUS  VII.,  1803. 


Reverse:  The  Virgin  Mary,  seated  upon  a  cloud,  holding 
two  keys  in  her  right  hand,  and  a  lantern  in  her  left;  beneath 
it,  a  small  shield  with  the  arms  of  the  Pontiff,  bedecked  with 
hat  and  tassels.     Legend  :  "auxilivm  de  sancto  "  {Jlelp  from 


ITALY.  953 

the  Sanctuary).     Exergue  :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue.     Weight : 
415  grains.     Fineuess  :  900.     Value:  §1.00. 

2.  Scudo  of  Pope  Leo  XII.  Obverse :  Bust  of  Pope  Leo 
XII.  Legend:  " leo  xii.  font.  max.  anxo;"  and  the  date 
of  the  year  of  the  Pontificate.  Reverse :  Shield,  bearing  the 
arms  of  the  Pope  of  the  family  Chiaramonte,  with  the  ensigns 
of  the  Pope,  the  tiara  and  keys  of  St.  Peter.  Weight:  415 
grains.     Fineuess:  900.     Value:  $1.00. 

3.  Scudo  of  1830.  "  Sede  Vacante  "  (The  Papal  chair  being 
vacant).  Obverse :  A  shield,  bearing  a  cock  and  a  star,  sur- 
mounted by  a  cross-staff,  hat,  keys,  and  tassels.  Legend:  "sede 
VACANTE.  MDCXXXXX."  {The  Seat  vacant,  1830).  Exergue: 
"  ROMA."  (Rome).  Reverse :  The  Sacred  Dove  in  a  glory  of 
rays.  Legend :  "veni  lumen  cordium."  {Come  Light  of  Con- 
cord).    Weight:  43  5  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.00. 

4.  Testoon  of  1830.  "Sede  Vacante."  Obverse,  Legend, 
and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  3. 


TESTOON  OF   1830. 

Reverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  8.  Weight:  130  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.32^. 

5.  Scudo  of  Pope  Gregorius  XVI.,  1834.  Obverse:  Bust 
of  Pope  Gregorius  XVI.  Legend:  "gregorivs  xvi.  pon. 
MAX.  A.;"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  the  Pontificate.  Ex- 
ergue: "1834."  Reverse:  The  circumcision  of  Jesus,  Simeon 
receiving  the  infant  Jesus  from  the  hands  of  his  mother,  the 
Virgin  Mary.  In  the  background,  to  the  right,  is  Joseph, 
carrying  a  basket,  containing  two  doves.  To  the  left  is  the 
prophetess,  Anna,  with    clasped   hands,  looking   upon  Jesus. 


954  DYirS  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Legend:  "lumen  ad  revelatioxem  gentium  "  (Light  to  the 
Revelation  of  the  Nations).  Exergue :  "  roma  "  {Rome). 
Weight:  .415  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  SI. 00. 

6.  Scudo  of  Pope  Gregorius  XVI.,  1835-1845.     Obverse 
and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  5. 


SCUDO  OF  POPE  GREGORIUS  XVI.,  1835-1845. 

Reverse:  A  laurel  wreath  inclosing  the  value:  "SCVDO," 
below  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  415  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.00. 

7.  Scudo  of  1846.  "sede  vacante"  {The  Papal  chair  being 
vacant).  Obverse :  The  Sacred  Dove,  wings  expanded,  sur- 
rounded by  rays.  Legend :  "non  relinqvam  vos  orphanos." 
Exergue:  "scudo."  Reverse:  Shield,  bearing  a  rosette  upon 
a  field  azure,  the  Grand  Cross  of  the  Legion  of  Honor  is  sus- 
pended from  the  bottom  of  the  shield  ;  two  staffs  saUiere  behind 
the  shield,  above  the  shield  a  cardinal's  hat  with  tassels,  two 
keys  saUiere  above  the  cardinal's  hat.  Legend :  "sede  va- 
cante" {The  Papal  chair  vacant).  " mdcccxxxxvi  "  (1846). 
Weight:  415  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.00. 

8.  Scudo  of  Pope  Pius  IX.  Obverse :  Bust  of  Pope  Pius 
IX.  Legend  :  "pivs.  ix.  pont.  max.  anno,"  and  the  date  of 
the  year  of  the  Pontificate  in  Roman  numerals.  Reverse :  A 
laurel  wreath  inclosing  the  Value:  "scvDO,"  below  the  date  of 
the  year  of  issue.  Weight:  415  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $1.00. 

9.  Half-Scudo  of  fifty  Bajocchi  of  Pope  Pius  IX.     Obverse 


ITALY.  955 

and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  8.  Reverse :  A  laurel  wreath  in- 
closing the  value :  "  50  baiocchi,"  below  the  date  of  the  year 
of  issue.  Weight :  207.500  grains.  Fineness :  900.  Value : 
$0.50. 

10.  Twenty  Bajocchi  of  Pope  Pius  IX.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  Xo.  8.  Reverse :  A  laurel  wreath  inclosing  the 
Value:  "20  baiocchi ;"  below  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
Weight :  83  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value :  §0.20. 

11.  Ten  Bajocchi  of  Pope  Pius  IX.  Obverse;  Shield,  bear- 
ing arms  of  Po(>e  Pius  IX.,  of  the  Ferreti  family;  the  tiara  and 
keys,  saUia-e.  Legend :  "  PIVS  ix.  pox.  max.  an.;  "  and  the  year 
of  the  Pontificate  in  Roman  numerals.  Reverse:  A  laurel 
wreath  inclosing  Value:  "10  baiocchi;"  below  the  date  of  the 
year  of  issue.  Weight:  41.500  grains.  Fineness:  900. 
Value:  $0.10. 

12.  Five  Bajocchi  of  Pope  Pius  IX.  Obverse  and  Legend  : 
Same  as  No.  L  Reverse:  laurel  wreath  inclosing  Value :  "5 
baiocchi  ; "  below  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  20- 
.750  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  §0.05. 

13.  Two  Lires  of  Pope  Pius  IX.,  1869.  Obverse:  Bust  of 
Pope  Pius  IX.  Legend:  " Pivs.  ix.  PON.  max  xxiv."  (Piua 
IX.,  Pontifex  Maximus  XXIV.;  meaning:  Pius  IX.,  Supreme 
Pontiff,  twenty-fourth  year  of  his  Pontificate). 


TWO   LIRES  OF   POPE   PIUS  IX.,  1869. 

Reverse:  A  heavy  wreath  inclosing  the  Value:  "2  lire, 
1869."  Legend:  "  stato  pontificio"  {Pantificial  State). 
Weight:  154.323  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value:  §0.38.600. 


956  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

SILVER  COINS  ISSUED  DURING  THE  RE- 
PUBLIC, 1849. 

1.  Forty  Bajocchi,  of  1849.  Obverse:  Eagle  perched  upon 
fasces,  and  surrounded  by  a  heavy  wreath  of  oak.  Legend ; 
"dio  e  popolo  "  {God  and  the  people).  Reverse :  "  40  baioc- 
CHi;"  below  a  fancy  dash,  the  whole  surrounded  by  a  circle  of 
dots.  Legend  :"  KEPUBBLICA  ROMAN  A."  Exergue:  "1849." 
Weight:  180  grains.     Fineness:  739.533.     Value:  $0.38J. 

2.  Sixteen  Bajocchi  of  1849.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same 
as  No.  1.  Reverse:  "16  baiocchi;"  res£  same  as  No.  1.  Le- 
gend and  Exergue:  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  72  grains. 
Fineness:  739.533.     Value:  $0.14^. 

3.  Eight  Bajocchi  of  1849.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as 
No.  1.  Reverse:  "8  baiocchi;"  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Weight: 
36  grains.     Fineness :  739.533.     Value :  $0.07^. 

4.  Four  Bajocchi  of  1849.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as 
No.  1.  Reverse:  "4  baiocchi;"  rest  same  as  No.  1.  Weight: 
18  grains.     Fineness :  739.533.     Value :  $0.03^. 

The  four  coins  have  now  only  a  historical  value,  and  are 
mostly  deposited  in  public  museums  of  Europe;  the  numisma- 
tists of  Europe  have  of  late  years  been  paying  a  high  premium. 

TUSCANY. 

Tuscany  was  seized  by  the  French  in  March,  1799.  Ferdi- 
nand III.,  the  grand  duke,  was  dispossessed  by  France,  and  his 
dominions  given  to  Louis,  son  of  the  King  of  Spain,  with  the 
title  of  King  of  Etruria,  February  26,  1801.  He  died  June 
30,  1803;  and  soon  afterwards  this  State  was  transformed  into 
an  appendage  to  the  crown  of  Italy,  but  was  restored  to  Austria 
in  1814.  In  1824  the  grand  duke  Leopold,  of  Austria,  as- 
cended the  throne  of  Tuscany.  At  the  present  time  the  grand 
duchy  of  Tuscany  forms  only  a  part  of  the  kingdom  of  Italy 
under  King  Humbert. 

GOLD  COINS. 
1.  Ruspone  of  Ferdinand  IV.     Obverse :  A  lily.     Legend : 


ITALY.  957 

"PERNDiNANDVS  III.  D.  G.  A.  A.  M.  D.  ETR."  {Ferdinandus  IV., 
Dei  Gratia  Archidux  Austriae,  Magnus  Dux  Etrunae;  mean- 
ing :  Ferdinand  IIL,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  Archduke  of  Austria, 
Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany).  Reverse ;  A  figure  of  St.  John  the 
Baptist.  Legend:  "s.  joannes  baptista"  {St.  John  the  Bap- 
tist). Weight:  161.250  grains.  Fineness:  997.  Value: 
$6.92i 

2.  Zecchino  or  Sequin  of  Ferdinand  III.  Obverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  1.  Eeverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1. 
Weight:  53.812  grains.     Fineness :  997.     Value:  $2.31.1587. 

3.  Ruspone  of  the'  Kingdom  of  Etruria  (Tuscany),  1803. 
Obverse:  A  lily.  Legend:  "ludovicus  i.  d.  g.  hisp.  inf. 
REX  ETRVRIAE."  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  1. 
Weight:  161.468  grains.     Fineness:  999.     Value:  $6.95. 

4.  Ruspone  of  the  Kingdom  of  Etruria  (Tuscany),  1804. 
Obverse:  A  lily.  Legend:  "carolvs  i.  d.  g.  rex.  et.  m 
ALOYSiA  R.  rectrix."  {Carolus  I.,  Dei  Gratia  Bex  et  Maria 
Aloysia  Regina  Rectrix;  meaning :  Carolus  I.,  by  the  Grace  of 
God,  King  and  Maria  Louise  Queen  Regent).  Reverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  1.  Weight:  161.468  grains.  Fineness: 
999.     Value:  $6.95. 

5.  Eighty  Fiorini  of  133J  Lire  of  Leopold  IL,  1827.  Ob- 
verse :  A  lily.  Legend :  "  leopoi.dvs  ii.  d.  g.  p.  i.  a.  p.  r.  ii. 
et  b.  a.  a.,  magn  dvx  etr  "  {Leopoldus  II.  Dei  Gratia  Princeps 
Imperii  Austnae  Princeps  Regalis  Hungarian  et  Bohemiae  Arch- 
idux Austriae  Magnus  Dux  Etruriae,  meaning :  Leopold  IL,  by 
the  Grace  of  God,  Prince  Imperial  of  Austria,  Pnnce  Royal  of 
Hungary  and  Bohemia,  Arch  of  Austria,  Grand  Duke  of 
Etruria  or  Tuscany).  Reverse:  A  pointed  shield,  sus{>ended 
upon  the  Cross  of  Malta,  which  is  surmounted  by  a  crown  and 
backed  by  two  flag-staflfe,  saltier- wise,  encircled  by  the  order 
chain  and  badge  of  the  Golden  Fleece  and  the  banners  depend- 
ing from  the  flag-staffs.  Legend  :  "susceptor  noster  deus." 
Exergue :  "  K  24  "  (24  Carats),  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  is- 
sue. Weight :  503.372  grains.  Fineness :  1000  {Pure  Gold). 
Value:  $21.65. 


958  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

6.  Rnspone  of  Three  Zecchini,  or  Forty  Lires  of  Leopold 
II.,  1836.  Obverse:  A  lily.  Legend:  "  leopoldvs  ii.  d.  g. 
A.  A.  M.  D.  ETR  "  {Leopold  II.,  by  the  Grace  of  God,  Archduke  of 
Austria,  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany).  Reverse:  St.  John  the 
Baptist,  seated,  a  cross-staff  in  his  right  hand.  Legend:  "s. 
JOANNES  BAPTiSTA."  Exergue :  "1836."  Weight:  161.468 
grains.     Fineness  :  1000  {Pure  Gold).     Value :  $6.95.5089. 

7.  Zecchino  of  13|  Lire  of  Leopold  II.  Obverse:  A  lily. 
Legend  :  "  leopoldvs  ii.  d.  g.  a.  a.  m.  d.  etr."  Reverse : 
St.  John  the  Baptist,  seated,  in  his  left  hand  a  cross-staff,  with 
his  right  hand  he  points  upwards.  Legend :  "  s.  Joannes 
BAPTISTA."     Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

SILVER  COINS. 

1.  Leopoldone  of  Peter  Leopold,  Archduke  of  Austria, 
1769.     Obverse:  Bust  of  Peter  Leopold.     Legend:  "petrvs 

LEOPOLDVS    D.  G.  P.  R.  H.  ET    B.  A.   A.    M.    D.   ETRUR "  {Petrus 

Leopoldvs  Dei  Gratia  Princeps  Hegalii  Hungariae  et  Bohemiae 
Archidux  Austriae  Magnus  Dux  Etruriae,  meaning :  Peter  Leo- 
pold, by  the  Grace  of  God,  Prince  Royal  of  Hungary  and  Bo- 
liemia.  Archduke  of  Austria,  Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany). 


LEOPOLDONE  OF  LEOPOLD  I.,  1769  AND  1789. 

Reverse:  Crowned  shield,  backed  by  the  Cross  of  Malta; 
arms  of  Austria,  Lotharingia,  and  Tuscany  upon  a  shield  of 
pretence.     Legend :   "  dirige  domine  gressvs  meos  "  {Lord 


ITALY. 


959 


direct  my  steps).     Exergue:    "pisis"   {Mi7ii-mark  of   Pvfo). 
Weight :  424.528  grains.     Fineness:  916.667.    Value  :  $1.07|. 

2.  Scudo  of  Ferdinand  III.,  1795.  Obverse:  Undraped 
bust  of  Ferdinand  III.  Legend  :  "ferdinandvs  hi  d.  g.  p. 
R.  H.  ET  B.  A.  A.  M.  D.  ETRUR."  Reverse:  Crowned  shield, 
backed  by  the  star  of  Malta,  and  encircled  by  the  order  chain 
and  badge  of  the  Golden  Fleece.  Legend  :  "  lex  tua  Veri- 
tas" {Truth  thy  law).  Weight:  424.528  grains.  Fineness: 
916.667.     Value:  $1.07i. 

3.  Scudo  of  the  Kingdom  of  Etruria,  Louis  I.,  1801.  Ob- 
verse: Undraped  bust  of  Louis  I.  Legend:  "ludovicus  i. 
D.  G.  HISP.  IXF.  rex  etruria e  ETC  "  {Ludovicus  I.  Dei  Gratia 
Htspaniarum  Infans  Rex  Etruriae,  etc.,  meaning :  Louis  L,  by  the 
Grace  of  God,  Infant  of  Spain,  King  of  Etruria  or  Tuscany, 
etc.)  Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  backed  by  the  star  of  Malta, 
and  bedecked  with  the  order  chain  and  badge  of  the  Golden 
Fleece,  and  three  order  stars;  a  shield  of  pretence  and  a  heart 
shield  :  the  first  bearing  the  arms  of  Spain,  and  the  second  those 
of  Anjou  and  Tuscany.  Legend  :  "  videaxt  pauperes  et 
lgetentur"  {Ld  tlie  poor  see  and  I'ejoice).  Weight:  424.528 
grains.     Fineness:  916.667.     Value:  $1.07|. 

4.  Ten   Lires  of  Charles  Louis  and   Maria   Ivouiso,   1807. 


ten   lires   of  CHARLES   LOUIS  AND   MAUIA    ]X)UISE,    1807. 


Obverse:  Busts  of  Charles  and   Maria  Louise,  side  by  side. 
Legend:   " carol vs  lvd.  d.  g.  rex  etr  et  m  aloysia  r. 


960  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

RECTRix  I.  I.  H.  H "  {Carohis  Ludovicus  Dei  Gratia  Rex 
Etruriae  et  Maria  Aloysia  Regina  Rectrix  Infans  Infaiis 
Hispaniarum  Hispaniarum,  meaning :  Charles  Louis,  by  the 
Grace  of  God,  King  of  Etruria,  and  Maria  Louise  Queen  Re- 
gent Infant  of  Spain,  Infant  of  Spain). 

Reverse :  Same  as  No.  3.  Legend :  "  domine  spes  mra.  a 
lUVENTUTE  MEA  "  {Lord,  my  hope  from  my  youth).  Exergue : 
"flor"  [Florentiae,  Florence).  "  1807.''  Around  the  edge: 
"dieci  lire"  (Ten  iiVes).  Weight:  608.743  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 958.333.     Vahie:  ^1.64^. 

5.  Ten  Paoli,  of  6|  Lire,  of  Charles  Louis  and  Maria 
Louise,  1807.  Obverse:  Busts  of  Charles  Louis  to  the  left, 
and  Maria  Louise  to  the  right,  face  to  face.  Legend  :  Same  as 
No.  4.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  4.  Exergue : 
"Pisis"  {Mint-mark  of  Pisa).  "1807."  Weight:  424.528 
grains.  Fineness:  916.667.  Value  :  §1.07|.  The  above  two 
coins  have  been  issued  in  the  same  year,  and  unless  seen  side  by 
side  have  often  deceived  the  collectors  of  coin :  their  values 
diflPer  materially. 

6.  Scndo  of  Ferdinand  III.  of  1820.  Obverse:  Undraped 
bust  of  Ferdinand  III.  Legend:  "Ferdinand  hi.  d.  g.  p. 
I.  A.  p.  R.  H.  ET  B.  A.  A.  M.  D.  ETRUR."  Reverse:  Crowned 
shield,  bearing  arms  of  Austria,  Lotharingia,  and  Tuscany, 
draped  with  the  order  chain  and  badge  of  the  Golden  Fleece, 
also  the  order  band  and  star  of  Maria  Theresia,  and  the  order 
band  and  star  of  the  Tuscan  order  of  St.  Stephen.  Legend : 
"lex  tua  Veritas"  {Thy  law  truth).  Exergue:  "pisis" 
{Mint-mark  of  Pisa).  "1820."  Weight:  424.528  grains. 
Fineness:  916.667.     Value:  $1.07J. 

7.  Leopoldone  of  Leopold  II.  of  1836.  Obverse:  Bust  of 
Leopold  II.  Legend:  "leopoldvs  ii.  d.  g.  p.  i.  a.  p.  r.  h, 
ET  B.  A.  A.  MAGN.  Dvx  ETR."  Reverse:  Crowned  shield, 
backed  by  the  Star  of  Malta,  upon  the  shield  a  shield  of  pre- 
tence with  the  arms  of  Tuscany ;  from  the  upper  ends  of  the 
shield  is  suspended  the  order  chain  and  badge  of  the  order  of 
the  Golden  Fleece,  at  the  side  of  it  the  Maria  Theresia  order, 


ITALY.  961 

and  that  of  St.  Stephen  of  Tuscany.  Legend :  "  svsceptor 
NOSTER  DEVS."  Exergue :  "pisis.  1836."  Weight:  424- 
.528  grains.     Fineness :  916.667.     Value:  $1.07 J. 

8.  Half  Leopoldone  of  Leopold  I.,  1777.  Obverse:  Bust 
of  Leopold  I.  Legend :  "  petrvs  leopoldvs  d.  g.  p.  r.  h. 
ET  B.  A.  A.  M.  D.  ETRUR."  [Petrus  Lcopoldus  Dei  Gratia  Prin- 
ceps  Regain  Hungariae  et  Bohemiae  Arehidux  Austriae,  Magnus 
Dux  Etruria;  meaning:  Peter  Leopold,  by  the  Grace  of  God 
Prince  Royal  of  Hungary  and  Bohemia^  Archduke  of  Austria 
Grand  Duke  of  Tuscany). 


HALF  LEOPOLDONE  OP  LEOPOLD  L,  1777. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  bearing  arms  of  Tuscany,  backed 
by  the  Cross  of  Malta  and  draped  by  the  order  chain  and 
badge  of  the  order  of  the  Golden  Fleece.  Legend:  "dirige 
DOMINE  GRESSUS  MEOS."  Exergue :" PISIS,  1777."  Weight: 
212.271  grains.     Fineness:  916.667.     Value:  $0.54. 

9.  Five  Lire  of  Charles  Louis  and  Maria  Louise,  1804. 
Obverse  and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  4.  Reverse,  Legend,  and 
Exergue:  Same  as  No.  4.  Weight:  303.985  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 958.333.     Value:  $0.82. 

10.  Five  Paoli  of  Charles  Louis  and  Maria  Louise,  1804. 
Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  5.  Reverse,  I^egend,  and 
Exergue:  Same  as  No.  5.  Weight:  212.271  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 916.667.     Value:  $0.54. 

10|.  Five  Paoli  of  Ferdinand  III.,  1820-1824.     Obverse 
and  Legend  :  Same  as  No.  6.     Reverse,  Legend,  and  Exergue; 
31 


962  DYIPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 

Same  as  No.  6.     Weight:  212.271  grains.     Fineness:  916.667. 
Value:  $0.54. 

11.  Five  Paoli  of  Leopold  II.,  1829.     Obverse  and  Legend: 
Same  as  No.  7. 


FIVE   AND   TWO   PAOLI   OF    LEOPOLD   II.,  1829. 

Reverse,  Legend,  and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  7.  Weight : 
212.271  grains.     Fineness:  916.667.     Value:  $0.54. 

12.  Two  Paoli  of  Leopold  I.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same 
as  No.  8. 

Reverse,  Legend,  and  Exergue :  Same  as  No.  8.  Weight : 
84.905  grains.     Fineness:  916.667.     Value:  $0.21|. 

13.  Fiorino  of  Ferdinand  III.,  1823.  Obverse:  A  lily. 
Legend:  "quattrini  cento,  1823"  {Hundred  farthings). 
Exergue:  "fiorino." 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  6.  Weight:  106.128  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 916.667.     Value:  $0.26. 

14.  Fiorino  of  Leoj)old  II.,  1847.  Obverse:  A  lily.  Le- 
gend: ."quattrini  cento,  1847."  Exergue:  "fiorino." 
Reverse:  A  lion  courant,  in  his  right  paw  a  banner.  Legend  : 
"qoverno  della  toscasa"  {Government  of  Tkseany).  Ex- 
ergue: Heart-shaped  shield.  Weight:  106.128  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 916.667.     Value:  $0.26. 

15.  Fiorino  of  Leopold  II.,  1859.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Leo- 
pold II.  Legend  :  "leopoldo  ii.  a.  d'  ..  granduca  di  tos- 
cana."  {Leopoldo  II.,  Arciduca  Austria,  Granduca  di  Toscana; 
meaning:  Leopold  II.,  Archduke  of  Austria,  Grand  Duke  of 
Tuscany).     Reverse:  A  lily,  surrounded  by  a  circle  of  dots. 


ITALY.  963 

Legend:  "quattrini  cento,  1859."     Exergue:  "fiorino." 
Weight:  106.128  grains.     Fineness:  916.667.     Value:  $0.26. 


VENICE. 
GOLD  COINS. 

1.  Hundred  Zecchiui  of  Ludovico  Manin,  the  last  Doge  of 
the  old  Republic  of  Venice,  1797.  Obverse:  Full  length 
figure  of  St.  Mark,  before  him  the  Doge  in  ducal  robes,  kneel- 
ing upon  a  cushion,  his  left  hand  supporting  a  cross-staff.  To 
the  right  of  the  staff,  and  parallel  with  the  same:  "DVX" 
on  each  of  the  letters,  one  above  the  other,  a  rosette  below 
(Dux.  duke).  To  the  right  of  the  kneeling  Doge  the  Legend : 
**LVDOVICVS  (a  rosette)  MANIN."  (a  rosette).  To  the 
left  of  St.  Mark  the  Legend :  "S.  (a  rosette)  M.  (a  rosette) 
VENETVS."  (a  rosette).  {S.  M.  Venetus ;  viz.;  Sandm 
Marcus  Vendus;  meaning:  /8C.  Mark  of  Venice).  A  dotted 
circle,  raised,  surrounds  the  whole,  the  outer  edge  escalloped. 
Reverse:  Full  length  figure  of  Christ,  pointing  with  his  right 
hand  upwards,  in  his  left  the  orb  surmounted  by  a  Coptic  Cross ; 
surrounded  by  thirteen  stars  ranged  oblong,  encircled  by  dots 
ranged  oblong,  and  pointed  at  the  ends,  the  whole  inclosed  by 
a  raised  line  oblong,  and  also  |X)inted  at  the  ends.  Legend  to 
the  right:  "SIT  (a  rosette)  t.  xp2  (in  Greek  characters,  mean- 
ing: Christ),  (a  rosette)  DAT.  (a  rosette)  Q  (a  rosette)  TVRE- 
GIS.  (a  rosette)  ISTE  (a  rosette)  DVCATVM  "  {Sit  iibi  Christe 
datum,  quod  tu  regis.  Isle  ducatum;  meaning:  To  Thee,  O 
Oirist,  be  it  [this  coin]  given,  because  Thou  governed  [univer- 
sally'].    He  [St.  Mark]  governs  the  Ihichy). 

This  Legend  on  the  Reverse  is  the  same  as  that  of  the  Ve- 
netian Ducat  of  1280,  which  is  thus  explained  by  Signor  Mu- 
ratoii,  in  his  Antiquitates  Italicce  Medii  uEvi,  Vol.  II.,  p.  649. 

"Sit  tibi  Christe  datum,  quod  (vel  quia)  lu  regis." 
"  Iste  (ipse)  ducatum." 

We  doubt  this  interpretation,  and  suppose  that  ide  has  been 


964  DYES  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA, 

originally  (ipse).     This  Legend  is,  however,  curious,  as  being 
both  an  hexameter  and  an  old  monkish  rhyme.     (Ed.) 

Weight:  5379.375  grains.  Fineness:  993.056.  Value: 
$230.04.3505.  Its  size  in  diameter  is  a  little  over  three  inches 
or  77  Millimetres. 

2.  Sequin  or  Zecchino  of  Ludovicus  Manin,  1795.  Obverse 
and  Legends:  Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse:  Full  length  figure  of 
Christ,  seventeen  stars  instead  of  thirteen,  as  No.  1 ;  rest  same 
as  No.  1.  Legend:  Same  as  No.  1,  only  the  words  "Duca- 
tum  "  is  on  some  abbreviated  "  dvca,"  on  others  "  ducatvs." 
AVeight:  53.792  grains.     Fineness:  993.056.     Value:  $2.30. 

3.  Half  Sequin  or  Zecchino.  Obverse  and  Legends :  Same 
as  No.  1.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1.  Legend:  "ego  svm 
LVX  MVN."  {Ego  mm  lux  mundi  ;  meaning :  /  am  the  light  of 
the  world).  Weight:  26.896  grains.  Fineness:  993.056. 
Value:  $1.16. 

4.  Quarter  Sequin  or  Zecchino.  Obverse  and  Legends: 
Same  as  No.  1.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  3. 
Weight:  13.448  grains.     Fineness:  993.056.     Value:  $0.57|. 

5.  Doppia  or  Pistole  of  Ludovicus  Manin,  1789.  Obverse  : 
A  winged  lion,  holding  a  book,  believed  to  represent  the  book 
of  St.  Mark,  in  the  New  Testament.  Legend:  "santvs  mar- 
cvs  VENETVS"  {St.  Mark  of  Venice).  Exergue:  "s.  2."  {Two 
Sequins).  Reverse :  A  cross.  Legend :  "  lvdovicvs  manin 
DVX  VENET."  {Ludovicus  Manin  Doge  of  Venice).  Weight: 
104  grains.     Fineness :  906.     Value :  $4.05. 

6.  Scudo  D'Oro  or  Gold  Crown  of  Francesco  Contareno. 
Obverse:  A  winged  lion,  holding  a  book.  Legend  :  "sanctvs 
MARCVS  VENETVS."  Excrguc:  "140."  {140  Lires).  Reverse: 
"franc,  contareno  DVX  VENET."  {Francis  Contareno  Doge 
of  Venice).  Weight:  647  grains.  Fineness:  995.  Value: 
$26.76. 

7.  Half  Scudo  P'Oro  or  Half  Gold  Crown  of  Francesco 
Contareno.  Obverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  6.  Exergue : 
u  YQ "  ^70  x^ires).  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  6. 
Weight :  323.500  grains.     Fineness  :  995.     Value:  $13.38. 


ITALY.  965 

8.  Osello  D'Oro  of  Pauli  Raineri.  Obverse:  A  woman 
sitting.  Legend:  "pietas  optimi  principis."  (The  piety  of 
the  best  Pnnce).  Reverse :  A  wreath  within  the  Doge's  name : 
"PAVLI  RAINERI  PRINC.  MUNUS  ANNO  V."  {The  gift  of  Paul 
Raineri,  Prince,  the  year  V.  of  his  reign).  Weight:  215.600 
grains.     Fineness:  995.     Value:  $9.23.6108. 

This  Osello  D'Oro  has  mostly  been  used  for  presents  on  high 
church  days,  hence  the  allusion:  "The  gift  of  Paul  Raineri, 
etc." 

9.  Ducato  D'Oro  or  Gold  Ducat.  Obverse :  A  man  sitting, 
holding  a  standard,  and  another  kneeling.  Legend:  "s.  M. 
VEN.  LEON.  DONAT."  {St.  Mark  of  Venice  gives  a  lion).  Re- 
verse:  A  winged  lion  with  a  book.  Legend:  "dvcatvs 
EEIPUB."  {Ducat  of  the  Republic).  Weight:  33.500  grains. 
Fineness:  995.     Value:  $1.43. 

.10.  Twenty  Lire  of  the  Republic  of  Venice  of  1848.  Ob- 
verse: W^inged  lion,  holding  a  book,  standing  upon  a  pedestal 
upon  which  is  inscribed  "XL  Agosto  MDCCCXLVIII." 
{llth  August,  1848).  Legend:  "indipendenza  italiana." 
{Italian  Independence).  Reverse:  A  laurel  wreath,  within  the 
value:  "20  lire."  Legend:  "alleanza  dei  popoli  libre." 
{Alliance  of  a  free  people).  Exergue:  "1848."  Weight:  99- 
.569  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $3.86. 

SILVER  COINS. 
1.  Scudo  Delia  Croce,  Scudo  of  the  cross  of  Lodovicus 


SCUDO  BELLA  CROCE,  OF   LUDOVICU8  MANIN,  1789. 


966  DYE'S  com  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Manin,  last  Doge  of  Venice,  1789.     Obverse :  A  winge<l  lion, 
holding  a  book.     Legend :   "  ludovico  manin  duce."  {Lu-  ' 
dovicus  Manin  Doge).     Exergue :  "  1 789." 

Reverse:  Across.  L^end:  "SAXCTVS  MARCVS  venetvs." 
{St.  Mark  of  Venice).  Weight:  484.500  grains.  Fineness: 
945.     Value:  $1.29. 

2.  Giustina  [Juslina).  Obverse :  A  winged  lion,  holding  a 
book,  before  it  a  figure  holding  a  standard.  Legend  :  "ludo- 
vicvs  MANIN  DUCE."  Reverse :  A  woman  holding  a  palm 
branch,  with  a  circle  over  her  head,  a  sword  on  her  shoulder ; 
in  the  background  a  view  of  the  sea  with  ships.  Legend : 
"memor.  ero.  tvi.  justina.  virg."  {I  shall  remember  Thee^ 
Virgin  Justina).  Exergue :  "  124."  (124  Soldi).  Weight :  420 
grains.     Fineness  :  945.     Value:  $1.05. 

3.  Ducato.  Obverse :  A  winged  lion,  holding  a  book.  Le- 
gend :  "  DVCATVS  VENETVS."  {Ducot  of  Venice).  Reverse : .  A 
figure  sitting,  another  kneeling  and  receiving  a  standard  from 
him.  Legend:  "s.  m.  v."  {St.  Mark  of  Venice),  "pavl. 
RAiNERivs  D."  {Poul  Baineri  Doge),  Weight:  342  grains. 
Fineness:  833.     Value:  $0.72. 

4.  Half  Ducato.  Obverse:  Same  as  Xo.  3.  Legend: 
"medi.  dvcat.  venet."  {Half  Ducat  of  Venice).  Reverse 
and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  3.  Weight:  171  grains.  Fine- 
nes.s:  833.     Value:  $0.36. 

5.  Quarter  Ducato.  Obverse :  Same  as  No.  3.  Legend : 
'•QVAR  DVCAT.  VENET."  {Quarter  Ducat  of  Venice).  Reverse 
and  Legend:  Same  as  No.  3.  Weight:  85.500  grains.  Fine- 
ness :  833.     Valufe:  $0.18. 

6.  Lirazza,  piece  of  30  Soldi.  Obverse :  St.  Mark,  before 
the  Doge,  kneeling,  holding  a  cross-staff;  above  the  head  of 
the  Doge,  and  parallel  with  the  cross-staff,  "  dvx.,"  one  letter 
above  the  other;  meaning:  Doge.  Legend  to  the  riglit  of  the 
Doge:  "lvdovicvs  manin."  To  the  left  of  St.  Mark  the  Le- 
gend: "s.  m.  venetus."  (S^  Mark  of  Venice).  Reverse:  A 
woman  holding  a  pair  of  scales,  with  a  Hon  by  her  side.  Le- 
gend :  "JTTSTITIAM  diligite"  {Love  justicc).  Weight:  114 
grains.     Billon.     Value,  nominally  12  cents. 


ITALY.  967 

7.  Tallaro  of  Paulo  Raineri.  Obverse :  Head  of  a  woman. 
Legend:  "respublica  veneta."  {Republic  of  Venice).  Re- 
verse: A  winged  lion,  holding  a  book.  Legend:  "paulo 
RAiNERio  DUOE."  {Paul  Raineri  Doge).  Weight:  442.750 
grains.     Fineness:  833.     Value:  ?1.02|. 

8.  Half  Tallaro  of  Paulo  Raineri.  Obverse  and  Legend  : 
Same  as  No.  7.  Reverse  and  Legend :  Same  as  No.  7.  Weight: 
22L375  grains.     Fineness :  833.     Value:  $0.51^. 

9.  Osello  of  Ludovicus  Manin,  1796.  Obverse:  A  woman 
sitting.  Reverse:  A  wreath,  inclosing  the  inscription:  "lu- 
DOVICI  MANIN.  PRINCIPIS  MUNUS  AN  VIII.,  1796."  {The  gift  of 
Ludovicus  Manin,  Ft-ince,  the  year  8th  of  his  reign,  1796).  The 
Obverse  on  the  Osello  silver  has  often  been  changed  in  a  single 
year;  this  coin  was  used  for  presents,  especially  on  high  church 
holidays,  of  which  there  were  several  in  a  year,  and  as  often 
the  Obverse  was  changed.  Weight:  150.750  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 943.     Value:  $0.40. 

10.  Piece  of  Ten  Lires  of  the  New  Republic,  1797.  Ob- 
verse: A  woman,  holding  in  one  hand  a  cap  of  liberty  on  a 
lance,  and  the  other  resting  on  fasces.  Legend:  "liberta, 
EGUALIANZA,"  {Liberty,  Equality).  Exergue :  "  z.  V."  or 
"ZECCA  \."  {3fint  of  Venice).  Reverse:  A  wreath,  inclosing 
the  value  :  "lire  dieci  venete."  {Ten  Lires  of  Venice).  Le- 
gend :  "anno  I.  DELLA  LIBERTA  ITALIANA."  {The  first  year  of 
Italian  liberty).  Weight:  442.750  grains.  Fineness:  830. 
Value:  $1.00. 

11.  Two  Lires  Provincial  money  of  Francis  II.  of  Austria, 
1801.  Obverse:  Two  headed  Austrian  eagle,  with  the  letters 
"f.  n."  {Francis  II.)  on  its  breast.  Legend:  "moneta 
PROVINCIALE  IMP.  VENETA."  {Imperial  provincial  coin  of 
Venice).  Reverse:  "due  lire,"  encircled  by  palm  and  laurel 
branches.  Weight:  133.500  grains.  Billon.  Value,  nom- 
inal, $0.09. 

12.  Lira  of  Francis  II.,  1801.  Obverse  and  legend  :  Same 
as  No.  11.  Reverse:  "una  lira."  {One  Lira).  Rest  same 
as  No.  11.     Weight :  62.750  grains.     Billon.     Value :  $0.04 J. 


968  DYirS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA, 

13.  Two  Lires  of  Francis  II.,  1802.  Obverse:  Same  as  No. 
11.  Legend:  "franckcus  ii.  d.  g.  r.  i.  s.  a.  g.  h.  h.  b. 
REX.  D.  VENET."  {Frands  II.,  Dei  Gh'cUia  Romanus  Imperatoi', 
Semper  AugiLstus,  Germaniae,  Hierosolymae,  Hunganae  Bohe- 
mkie  Rex  Dux  Venetiae;  meaning  :  Francis  II.,  by  the  Gi'oce  of 
God,  Roman  F/mperor,  F/uer  August,  King  of  Germany,  Jerusa- 
lem, Hungary,  and  Bohemia,  Duke  of  Venice).  Reverse  and  Le- 
gend :  Same  as  No.  11.  Weight:  126  grains.  Billon.  Value* 
$0.08^. 

14.  Lira  of  Francis  II.,  1802.  Obverse  and  Legend:  Same 
as  No.  13.  Reverse :  Same  as  No.  12.  Weight :  63  grains. 
Billon.     Value:  $0.04^. 

15.  Five  Lires  of  the  Republic,  1848.  Obverse :  Winged 
lion,  holding  a  book.  Legend  :  "  repubblica  veneta."  {Re- 
public of  Venice).  Exergue:  "22  marzo,  1848"  (22d  March, 
1848).  Reverse:  Laurel  and  oak  wreath,  inclosing  the  value: 
"5."  "lire."  Legend:  "unione  italiana."  {Italian  Union). 
Exergue:  "y."  {Venice  Mint-marlc).  Weight:  385.808  grains. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.96^. 

16.  Five  Lire  of  the  Republic  of  Venice,  1848.  Legend: 
Winged  lion,  holding  a  book,  and  standing  upon  a  square  ped- 
estal, upon  which  is  inscribed:  "xi  agosto,"  and  beneath 
"mdcxxjxlviii."  {Wth  of  August,  1848).  Legend:  "inde- 
PENDENZA  italiana."  {Independence  of  Italy).  Exergue: 
" VENEZIA  "  ( Fentce).  Reverse:  A  heavy  oak  wreath,  inclas- 
ing  the  value:  "5."  "lire."  Legend:  "alleanza  dei  po- 
POLI  lABERi."  {Alliance  of  a  free  people).  Exergue:  "1848." 
Weight :  385.808  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Value :  $0.96|. 


E]MPIRE  OF  JAPAN. 

Population  33,000,000. 

Using  both  the  gold  and  silver  standard  as  legal  tender. 
The  records  of  Japan  show  that  during  the  sixth  and  seventh 
centuries,  the  treasury  of  the  Empire  consisted  of  imperial  store- 


JAPAN.  969 

houses  and  granaries  filled  with  rice,  and  that  money  was  not 
then  in  general  use. 

Rice  was  then  the  standard  and  current  value,  and  all  taxes 
were  paid  in  that  grain. 

The  unit  of  value  about  that  period  was  the  "  Man-Kokf," 
which  again  was  divided  into  ten  thousand  "  Kokfs,"  and  the 
"  Kokf "  or  "  Koku  "  was  in  volume  about  4.933  U.  S.  bushels. 
The  "Kokf"  or  "Koku"  was  again  divided  into  three  sacks 
or  bales,  and  weighing  from  eighty-two  to  eighty-three  Katties, 
or  somewhat  more  than  one  hundred  of  our  pounds,  avoirdupois. 

In  1629  the  "Kokf,"  "Koku"  or  " Kokien "  of  rice  was 
valued  in  silver  ingots,  nine  hundred  twenty  fine,  about  ten 
guilders  Dutch,  equal  to  about  four  U.  S.  dollars,  which  would 
make  the  "  Man-Kokf"  equal  to  forty  thousand  dollars,  or  one 
hundred  thousand  Dutch  guilders,  or  what  the  Dutch  called  one 
ton  of  gold. 

Silver  was  always  known  to  the  Japanese,  but  no  coin  from 
it  was  struck  until  the  fifteenth  century.  Up  to  that  time  and 
for  a  considerable  time  after,  lumps  of  silver,  of  irregular  shape, 
stamped  at  the  mints  to  certify  their  fineness,  but  passing  by 
weight,  which  average  about  five  ounces  to  the  lump,  were  cur- 
rent. The  Dutch  in  the  seventeenth  century  named  these  lumps 
of  silver  "  Shuet."  These  silver  ingots  were  eleven-twelfths  fine, 
and  in  some  instances  of  seven  ounces  weight. 

From  1509  to  1635  two  kinds  of  Taels,  silver,  were  coined, 
and  were  known  to  the  Portuguese  and  Dutch  as  heavy  and 
light  Taels.  Both  kinds  were  carried  to  account  without  dis- 
tinction down  to  the  year  1635,  at  the  rate  of  sixty-two  and 
a  half  Stivers  (Dutch  value),  or  one  dollar  fourteen  cents  of  our 
money. 

Gold  was  discovered  in  Japan  a.  d.  749 ;  but,  as  Japan  was 
closed  to  the  world,  the  gold  remained  in  the  country  and 
auo-mented  every  year.  Its  abundance  was  thus  no  test  of  the 
relative  wealth  of  the  country. 

The  relative  value  of  gold  to  silver  was,  until  1860,  as  six  to 
one. 


970 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


In  1535,  and  for  more  than  one  hundred  years  after,  their 
payment  of  money  was  very  primitive,  for  the  Japanese  having 
had  great  stores  of  gold  and  silver  in  ingots,  observed  a  custom 
to  receive  their  lumps  of  gold  and  silver  without  telling, 
or  even  seeing  it.  The  mint  master  put  the  stamped  gold 
ingots  in  papers,  which  contained  the  value  of  eight  hundred  to 
one  thousand  Taels  (equal  to  about  one  thousand  to  twelve  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars) ;  these,  sealed  up,  passed  from  one  to  an- 
other without  being  questioned.  They  also  used  little  wooden 
boxes,  in  which  they  put  twenty  sealed  papers  of  gold  ingots, 
which  was  as  much  as  a  man  could  conveniently  carry ;  every 
box  was  worth  about  twenty  thousand  dollars  or  more. 

Silver  ingots  to  the  value  of  fifty  Taels  (sixty-two  and  a  half 
dollars)  were  put  in  paper  by  the  coiners  at  the  mint,  and  twenty 
such  papers  were  inclosed  in  a  box  and  sealed  like  the  gold 
boxes  with  the  coiner's  official  seal.  Strange  as  it  may  seem, 
never  any  deceit  was  found  in  that  blind  way  of  paying  and  re- 
ceiving money. 


KOBANG  OF  JAPAN,  VALUE  $5.78. 


JAPAN. 


971 


In  1609  the  gold  "Kobang"  was  struck;  it  weighed  forty- 
seven  Kandareens ;  that  is,  two  hundred  seventy-four  grains 
Troy,  which  was  sixteen  grains  more  than  the  American  Eagle ; 
but  if  superior  in  weight,  the  Kobang  of  1609  was  inferior  in 
fineness,  containing  of  pure  gold  only  two  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  grains,  while  our  Eagle  contains  two  hundred  and  thirty- 
two  grains. 

It  passed  in  Japan  and  was  purchased  by  the  Dutch  for  six 
Taels  (=  to  $7.50)  in  silver,  which  enabled  them  to  dispose  of 
it  to  good  advantage  on  the  coast  of  Coromandel,  where  the 
relative  value  of  gold  was  much  higher.  In  the  two  years 
1670  and  1671  more  than  one  hundred  thousand  Kobangs 
were  exported  by  the  Dutch  Company  from  Japan,  at  a  profit 
of  one  million  florins  or  forty  thousand  dollars  gold. 


KOBANG  OF  JAPAN,  VALUE  $4.44. 


In  the  year  1696  a  new  kind  of  Kobang  appeared.  The  old 
Kobang  of  1609  was  twenty  carats  eight  and  a  half  and  even 
ten  grains  fine ;  that  is,  supposing  it  divided  into  twenty-four 


972  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

parts,  twenty  parts  and  a  half  were  fine  gold.  The  new  Kobang 
of  1696  was  thirteen  carats  sixty-seven  grains  fine,  containing, 
consequently,  only  two-thirds  as  much  gold  as  the  old  one,  and 
yet  the  Dutch  Company  was  required  to  receive  it  at  the  same 
rate  of  sixty-eight  Mas  of  silver. 

In  1710  the  Japanese  government  made  a  still  more  serious 
change  in  their  gold  coin,  by  reducing  the  weight  of  Kobang  to 
twenty-five  Kandareens,  equal  to  one  hundred  forty-six  grains, 
which,  as  the  Dutch  were  still  obliged  to  receive  these  new 
Kobangs  at  the  rate  of  sixty-eight  Mas  of  silver,  it  caused  to 
them  a  loss  of  from  thirty -four  to  thirty-six  per  cent. 

From  1712  the  old  Kobang  of  1609  passed  as  Double  Ko- 
bang, being  reckoned  at  twice  their  former  weight. 

This  degradation  of  the  Japanese  coins  was  the  natural  re- 
sult of  the  immense  export  of  the  precious  metal,  which  in  the 
course  of  two  hundred  years,  from  1540  to  1740,  had  drained 
Japan  of  specie  to  the  value  of  two  hundred  million  dollars, 
and,  as  the  mines  of  Japan  were  by  no  means  so  productive  as 
to  be  able  to  withstand  the  constant  drain,  the  government  had 
to  resort  to  that  expedienti>  In  1740  the  export  of  specie  was 
prohibited,  and  the  new  Kobang  of  1730,  at  an  increased  weight 
of  five  per  cent.,  was  put  in  circulation. 

This  Kobang  was  an  oblong  coin  rounded  at  the  ends;  the 
surface  on  one  side  marked  with  four  rows  of  indented  lines, 
and  bearing  at  each  end  the  symbols  of  the  Dairi,  the  spiritual 
ruler  of  Japan,  and  between  them  a  mark  showing  the  value 
and  the  sio-nature  of  the  master  of  the  mint.  The  other  side 
was  smooth,  and  had  only  the  stamp  of  the  inspector-general 
of  gold  and  silver  money. 


GOLD    ITSIBO,   VALUE 


In  1729  the  Itsibo  was  coined ;  it  was  also  an  oblong  coin 
and  of  gold,  and  was  of  the  value  of  one-quarter  of  the  Ko- 
bang coined  in  1730. 


JAPAN.  973 

The  Obang  of  1627  was  coined  up  to  1729,  but  soon  after 
that  time  became  very  scarce ;  it  was  just  ten  times  the  weight 
and  value  of  the  Kobang  of  1609.  It  was  seldom  used  ia 
commerce,  and  was  more  of  the  nature  of  a  medal  for  merit 
than  a  coin  of  circulation. 

The  Obang  of  to-day,  also  a  gold  piece,  is  only  used  for  Im- 
perial presents ;  its  weight,  five  ounces,  six  pennyweights,  and 
ten  grains,  of  six  hundred,  sixty-five  fineness,  and  of  seventy- 
six  dollars.  United  States  value. 


im 


GOLD   HALF   INCHIBU. 


The  Ni-Shoo,  a  half  Inchibu,  was  a  coin  partly  of  gold  and 
partly  of  silver  weighing  28.164  grains,  and  of  five  hundred 
and  nine  fineness. 

Notwithstanding  the  coinage  of  money  by  the  government, 
the  Japanese  traders  kept  their  accounts  in  silver  ingots,  which 
they  obtained  from  the  mint.  These  silver  ingots  or  tokens 
were  in  general  very  simple,  struck  plain,  and  the  greatest  part 
of  them  without  any  rim  round  the  margin,  and  most  of  them 
without  any  determined  value.  For  this  reason  they  were 
always  and  are  even  up  to  this  day  still  weighed  by  the  mer- 
chants, who  put  their  "  Chop"  or  stamp  upon  them  to  signify  that 
the  ingot  was  unadulterated.  They  therefore  had  to  keep  their 
accounts  not  in  Kobangs  or  Inchibus  but  in  Taels  of  583  grains, 
valued  at  $1.25,  United  States  money.  This  Tael  was  again 
divided  into  10  Mas  or  Mace  of  58.30  grains  =  12^  cents,  and 
the  Mas  was  further  divided  into  10  Kandareens  of  5.830 
grains  =  01.25  cent,  and  the  Kandareen  into  10  Kas  of  0.5830 
grains  =  00.125  cent. 

This  same  term  Kas,  frequently  written  Cash  and  sometimes 
in  the  plural  Casses,  is  also  applied  to  coins  of  copper  and  iron 
still  current  in  the  interior  of  Japan.  The  corresponding  term 
now  used  is  Seni,  sometimes  Fsenny,  and  the  Dutch  call  them 
Pitjes. 


974  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

As  the  United  States  Gold  Dollar  contains  about  70  Kanda- 
reens  of  fine  silver,  it  should  represent  700  of  these  Kas  or 
Kasses. 

At  the  beginning  of  this  century  and  up  to  1870  the  follow- 
ing coins  were  in  general  circulation  throughout  Japan,  viz. : 

1.  The  Kobang,  gold,  weighing  200  grains,  652  fineness, 
varying  in  United  States  value  from  $5.62|  to  $6.00  in  gold. 

2.  The  Half-Kobang,  gold,  weighing  100.464  grains,  but  of 
only  509  fineness,  and  of  only  $2.25  United  States  value  in 
gold. 

These  Kobangs  are  oblong,  rounded  at  the  ends,  and  very 
flat  and  thin,  of  a  pale  yellow  color;  the  die  on  one  side  con- 
sists of  several  cross  lines  stamped ;  and  at  both  ends  there  is  a 
rectangular  figure,  with  raised  letters  on  it,  besides  a  moon-like 
figure,  with  a  flower  on  it  in  relief.  On  the  Reverse  side  a  cir- 
cular stamp  with  raised  letter  on  it;  within  the  margin,  toward 
one  end,  two  smaller  sunk  stamps  with  raised  letters. 

3.  The  Itjib  or  Gold  Itzebu,  also  called  the  golden  bean,  is 
made  of  pale  gold  of  a  parallelogramical  shape  and  flat,  rather 
thicker  than  the  Kobang,  with  many  raised  letters  on  one  side 
and  two  figures  or  flowers  in  relief  on  the  other:  the  value  is 
about  $1.1 2 J.  The  few  old  Itjibs,  rather  scarce,  were  thicker 
than  the  aliove,  and  in  value  about  $1.32|^  to  $1.40,  United 
States  value. 

4.  The  Ni-Shoo,  a  mixed  coin  of  gold  and  silver,  similar  to 
the  old  Ni-Shoo,  but  of  so  unreliable  weight  and  fineness  as  to 
make  it  evidently  of  a  secret  standard,  and  forced,  fictitious 
value. 

6.  The  Nandio-Guin,  silver,  a  parallelogramical  flat  coin,  one 
inch  long  and  half  inch  broad,  of  916  fineness.  The  edge  is 
stamped  with  stars,  and  within  the  edges  are  raised  dots :  one 
side  is  marked  all  over  with  raised  letters,  and  at  the  same  time 
exhibits  a  double  moon-like  figure.  Its  value  is  equal  to  7  Mas 
or  Mace  an  1  5  Kandareens,  valued  at  about  $1.05,  United 
States  value. 

6.  Silver  Itzebu,  square  pieces,  valued  at  37  cents. 


JAPAN.  976 

7.  Half  Silver  Itzebu,  square  pieces,  valued  at  18J  cents. 

HI 


* 
* 

fa  <^-^  t 

^c  4:  ^c  ^  ^c^ 

SILVER  ITZEBU. 

8.  Quarter  Silver  Itzebu,  square  pieces,  valued  at  9 J  cents. 


SILVER  QUARTER  ITZEBU. 


TEMPO   OF'^TAPAN. 

9.  Hundred  P'Seni,  copper  coin,  oval  shaped,  about  the  size 
and  shape  of  the  longitudinal  section  of  an  egg,  weighing  only 
as  much  as  seven  of  the  old  Kas,  This  overvaluation  has  of 
course  driven  the  old  Kas  out  of  circulation.  Its  value  is  fic- 
titious. 


P*SENI  OF  JAPAN. 


976  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

10.  Sjumon-Seni,  of  the  value  of  four  oommon  Seni,  made 
of  brass,  and  very  thin. 

11.  Doosa-Seni,  a  cast-iron  coin,  but  so  brittle  that  it  is  easily 
broken,  if  dropped  on  the  ground. 

12.  P'Seni,  copper  and  brass,  round,  with  a  square  hole  in 
the  middle.  • 


IBOX  CASH. 

13.  Iron  cash,  round,  with  a  square  hole  in  the  middle. 

People  who  travel  on  horseback  tie  strings  of  P'Senis  and 
Iron  cash  behind  them,  to  one  of  the  sashes  of  their  seats. 
Foot  travellers  carry  them  in  a  basket.  This  brass,  copper, 
and  iron  coin  is  the  best  medium  to  buy  what  necessaries 
are  wanteil  on  the  road,  being  more  handy  than  silver, 
which  must  be  weighed.  They  have  all  a  forced  and  fictitious 
value. 


COPPER  T^SESl, 


In  1869  to  1870  a  new  era  for  coining  of  money  was  in- 
augurated in  Japan.  The  Mint  in  Ozaka,  a  series  of  fine  and 
substantial  buildings,  was  finished,  and  work  commenced  to 
coin  the  "Yen  "  and  "Sen."  The  Mint  is  in  the  Koman  style 
of  architecture,  equipped  with  twelve  first  class  English  coin- 
ing-presses, thirty-seven  melting  surfaces,  and  a  sulphuric  and 
nitric  acid  manufactory.     The  Mint  makes  its  own  tools,  cuts 


JAPAN. 


977 


its  own  dies,  and  performs  the  usual  bullion,  assaying,  refining, 
and  analyzing  business.  The  force  employed  in  it  consists  of 
380  Japanese  and  several  Englishmen. 

The  coins  minted  are  gold,  silver,  and  copper,  and  of  the 
same  weight,  fineness,  denomination,  and  decimal  system  as  the 
United  States  coinage.  They  are  round,  with  milled  edges; 
stamped  with  the  devices  of  the  rising  sun,  coiled  dragons, 
legend  of  date  and  denomination,  in  Chinese  and  Roman 
numerals,  chrysanthemums,  leaves  and  flowers. 

The  Japanese  have  a  prejudice  of  stamping  the  Mikado's 
image  on  their  coins.  They  also  object  to  any  foreign  money 
that  has  the  figure  of  a  cross,  saint,  beads,  or  any  religious  em- 
blems or  mottoes  upon  it.  The  average  metal  money  now  in 
circulation  is  nearly  two  dollars  per  head  of  the  population,  and 
of  gold  about  seven-eighths  of  that  sum  per  capita. 

Besides  this  metal  money  of  the  "Yen,"  the  "Itagone"  and 
"  Kodama  "  are  denominations  by  which  various  lumps  of  silver, 
without  form  or  fashion,  are  known,  which  are  neither  of  the 
same  size,  shape,  nor  value.  The  "Itagone"  are  oblong,  and 
the  "Kodama"  roundish,  for  the  most  part  thick;  but  some- 
times, though  seldom,  flat.  These  pass  in  trade,  but  are  always 
in  payment  from  one  individual  to  another,  and  have  a  dull 
leaden  appearance. 

Silver  and  gold  in  ingots  are  valued  by  the  old  Tael  weight, 
and  also  by  the  "Kwamme,"  equal  to  eight  and  one-eighth 
pounds  of  silver,  which  is  worth  150  Yens  per  "Kwamme," 
and  gold  2,500  Yens  per  "Kwamme." 


GOLD  TWENTY  YEN. 


3K 


97S 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


The  right  to  work  gold,  silver,  and  copper  mines  does  not 
belong  to  the  owner  of  the  soil ;  for  in  Japan  po&session  of  the 
surface  does  not  carry  with  it  the  right  to  the  mineral  wealth 
below.  That  belongs  by  law  to  the  government,  which  exacts 
from  the  worker  of  the  ores  a  varying  royalty. 


GOLD    YEN. 


M 


SILVER  YEN. 


SILVER  TEN  SEN. 


MEXICO. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  MEXICO. 

The  earliest  gold  money  of  Mexico  minted  in  that  country 
was  known  as  the  "  Cob  Money ; "  consisting  of  the  Doubloon 


MEXICO^ 


979 


and  its  fractions,  the  Half  Doubloon,  the  Quarter  Doubloon, 
the  Pistole,  the  Eighth  or  Escudo  and  the  Sixteenth  or  Dollar. 
They  are  of  uniform  fineness  of  895  thousandths,  and  the 
weight  of  the  Doubloon  is  418  grains ;  that  of  the  smaller  pieces 
in  proportion.  They  are  rough  and  unsightly  in  appearance, 
giving  evidence  of  the  work  of  the  hammer,  with  which  they 
were  made.  The  first  figure  of  the  date  is  always  omitted — for 
example  1738  reading  738.  They  are  not  often  found  much 
below  the  standard  weight,  although  tlieir  rude  character  sug- 
gests a  temptation  to  use  the  file.  They  are  stamped  with  the 
arms  of  Spain  and  were  emitted  from  1690  to  1770.  The  next 
Mexican  gold  coins  were  those  of  Iturbide. 

1.  Half  Doubloon  of  Iturbide,  Bust  of  the  Emperor,  with 
the  Legend :  "augustinus  dei  providentia  ; "  with  the  date 
1822  or  1823,  and  mint-mark.  Reverse  :  A  shield  bearing  the 
Mexican  eagle ;  beneath  are  the  emblems  of  authority.  Le- 
gend :  "  MEX  I  IMPERATOR  cx)NSTiT."  The  valuc  in  escudos 
is  at  the  end.     Value:  $7.75. 

2.  Doubloon  of  the  Republic-  An  open  book,  inscribed 
*'  LEY."  A  hand  rests  upon  it,  grasping  a  staff  surmounted 
with  a  liberty-cap.  Legend:  "la  libertad  en  la  ley." 
Beneath  is  inscribed,  "8  e"  («cu<fo).  "go"  (Guanaxuato), 
(date),  (mint-mark).     " 21  Q "  (uitoie«).     Value;  #15.71. 


DOUBLOON  OF  THE  REPUBLia 

Reverse :  An  eagle  on  a  cactus  holding  a  serpent  between  its 
beak  and  one  talon  ;  beneath  are  branches  of  oak  and  latirel. 
Legend  :  "  republica  mexicana." 


980 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 


3.  Half  Doubloon.   Similar  to  the  last,  excepting  the  substitu- 
tion of  "  4  E  "  {seudos)  on  the  Obverse.     Value :  $7.85. 

4.  Quarter  Doubloon.    Similar  to  No.  2,  excepting  the  sub- 
stitution of  "2  E "  (seudos)  on  the  Obverse.     Value :  $3.92^. 


QUARTEB  DOUBLOON  OB  PISTOLE  OF  THE  REPUBLIC. 

5.  Eighth  Doubloon.  Similar  to  No.  2,  excepting  the  sub- 
stitution of  "1  e"  (scudo)  on  the  Obverse.     Value:  $1.96. 

6.  Sixteenths  Doubloon.  Similar  to  No.  2,  excepting  the 
substitution  of  "|  e"  (scudo)  on  the  Obverse.  Value:  98 
cents. 


sixteenth   of   a   DOUBLOON. 


7.  Twenty  Pesos  of  Maximilian.     Head  of  Maximilian  with 
the  inscription :  "maximiliano  emperadoe." 


TWENTY  PESOS   OF  MAXIMILIAN, 


MEXICO.  .  .  981 

Eeverse :  The  arms  of  Maximilian,  above  which  is  inscribed : 
"iMPERio  MEXicANO."  Beneath,  "20  pesos  1866  mo" 
(Mexico).     Value  about  $19.44. 

8.  Twenty  Pesos  of  the  Republic.  The  Obverse  of  this  coin 
is  similar  to  the  Reverse  of  No.  2 ;  but  has  the  date  below. 


TWENTY   PESOS   OP  THE   REPUBLIC. 

Reverse  a  pair  of  scales  with  a  scroll  beneath  it  inscribed 
"ley,"  and  a  sword  behind  it  surmounted  with  a  liberty  cap 
inscribed  "  libertad"  and  surmounted  with  rays.  Inscription  : 
"go.  8.  VEINTE  PESOS  875"  {fine).     Value:  $19.44. 

9.  Ten  Pesos  of  the  Republic.  Similar  to  the  Twenty  Pesos 
with  the  change  of  size  and  denomination,  Diez  Pesos. 

10.  Five  Pesos  of  the  Republic.  Similar  to  the  Twenty 
Pesos,  with  change  of  size  and  denomination. 


FIVE  PESOS   OF  THE   REPUBLIC. 

11.  Two  Pesos  and  Fifty  Centavos.  Obvei-se :  Same  as  No. 
8.  Reverse :  "  2J  pesos,"  inclosed  by  a  wreath.  Legend :  "  m 
875  mo." 


982  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


TWO  AOT)  A  HALF  PESOS. 

12.  One  Peso.     Similar  to  No.  11,  with  change  of  size  and 
denomination. 


SILVER   COINS   OF   MEXICO. 

The  Co6  series,  comprising  the  Dollar,  Half,  Quarter  and 
Eighth,  correspond  in  general  style  to  the  Cob  gold,  being  rude 
in  shape  and  stamped  with  the  arms  of  Spain.  Both  series 
have  long  since  ceased  to  pass  current  as  money.  The  hammered 
dollars  were  coined  the  latter  part  of  1810  and  later.  The 
planchets  were  prepared  by  hand  and  the  impression  made 
with  a  hammer.  They  are  much  inferior  to  the  regular  coinage, 
from  which  they  are  easily  distinguished  by  their  rude  appear- 
ance. The  cast  dollars  are  said  to  have  been  made  at  Chihuahua 
from  1811  to  1813.  Many  of  them  bear  the  eflBgy  of  Charles 
IV.  of  Spain ;  some  are  dated  as  early  as  1804,  and  some  bear 
the  mint-mark  of  Mexico  (Mo.)  They  are  very  irregular  in 
weight  and  fineness,  averaging  about  916  thousandths.  In 
value  they  range  from  94  to  127  cents  of  our  money. 

The  Dollars  of  General  Vargas  were  made  on  planchets  of 
old  Spanish  Dollars;  the  Obverse  being  stamped  "vargas," 
and  date,  and  the  Reverse,  "  R.  caxa  de  sombrerete,"  his 
headquarters.  They  appeared  in  1811-12.  The  next  year, 
1813,  General  Morelos  issued  a  Cast  Dollar,  Half  Dollar,  Quar- 
ter Dollar  and  Eighth  of  a  Dollar,  having  a  bow  and  arrow 
within  branches,  with  the  word  "sud"  below — indicating  the 
money  of  the  South.  On  the  Reverse  are  the  value  and  date 
within  a  wreath,  also  the  mint-mark. 

After  the  execution  of  Morelos,  in  1815,  Spain  reasserted  her 
authority  until,  in  1821,  Iturbide   proclaimed    Mexico  inde- 


MEXICO. 


983 


pendent.  The  next  year  he  was  proclaimed  Emperor,  under 
the  title  of  Augustine  I.,  but  he  abdicated  in  less  than  one  year, 
rather  than  allow  his  country  to  plunge  into  civil  war.  The 
Republic  coined  money  from  1824  to  1865  inclusive,  when 
Maximilian  assumed  the  government.  After  his  overthrow 
and  execution,  in  1867,  the  Republic  was  again  re-established. 
1.  Dollar  of  Iturbide.  Portrait  of  Iturbide  or  Augustin  I. 
Legend:  "august  dei  peov."     Below  "  mo  1822." 


DOLLAR  OP   ITURBIDE. 

Reverse:  An  eagle  crowned,  with  expanded  wings  on  a 
cactus.  Legend :  "  mex.  i.  imperator.  constitut."  "8  R  " 
(ea&),  "lm."     Value:  $1.04. 


REVERSE   OF   DOLLAR  OF  ITURBIDE. 

Reverse   second:  An  eagle  crowned  standing  on  a  cactus. 
Legend:   "mex.  l  imperator  constitut."     Exergue:   "8 

E"(ea&),  "J.  M." 


984 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


2.  Half  Dollar  of  Iturbide.    Similar  to  the  last,  with  reduced 
size  and  "4  b"  in  place  of  "  8  R." 


QUARTER    DOLLAR   OF   ITURBIDE. 

f- 

3.  Quarter  Dollar  of  Itui-bide.     Similar  to  No.  1,  with  the 
size  reduced  and  "2b"  in  place  of  "  8  B." 


EIGHTH  OF  A   DOLLAR  OF  ITURBIDE. 

4.  Eighth  of  a  Dollar  of  Iturbide.     Similar  to  No.  1,  with 
the  size  reduced  and  "1  R  "  in  place  of  "  8  R." 

5.  Sixteenth  of  a  Dollar  of  Iturbide.     Similar  to  No.  1,  with 
the  size  reduced  and  "8  R  "  omitted?" 


SIXTEENTH  OF   A   DOLLAR   OP  ITURBIDE. 

6.  Dollar  of  the  Republic.  A  liberty  cap  inscribed  "lib- 
ERTAD,"  surrounded  with  rays.  Beneath  it  "8  R.  (eals)  do. 
(Durango)  1824,  r.  l.  10  D.  {ineros)  20  G.  (ranos)" 

Reverse :  An  eagle,  with  the  wings  raised,  looking  toward 


MEXICO. 


986 


DOLLAR   OF   TflE   KEPUBLIC,    1824. 

the  left,  with  a  snake  in  the  beak  and  right  talon.     Legend : 

"  EEPUBLICA  MEXICANA." 

7.  Half  Dollar.     Similar  to  No.  6,  with  the  size  reduced, 
and  "4R"in  place  of  "8  R." 

8.  Quarter  Dollar.     Similar  to  No.  6,  with  the  size  reduced, 
and  "2  r"  in  place  of  "8  b." 


QUARTER  DOLLAR  OF  1824. 


9.  Eighth  of  a  Dollar.  .  Similar  to  No.  6,  with  the  size  re- 
duced, and  "1  R."  in  place  of  "8  R." 

10.  Sixteenth  of  a  Dollar.     Similar  to  No.  6,  with  the  size 
reduced,  and  "J  R."  in  place  of  "8  R." 


SIXTEENTH  OF   A   DOLLAR   OF   1824. 


986 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


11.  Dollar  of  1844  and  since.  Similar  to  Obverse  of  No.  6. 
The  Reverse  differs  in  the  position  of  the  eagle,  who  is  displayed 
and  looking  toward  the  right. 


DOLLAR  OF    1844. 

12.  Half  Dollar.     Obverse:   Similar  to  No.  7.     Reverse: 
With  the  eagle,  as  in  No.  11. 


HALF  DOLLAR  OP   1843. 


13.  Quarter  Dollar.     Obverse :   Similar  to  No.  8,  with  the 
eagle  as  in  No.  11. 


QUARTER  DOLLAR  OF  1844. 


MEXICO. 


987 


14.  Eighth  of  a  Dollar.     Obverse :  Similar  to  No.  9.    Re- 
verse :  With  the  eagle  as  in  No.  11. 


EIGHTH   OP  A   DOLLAR  OP   1844. 

Similar  to  No.  10. 


15.  Sixteenth  of  a  Dollar.     Obverse 
Reverse :  With  the  eagle  as  in  No.  11. 


SIXTEENTH   OP   A   DOLLAR  OP    1844. 

1 6.  Quarter  Real  or  Three  Cents.  Obverse :  Head  of  Liberty, 
without  any  Legend.  Reverse :  "  \"  surrounded  with  the  Le- 
gend :  "  REPUBLiCA  MEXiCANA,"  and  the  date  of  issue. 


QUARTER  REAL  OP  MEXICO. 

17.  Dollar  of  Maximilian.     The  Obverse  is  similar  to  that 
of  the  20  Pesos,  described  ii)  the  Gold  Coins  of  Mexico. 


DOLLAR  OP  MAXIMILIAN. 


988  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Reverse:  Only  diflPers  from  the  Reverse  of  the  20  Pesos 
piece  in  the  substitution  of  "1  peso"  for  "20  pesos." 

18.  The  Half-Dollar,  Dime,  and  Half-Dime  of  Maximilian 
correspond  in  value  with  their  respective  denomination,  and 
differ  so  slightly  from  the  Dollar  as  not  to  require  particular 
description,  their  value  being  expressed  in  multiples  of  the 
Centavo. 

19.  Dollar  of  1869  and  since.  An  eagle  displayed  on  a 
cactus,  the  beak  and  talon  rending  a  snake.  Legend:  "ee- 
PUBLICA  MEXICANA."     Exergue :  The  date  of  issue. 


DOLLAR  OF   1869. 

Reverse :  A  pair  of  scales  with  a  scroll  beneath  it  inscribed 
"ley,"  and  a  sword  behind  it,  surmounted  with  a  liberty  cap, 
inscribed:  "libertad,"  and  surrounded  with  rays.  Inscrip- 
tion :  "UN  PESO  MO  c  902.7"  (Jlne). 

20.  Half-Dollar.  Similar  to  No.  19;  reduced  in  size,  and 
with  "fifty  centavos"  in  place  of  "uN  peso." 

21.  Quarter-Dollar.  Similar  to  No.  19;  reduced  in  size, 
and  correspondingly  changed  in  value. 


\  HALF-DIME  OP   1872. 

.22.  Dime  or  Ten  Centavos.     Similar  to  No.  19;  reduced  in 
size,  and  correspondingly  changed  in  value. 


MEXICO.  98^ 

23.  Half-Dime  or  Five  Centavos.  Similar  to  No.  19;  re- 
duced in  size,  and  correspondingly  changed  in  value. 

COPPER  COINS  OF  MEXICO. 

For  many  years  several  of  the  Mexican  States,  including 
Chihuahua,  Sinaloa,  and  others,  issued  copper  Centavos,  with 
different  devices.  The  Emperor  Maximilian  did  the  same  dur- 
ing his  short-lived  reign.  They  bear  his  arras  with  the  Le- 
gend :  "iMPERio  MEXICANO."  Since  his  death  the  Republic 
has  coined  a  copper  Centavo,  which  is  thus  described:  The  Ob- 
verse has  the  words  "UN  centavo"  in  two  lines,  below  which 
is  the  date  and  Mint-mark ;  the  whole  being  surrounded  with 
a  wreath  of  laurel  and  oak. 

Reverse:  An  eagle  on  a  cactus,  rending  a  snake  with  his 
beak  and  talon,     "republica  mexicana." 

The  names  of  Mints  of  Mexico,  with  the  abbreviations  used 
on  the  money,  and  their  date  of  establishment,  are  as  follows: 

Mexico,  M".,  1535.  Guadalaxara,  G^,  1814. 

Zacatecus,  Z^,  1810.  San  Luis  Potosi,  P.,  1829. 

Durango,  D°.,  1811.  Tlaepau,  M.  E.  (not  known).* 

Guanaxuato,  G*'.,  1812.  Guadalupe  Y  Calao,  G.  C,  1844. 

Chihuahua,  C*.,  1811  to  Culicau,  C,  1846. 

1814;  recommenced  1832. 


NORWAY. 

The  earliest  coins  of  Norway  are  those  bearing  the  name  of 
Oulaf,  1066,  with  the  title,  sometimes,  of  Dux.  Norway  was 
annexed  to  Denmark  near  the  close  of  the  fourteenth  century. 
The  coins  idsued  for  Norway  had  on  the  Obverse  the  portrait 
of  the  kings  of  Denmark,  with  their  titles,  and  on  the  Reverse 

*  Appears  to  have  been  discontinued  and  revived  again  in  1829. 


996  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

the  arms  of  Norway  (a  lion,  rampant,  holding  a  battle  axe). 
In  the  Exergue,  usually,  are  two  hammers,  crossed,  the  Nor- 
wegian mint-mark,  which  refer  to  the  Konigsberg  mines.  Up 
to  the  year  1818  the  coins  closely  resemble  those  of  Denmark, 
and  since  that  time  they  are  distinguished  from  the  Swedish 
series  by  the  name  of  Norway  preceding  that  of  Sweden  in  the 
Legend.  On  those  of  Sweden  the  name  of  that  country  precedes 
that  of  Norway.  For  the  earlier  money  struck  for  Norway  see 
the  article  on  Denmark. 

SILVER  AND  BASE  COINS  OF  NORWAY. 

1.  Eight  Skillings  of  Charles  XIV.     "8  skilling  species 
18-17,  I.  C.  P.,"  the  date  separated  by  crossed  hammers. 


SKILLING 
SPECIES. 


EIGHT   SKILLINGS. 

Reverse :  Arras  of  Norway  on  a  shield,  crowned.     Legend  : 

"carl  XIV  JOHAN  NORGES  8VER.  G.  OG.  V.  KONGE."      Weight : 

52  grains,  Troy.     Fineness :  500.     Value :  $0.07. 

2,  Four  Skillings  of  Charles  XIV.^"4  skilling  species 
18-25  I  M  K.,"  the  date  separated  by  crossed  hammers.  Re- 
verse: Precisely  like  No.  1.  Weight  and  Value:  one-half  that 
of  the  8  Skilling  piece»     Fineness :  600. 


SK-TLLtNG 
SPECIES. 


FOUR  skillings. 

3.  Half  Species  Daler  of  Charles  XIV.     Bust  enveloped  in 


NORWAY. 


991 


a  Roman  mantle.    "  CABL  xrv  johan  noboes  syeb.  g.  og.  v. 


KONGE. 


» 


HALF  A  SPECIES  DALER. 

Reverse :  Arras  of  Norway  on  a  shield,  crowned.  "  J  sps. 
60  sh"  in  the  field.  Below,  "18^  ST.  i.  mk.  fs."  (18 J  to  one 
mark  of  fine  silver).  The  date  separated  by  crossed  hammers. 
Weight:  223  grains,  Troy.     Fineness:  875.     Value:  $0.44.4. 

4.  Twenty-four  Skillings.     Obverse:  Similar  to  No.  3. 


TWENTY-FOUR  SKILLINGS. 

Reverse :  Arms  of  Norway  on  a  shield,  crowned.  "  24  sk  " 
[illings)  in  the  field.  Date  below,  separated  by  crossed  ham- 
mers. Weight:  113  grains,  Troy.  Fineness:  687.5.  Value: 
^0.21.4. 

5.  One-fourth  of  a  Riks  Daler.     Obverse :  Similar  to  No.  3. 


FOURTH   OF   A   RIKS   DALER. 


992  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Reverse :  A  crowned  shield,  encircled  by  a  chain,  and  bear- 
ing three  crowns.  "  FOLKETS  KARLEK  MIN  BELONING  "  ( T/l^ 
people's  love  is  my  recompense).  Below  J  R.  s.  P.,  separated 
by  the  initial  letters,  and  the  date  separated  by  a  star.  Weight : 
132  grains,  Troy.     Fineness:  750.     Value:  $0.22.3. 

6.  One-eighth  of  a  Rix  Daler.     Obverse :  Similar  to  No.  3. 


EIGHTH  OF  A   RIKS    DALER. 


Reverse:    Similar  to   No.    5:    substituting   "^"  for  "|." 
Weight :  65.6  grains,  Troy.     Fineness:  750.     Value:  $0.11. 
7.  Specie  Daler,  1844.     Bust  of  the  King,  draped,     "carl 

XIV  JOHAN  NORGES  SVER.  G.  OG.  V.  KONGE." 


SPECIE  DALER  OF  NORWAY. 

Reverse:  Arras  of  Norway  on  a  shield,  crowned:  branches 
of  oak  on  either  side.  Above,  "  9^  st  i  m.  k.  f.  s."  In  the 
field,  "  1  SPS."  Below,  the  date  separated  by  crossed  hammers. 
Weight :  445.9  grains,  Troy.    Fineness :  875.    Value :  $0.90.8. 

8.  Half  Specie  Daler.  Similar  to  No.  7 :  substituting  "  | 
SPS  "  for  "  1  SPS."  Weight :  223  grains,  Troy.  Fineness :  875. 
Value:  $0.45.4. 


PARAGUAY.  993 


HALF   SPECIE   DALER. 

9.  Twelve  Skillings.     Obverse :  Similar  to  No.  3. 


TWELVE  SKILLINGS. 

Reverse:  Arms  on  a  shield,  crowned,  with  branches  of  oak 
on  either  side.  Above,  "12  sk."  Exergue :  the  date  separated 
by  crossed  hammers.  Weight:  44.5  grains,  Troy.  Fineness: 
875.     Value:  $0.09. 

Of  the  Copper  coins  of  Norway  there  is  a  2  Skilling  Species 
piece  and  a  2  Skilling  Courant.  They  have  the  arms- with  the 
name  of  the  King  abbreviated,  or  the  latter  without  the  arms 
on  the  Reverse.  The  value,  date,  and  crossed  hammers  being 
on  the  Obverse. 


PARAGUAY. 

Paraguay  was  discovered  by  Sebastian  Cabot  in  1530.  The 
first  Spanish  colony  was  established  under  the  direction  and 
auspices  of  Pedro  de  Mendoza,  whose  lieutenant,  Juan  de 
Ayolas,  founded  Asuncion  about  1537.  Previous  to  1G20  its 
territory  comprised  the  entire  basin  of  the  Plata,  but  between 
3L 


994  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA 

that  time  and  1776  two  distinct  governments,  Paraguay  and 
Buenos  Ayres,  were  established  by  royal  decree.  In  the  latter 
year  they  were  again  united  under  the  separate  vice-royalty  of 
Buenos  Ayres.  In  1811  Paraguay  took  steps  that  resulted  in 
her  independence  of  Spain. 

COPPER  COINS  OF  PARAGUAY. 

1.  One-Twelfth  of  a  Real.  Upon  a  circle,  crossed  by  hori- 
zontal bars  in  the  centre,  is  the  fraction  jj.  Legend  :  "  REPUB- 
LICA  DEL  PARAGUAY."  Date  below,  1845.  Reverse:  A  lion, 
sejant,  guarding  a  liberty  pole  with  cap,  the  latter  surrounded 
by  rays.  Two  half-wreaths  connected  with  a  ribbon  below. 
Weight :  97  grains,  Troy.     Value :  one  cent. 

2.  Four  Centesimos.  In  the  centre  a  figure  4  is  wiihin  a 
circle  crossed  with  horizontal  bars.  Above,  and  resting  on  the 
circle,  the  word  "  centesimos,"  on  a  label.  A  wreath  surrounds 
the  exterior,  excepting  a  space  for  the  date,  1870.  Reverse  :  A 
star,  from  which  rays  issue,  occupies  the  centre;  two  half- 
wreaths,  one  of  palm  and  one  of  oak,  are  fastened  below  by  a 
ribbon.  Legend:  "republica  del  Paraguay."  Weight: 
304  grains.     Value:  four  cents. 

3.  Two  Centesimos.  Precisely  similar  to  the  last,  with  re- 
duction in  size  and  the  figure  2  in  place  of  4.  Weight:  152 
grains.     Value:  two  cents. 

4.  One  Cent^simo.  Precisely  similar  to  the  last,  with  reduc- 
tion in  size  and  "  1  centesimo  "  in  place  of  "  2  CENTESIMOS." 
Weight:  76  grains.     Value:  one  cent. 


PERU. 

This  country  declared  itself  independent  of  Spain  in  the  year 
1821,  and  in  1822  it  issued  money.  It  was  not,  however,  until 
1824  that  the  mother  country  acknowledged   the  separation. 


PERU.  995 

During  the  revolt  the  Spanish  monarch  continued  to  issue  coins, 
and  in  some  instances  actually  restruck  those  of  the  Republic. 
In  1836  a  division  occurred  into  the  nations  of  North  Peru  and 
South  Peru.  This  was  for  some  time  exhibited  on  the  coinage, 
but  afterward  entirely  disappeared.  There  were  three  Mints : 
those  of  Lima,  Cuzco  and  Arequipa.  The  mark  of  Lima  is 
sometimes  in  a  monogram ;  those  of  the  other  Mints  are  abbre- 
viated to  Cuz  and  Areq.  {Caps).  The  early  gold  money  of 
Peru,  after  the  Spanish  standard,  consists  of  the  Doubloon, 
Half-Doubloon,  Pistole,  Escudo,  and  Sixteenth  Doubloon.  Up 
to  1851  the  silver  money  embraced  the  Peso,  Half  and  Quarter, 
or  Two  Reals,  Real  and  Half-Real.  In  that  year  the  gold 
money  was  made  to  embrace  the  Sol,  weighing  569  grains,  of 
900  fineness,  and  valued  at  $20.00.  The  "Half-Sol,"  "Dob- 
liu',"  "  Escudo,"  and  "  Half-Escudo,"  being  of  proportional 
decimal  value.  The  silver  was  to  consist  of  the  Dollar,  Half- 
Dollar,  Peseta  (20  cents),  Dinero,  and  Half-Dinero.  The 
Dollar  was  to  weigh  475  Spanish  grains,  900  fine.  One  hun- 
dred Centavos  of  copper  were  to  be  equal  in  value  to  the 
Dollar. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  PERU. 
1.  Doubloon.     The  goddess  of  liberty  in  a  Roman  helmet, 
supporting  a  staff  with  cap  with  one  hand,  and  a  shield  bearing 
the  inscription  "  libertad,"  with  the  other.     Legend :  "  firme 
Y.  PELIZ  POR  LA  UNION." 


DOUBLOON   OF   PERU. 


996 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


Reverse :  The  arms  of  the  Republic  upon  a  shield,  and  rest- 
ing upon  flags  crossed.  Above  is  a  wreath  of  oak.  Legend: 
"republica  peruana  I.  M."  Date  below.  "8  e."  {scudos), 
in  the  field,  ^yeight:  416.5  grains.  Fineness:  870.  Value: 
§15.55. 

2.  Quarter-Doubloon  or  Pistole.     Obverse :  Same  as  No.  1. 


PISTOLE   OP  PERU. 

Reverse:  Same  as  No.  1,  with  the  substitution  of  "2  e"  for 
"8  E."  Weight:  103.8  grains.  Fineness:  870.  Value: 
$3.88. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  PERU. 

1.  Dollar  or  Peso  of  1822.  Arms  and  ensigns  of  the  Re- 
public.    "  PERU  LIBRE.  M.  8  R  {eols)  J.  P."     Date  below. 


PESO  OP  1822. 

Reverse:  A  pillar  encircled  with  a  scroll.  Upon  one  side  is 
Virtue,  with  a  branch  of  olive,  upon  the  otlier  is  Justice,  with 
scales  and  a  sword.  Legend :  "  por  la  virtud  y  la  jus- 
TiciA."     Value:  $0.85. 

2.  Dollar  or  Piso  of  1831.     The  goddess  of  liberty  standing 


PERU.  997 

with  staff,  surmounted  by  liberty  cap,  in  her  right  hand,  aud 
the  left  supporting  a  shield  inscribed  with  the  word  "  libektad." 
Legend :  "  firme  y  feliz  poe  la  union." 


PESO  OP  1831. 


Reverse:  The  arms  of  the  Republic  upon  a  shield,  between 
branches  of  palm  and  laurel ;  a  wreath  of  oak  above,  the  date 
below.  Legend :  "  REPUB.  PERUANA,  cuzco.  8  R.  G."  Date 
below.     Value:  $0.85. 

3.  Half-Peso,  1836.     Obverse:  The  same  as  No.  2. 


HALF-PESO,   1836. 


Reverse :  Similar  to  the  last,  substituting  "4  R.  B."  for  "8 
R.  G.;"  and  changing  the  date  to  1836.     Value:  $0.37.5. 

4.  Two  Reals,  1845.     Obverse:  The  same  as  No.  2. 

Reverse:  Similar  to  No.  2,  changing  the  date  to  1845,  and 
the  inscription  to  "rep.  peruana,  m.  2  r  (eals)  10  D  {ineros) 
20  G  {ranosy     Value :  $0.18.7. 


998 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


TWO  KKALS,    1845. 

5.  One  Real,  1828.     Obverse:  The  same  as  No.  2. 


ONE    REAL,    1828. 

Reverse :  Similar  to  No.  2,  changing  the  date  to  1828,  and 
the  inscription  to  "  repub.  peruana,  m.  1  r  {eal)  J.  M." 
Value  about  $0.10. 

6.  Half-E«al,  1823.     Obverse :  The  same  as  No.  2. 


HALF-REAL,    1823. 

Reverse :  Similar  to  No.  2,  changing  the  date  to  1823,  and 
the  inscription  to  "repub.  peruana,  cuz.  g."     Value:  $0.05. 

7.  Dollar  or  Peso  of  North  Peru,  1836.  Obverse:  Same  as 
No.  2.  Reverse:  Same  as  No.  2,  excepting  the  Legend,  which 
reads :  "  est  nor  peruana,  m.  8  r  t  m." 

8.  Dollar  or  Peso  of  South  Peru,  1838.  Obverse:  A  sun 
with  five  stars  above.  "  repub.  sud  peruana.  8  R  (eals) 
cuz(X),  1838." 


PERU. 


990 


PESO  OF   SOUTH   PERU,  CUZCO. 

Reverse:  A  volcano,  castle,  and  cornucopia,  with  water  in 
the  background,  and  a  ship  in  the  distance;  the  whole  inclosed 
with  a  laurel  wreath.  Legend  :  "fikme  por  la  union."  "  10 
D  (ineros)  20  g  (ranm)  confederacion  m.  s."  Value :  Same 
as  No.  2. 

9.  Half-Dollar  or  Peso  of  South  Peru,  1838.  Obverse: 
Similar  to  No.  8,  substituting  for  the  value  and  Mint-mark, 

"4  R.  AREQ." 


HALF-PESO   OP  SOUTH    PERU,    AREQUIPA. 

Reverse:  Design  and  first  inscription  the  same  as  No.  8. 
The  second  inscription  reads  "confederacion  m.  v."  Value: 
$0.42.5. 

10.  Quarter  of  a  Real,  1840.     Obverse :  A  lama. 


quarter  of  a  real. 


1000  DYIPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Reverse :  The  fraction  J ;  the  word  "  lima  "  above  it,  and 
the  date,  1840,  below.     Value:  $0.03. 

11.  Sol  of  1874.  The  goddess  of  liberty  seated,  looking 
toward  the  right;  her  left  hand  rests  upon  a  shield  bearing  a 
sun,  her  right  hand  holds  a  staff  surmounted  with  a  liberty 
cap.  Before  her  is  an  altar  bearing  an  oak  wreath,  and  encircled 
with  a  band  inscribed  "libertad."  Below  is  the  value:  "uN 
SOL."     Reverse:  Arms,  etc.,  similar  to  No.  2,  with  the  Legend: 

"  EEPUBLICA   PERUANA    LIMA    9    DECIMOS    FINO   Y.  J."      Date 

below.     Weight:  385  grains  Troy.     Fineness:  900.     Value: 
$0.83.25. 

12.  Five  Pesetas  or  Dollar,  1880.  A  head  of  liberty  bound 
with  a  wreath  of  cereals,  with  a  large  round  ear-ring,  and  a 
necklace  of  pearls.  Reverse:  The  arms  of  Peru,  similar  to 
No.  2.  Legend:  "republica  peruana  lima  9  decimos 
FINO  B.  F."  Exergue:  "ciNCO  pesetas."  Weight:  385 
grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.83.25. 

13.  One  Peseta,  1880.  Obverse:  Similar  to  No.  12.  Re- 
verse: Differs  from  the  Reverse  of  No.  12,  in  the  substitution 
of  "una  peseta,"  for  Cinco  Pesetas,  and  the  abbreviation  of 
Decimos  to  Dec.     Value  about  $0.16.6. 

COPPER  COINS  OF  PERU. 

1.  Centime,  1855.  A  sun.  Legend  :  "republica  peru- 
ana." Reverse:  "UN  centimo,"  in  two  straight  lines,  in- 
closed in  an  oval  wreath.  Above  it,  "lima  ;"  below,  "  1855." 
Weight:  180  grains.     Value:  1  cent. 

2.  Half-Centime,  1855.  Precisely  similar  to  No.  1,  with 
the  substitution  of  "medio  centimo"  for  Un  Centimo. 
Weight:  60  grains.     Value:  J  cent. 

3.  Two  Centavos,  1864.  A  sun.  Legend:  "republica 
PERUANA."  Date,  1864.  Reverse:  "dos  centavos,"  between 
branches  of  cereals.     Weight:  142  grains.     Value:  2  cents. 

4.  One  Centavo,  1864.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  3.  Reverse: 
"UN  CENTAVO,"  between  wreath  of  cereals.  Weight:  71 
grains.     Value:  1  cent. 


PERU. 


1001 


NICKEL  COINS  OF  PERU. 
1.  Two  Centavos,  1864.     From  the  same  dies  as  No.  3  of 
the   copper   series.     Composition:    12    parts   nickel,  88   parts 
copper.     Weight:  140  grains.     Value:  2  cents. 


T\V()    CENTAVOS   OF   PERU. 

2.  One  Centavo,  1864.  From  the  same  dies  as  No.  4  of  the 
copper  series.  Same  composition  as  the  nickel  Two  Centavos. 
Weight :  70  grains.     Value :  1  cent. 


ONE  CENTAVO  OF  PERU. 

3.  Ten  Centavos,  1879.  A  sun.  "republica  peruana, 
1879."  "diez  centavos."  Reverse:  "10"  inclosed  in  a 
circle;  above,  "moneda  provisional."  Below,  "centavos." 
Weight:  76  grains  Troy.  Composition:  25  parts  nickel,  75 
parts  copper.     Value  :  10  cents. 

4.  Five  Centavos,  1879.  A  sun.  "republica  peruana, 
1879."  "CINCO  centaa^os."  Reverse:  "5,"  inclosed  in  a 
circle;  above,  "moneda  provisional."  Below,  "centavos." 
Weight:  38  grains.  Composition:  Same  as  the  nickel  Ten 
Centavos.    Value :  5  cents. 


1002 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


POLAND. 

This  is  one  of  the  oldest  European  countries  whose  history 
has  come  down  to  us.  The  people  being  of  a  warlike  character, 
she  became  involved  in  internal  dissensions,  and  a  prey  to  her 
neighbors,  until  she  finally  had  her  territory  divided  among  her 
allied  adversaries.  In  1573  she  became  an  elective  monarchy, 
and  selected  Henry  of  Valois  for  her  ruler.  But  after  receiving 
the  crown  of  France  the  next  year,  Henry  abandoned  that  of 
Poland.  The  first  partition  of  Poland  by  Austria,  Russia  and 
Prussia  divided  nearly  one-fourth  of  her  territory  between 
them.  In  1793  the  second  partition  took  place,  and  in  1795 
the  third  and  last  was  made  by  the  same  powers.     In  1807 


FLOKIN  OF  POLAND. 


Napoleon  formed  the  Duchy  of  Warsaw,  but  in  1815  this 
under  the  name  of  the  Kingdom  of  Poland  was  given  to  Kussia 
by  the  bond  of  a  personal  union. 


0      \ 

Z£OT  1 

5(,  POI   ^ 


ZLOTE  OF  POLAND. 


PORTUGAL.  1003 

In  1830  the  Poles  revolted  and  re-established  the  Kingdom 
of  Poland,  declaring  their  independence.  The  revolt  was  soon 
suppressed,  but  some  coins  were  issued,  of  which  a  few  are  here 
illustrated. 


ZIXXTE.  1  zixxr. 


The  Russian  government  in  1832  issued  a  series  of  coins  for 
circulation  in  Poland,  in  which  their  value  was  stated  in  Russian 
and  Roman  letters.  Several  of  these  are  described  under  the 
coins  of  Russia. 


PORTUGAL. 

This  country  was  originally  a  part  of  Spain,  and  was  estab- 
lished as  a  separate  monarchy  in  1092.  Henry  of  Burgundy, 
grandson  of  Robert  of  France,  enlisted  in  the  cause  of  Alphonso 
of  Spain  against  the  Moors,  and  was  so  successful  that  Alphonso 
bestowed  upon  him  his  daughter  Theresa,  and  created  him 
Count  of  that  part  of  Portugal  where  the  city  of  Oporto  is 
situated,  from  which  the  whole  country  derives  its  name. 

The  reputation  of  the  gold  coins  of  Portugal  are  equal  to  those 
of  any  other  country.  The  "Joe"  and  "Half  Joe"  are  familiar 
names  all  over  the  world.  The  discovery  in  the  year  1500  of 
Brazil  by  Cabral  furnished  the  material  from  which  the  gold 
currency  became  enormously  increased.-  Since  the  independence 
of  Brazil,  the  gold  coinage  has  diminished  very  greatly,  while 
the  silver  coins  were  never  very  abundant  outside  of  her  own 
limit. 


1004  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJSDIA. 

GOLD   COINS   OF   PORTUGAL. 

The  first  system  of  gold  coinage  consisted  of  the  Dobrao  of 
20,000  reis,  the  Half  Dobrao  of  10,000  reis,  the  Moeda  D'ouro  or 
Moidore  of  4000  reis,  and  the  Half,  Quarter  and  Tenth  Moidore. 
The  latter,  consisting  of  400  reis,  is  also  known  as  the  Cruzado. 
They  were  all  917  thousandths  fine,  and  the  Dobrao  Aveighed 
830  grains  Troy. 


MOIDORE  OF  ALPHONSUS  VI.,  1656.        MOIDORE  OF  JOHN   V. 

The  second  or  Joannese  series  appeared  in  1722,  and  was  dis- 
continued in  1835.  It  comprised  the  Joannese  or  Dobra  of 
12,800  reis;  the  Half  of  6400  reis;  the  Quarter  of  3200  reis; 
the  Escudo  of  Sixteen  Tostoes,  or  1600  reis;  the  Quartinho,  or 
Quarter  Moidore  of  1200  reis;  the  Half  Escudo  of  800,  and 
the  Cruzado  of  400  reis.     The  Dobra  weighed  442.8  grains. 


A  '5 
HALF   JOANNESE,  OR  "JOE."      VALUE   $8.81. 

Under  Maria  II.  the  third  series  of  gold  coins  was  instituted. 
They  comprised  the  Coroa  D'ouro,  or  Gold  Crown  of  5000  reis, 
and  its  half.  Like  their  predecessors  they  were  of  917  thou- 
sandths fine,  the  crown  weighing  147.6  grains. 


PORTUGAL. 


1005 


GOLD   CROWNS   OF   PORTUGAL.      VAXUE   §5.39. 

SILVER   COINS  OF   PORTUGAL. 

Previous  to  1835  the  silver  pieces  of  Portugal  were  the 
Cruzado  of  400  reis ;  the  half,  of  Twelve  Vintens ;  the  piece  of 
Six  Vintens ;  the  Testoon,  of  100  reis,  and  its  half.  Originally 
they  were  917  thousandths  fine,  but  for  many  years  they  were 
coined  at  899  thousandths.  The  Cruzado  weighed  226.6  grains. 
In  1835  the  Millreis  was  established  as  the  unit,  and  the  silver 
series  consisted  of  the  Coroa,  or  Crown,  or  Millrei  of  1000  reis ; 
the  Half  Crown  of  500  reis,  and  the  pieces  of  200  and  100  reis. 
The  Fineness  is  917,  and  the  Millreis  weighs  148  grains. 

1.  80  Reis  of  John  V.  "lxxx"  beneath  a  crown. 
"JOANNES  V.  D.  G.  PORT  (ugalice)  ET  ALG  {arhi(yrum)  rex." 
Reverse:  A  cross  potent.     Legend  :  "in  hoc  signo  vinces." 


80  reis   of   JOHN  V. 


2.  400  Reis  of  John  V.  Crowned  shield,  bearing  the  arms 
of  Portugal ;  400  (value)  to  the  left,  and  1750  (date)  to  the 
right.  Legend:  " Joannes  v.  d.  g  port  {ugalice)  et  alq 
(arbiorum)  rex." 

Reverse:  A  cross  with  roses  in  the  angles.  Legend:  "in 
HOC  signo  vinces."     Value,  about  §0.47.5. 


1006 


DYKS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


400  REIS  OF  JOHN  V. 

3.  200  Reis  of  Maria  I.     Obverse :  Similar  to  No.  2,  chang- 
ing the  value  to  200,  and  the  date  to  1780. 


200   REI8   OP   MARTA  I. 

Reverse :  Similar  to  No.  2.     Value,  about  $0.24. 

4.  500  Reis  of  Maria  II.  Portrait  of  the  Queen  with  the 
date  below.  Legend :  "  MARIA  it.  portug  {oIue)  et  alqarb 
{iorum)  regina." 


600   REIS   OF   MARIA   II. 


Reverse:  Arms  of  Portugal,  crowned  and  draped. 
REIS  "  below.     Value  about  $0.40. 


"500 


PORTUGAL. 


1007 


5.  500  Reis  of  Louis  I.  Obverse:  Portrait  of  Ix)uis. 
Legend:  "ludovicus  i.  portug  {oUcb)  et  algarb  {iarum) 
REX."     Date  1871. 

TfigPiniT 


500  REIS  OP  LOUK  I. 

Reverse :  Arms  of  Portngal,  crowned,  inclosed  with  branches 
of  palm.     Value,  "500  reis,"  below.     Same  value  as  the  last. 

6.  200  Reis.  Portrait  and  titles  as  in  the  two  foregoing 
coins. 


200  REIS  OF  PORTUGAL. 

Reverse:  "200  rets"  inclosed  between  branches.  Value: 
$0.16. 

Silver  coins  of  Portugal  coined  for  Brazil  are  mentioned 
under  the  coins  of  the  latter-named  country.  There  were  also 
pieces  of  12,  10,  8,  6,  4  and  2  niacutas  issued  for  the  colonies 
of  the  west  coast  of  Africa.  They  are  similar  in  design,  and  a 
description  of  two  of  them  will  give  an  idea  of  tlieir  character 
and  value. 

1.  Four  Macutas  of  Joseph  T.  A  crowned  shield,  bearing  the 
arms  of  Portugal.  Legend :  "  josephus  i.  d.  g.  rex  p  et  d. 
guinea."  Reverse:  "macutas  4"  inclosed  in  a  wreath. 
Legend:  " AFRICA  portugueza,  1762."     Value:  $0.20. 

2.  Twelve  Macutas  of  Maria  I.  and  Peter  III.     Crowned 


1008  DTSrS  com  ENCrCLOPJEDJA. 

^idd.      '"MABIJLI.XLPSiaXBIII.DLG.SEBXSP.  ELD.  GIIESEIA.* 

Revose:  Suw  w  the  praoediiig;.    Taloe:  $0l60l 

COPPER  COOS  OF  PORTUGAL. 

Tlnee  are  giihr  to  tbe  alipcr  eoias  in  deagn,  and  in  Talne 
are  of  tihe  ill  iiiMainiliiMii  of  40  id^  20  im^  10  rets,  5  ms  and 
3  ick.    Hi^  tvere  ako  coined  tar  ftaiiL    For  die  Boil^gorae 

|iiiiiiiii  1 1  iiwiii  in  Afiica^tlKve  were  coined  picBUiofooeandqf  ooe- 
halflfiiKa 


RUSSIA. 

The  caify  InAarf  of  tiin  great  coiinliy  is  uivulwd  in  anicii 
ohBtmiif.  It  jujuii.  to  be  agreed  that  aboot  the  jear  862  A.  D. 
Roiiek  wm  "Fkinoe  of  afl  RMoa."  Bat  his  »■■!»«»■»  lor 
aboot  seivn  genaadoos  aie  so  reach  m  di^mtte  as  to  caore  them 
tobeonritlwl  by  areny  chroreJogen..  The  Princes  rfWhriimir 
coreownred  with  the  ^MWiiire  of  Andrew  L  in  1157.  I^an 
BasilowitK  IV.,  in  1534,  added  to  the  title  of  his  predeoearaRB^ 
"Givat  Prince,"  that  of  Tar"  or  ""dar,"  Geau-  or  Kng. 
lit  was  Peter  the  Grot  who  fiist  asEomed  the  appdhtion  isi 
Enperar,  in  the  jcar  1121.  The  hoiBe  rfRourenow  oaotinaed 
from.  1613  to  1762.  The  house  of  Hobipin  sooeeeded  in  the 
paaoB  of  Peter  IIL  After  six  Boaths  this  Prince  was  sno- 
cecded  by  ha  widofw  Cktherine  IL,  who  R%ned  ontQ  1796; 
Panl  I.  firaai  1796  Id  1801 ;  Alrrondw  I.  Irore  1801  to  1825; 
Niehoba  fiom  1825  to  1855;  Ahntandw  IL  fiore  1855  to 
1881;  ^biandrr  lU.  is  the  preseot  ineawheaL 

The  <dd  gold  coins  of  Rnoa  cuuipiisBd  the  Imperial,  which 
was  cqinal  to  ten  renblea,  the  Half  Imperial  of  fire  raabls, 
the  Aree  ranbles,  the  radble  and  the  half  rooble^  or  poUina. 
The  Aver  eoiiB  wcee  the  rouble  and  its  subdivisiaBS,  of  50,  25, 
30, 15i,  10  and  5  SJopeiaL  The  copper  coins  eorepriaed  the  10, 
5,  2, 1  and  \  Kopeks;  one  hundred  of  the  Koppfcs  being  valued 


BVSSLL  1009 

zjt  one  rorable  Tbere  wese  also  coins  c€  12,  6  and  3  roubles  in 
pSatmiun,  which  vere  oodned  between  tbe  ream  1828  and  1845. 
This  metal,  li^ou^b  amswering  tj»e  conditions  ■which  are  desirable 
for  oielallic  money — that  is,  haidni'HR  and  scardtr — was  ol^eo- 
faomUe  on  aeooant  of  its  requim^  to  be  welded,  ikrough  its 
ime^bUittT  to  fbmaoe  heat.  It  «as  found  also  to  be  of 
flmrtnaring  value,  and  no  other  natioo  adopted  it  aiiber  tbe 
expmment  *^£  the  B^ta^am  gorvmnaaat. 

In  the  year  1832,  ai&er  tbe  revolt  of  Poland  bad  been  snp- 
preased,  silver  money  was  coined  by  Bjussia  ibr  eareolatian  in 
that  part  of  her  dofflsinioii,  having  the  val  ne  in  both  languages 
npoo  theam,  ^  Tbe  princapal  of  ibese  was  that  of  IJ  roubles 
RwagMw  Taloe  and  10  2<loty  Polish,  a  relation  tbat  had  loi^ 
exisled. 

GOLD  COTSS  OF  RUSSIA. 

1.  Two  RoubleBof  Elixahestb  L  BuKt  of  tbe  Empress.  Le- 
gend :  "  BY  THB  GBACE  OF  GOD,  ELIZABETH  L,  EMPRESS  AXD 

AUTOCEATOF  AIJLTHE  KU^BiAfi.''  Reverse :  Tbe  imperial  Russian 
ea^kt,  with  a  shield  npcw  its  breast,  ^tearing  tbe  arms.  Legend : 
**ooi5r:  VAi,iiEOFTWO  BODBLES,  1756."     Talwe:  ^1.97. 

2.  Imperial  oi  Cktberine  IL  Bust  of  tbe  Empress  crowned 
with  laurel.        L^end :  *'  bt  the  geace  or  god,  cathabixe 

IL,  EMPRESS  ASTD  AUTOCRAT  OF  ALL  THE  EUBSLIS."     Reverse : 

A  circnlar  shidd,  bearing  tbe  impeiial  Russian  eaglle,  with  foor 
other  shields,  each  surmouutied  by  a  crown,  arranged  around 
the  first,  in  tbe  lEbrm  of  a  ictoss.  The  angles  of  this  cross  eon- 
tain  the  numerals  com  posing  tbe  date,  and  four  roses.  Legend : 
•"  nfPEBULL.  ErssLSLS  ooDc  OF  TEX  BorBLES."    Value :  1=7.8-1. 

3.  Rooble  of  Calbarine  IL  Bust  of  the  Empress  crowned 
wiih  lanrdl-     Legend :  **  bt  the  grace  of  god,  catharinb 

U.,  EMPRESS  AXD  ArTOTEAT  OF  ALL  THE  EUSSLA-S."  Reverse : 
The  imperial  Rossian  eagle,  bearing  a  shield  upon  its  breast. 
Le^iend :  "  MOXKY :  RorBLE,"  aind  tbe  daie.   Value  about  ^.15. 

4.  Poldna  rf  CatbariDe  IL  Bust  of  tbe  Empress,  ^cath- 
ARIXE  IL,  EMP."  Reverse :  Tbe  letters  "  E.  a.''  int^a-laoed  and 
sannoanted  by  a  crown.    ^  poltesta  ""  and  date.    Va2ue :  $0-38. 

3M 


1010  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

5.  Five  Roubles  (old).     The  double  or  imperial  eagle  of 
Russia  with  the  date. 


f/tf  30A0TAi\t 
<'^  1  30A0TH%^IJ; 
'>k:i9  AOAEii-.iHr 


FIVE   EOUB1.es   (old). 

Reverse :  "  pure  gold,  one  zolotik  39  dolia,"  in  four 
straight  lines.  Initials  of  mint-master  below  the  inscription, 
the  whole  inclosed  with  a  wreath  and  a  crown  above.  Weight : 
99.5  grains.     Fineness:  918.     Value:  $3.93. 

6.  Five  Roubles  (new).     The  Imperial  Russian  eagle. 


FIVE   ROUBLES  (NEW). 

Reverse :  "  5  roubles,"  with  the  date  and  the  initials  of  the 
mint-master,  surrounded  with  a  circle,  exterior  to  which  is  the 
Legend :  "  pure  gold,  one  zolotik  39  dolia."  Weight, 
Fineness  and  Value :  Same  as  the  last. 

7.  Three  Roubles,  or  Twenty  Zlot,  of  Nicholas,  for  circula- 
tion in  Poland.  The  Imperial  eagles  with  the  initials  "p.  d." 
Reverse:  "pure  gold  81  dolia."  "3  roubles"  in  Rus- 
sian and  "20  zlotyeb"  in  Roman  characters.  Date  "  1838," 
and  the  initials  "  s.  P.  B."  Weight :  59.7  grains.  Fineness  : 
918.     Value:  $2.36. 

PLATINUM  COINS  OF  RUSSIA. 

1.  Twelve  Roubles.  The  Imperial  eagle  of  Russia,  with  a 
shield  upon  its  breast,  bearing  the  arms,  encircled  by  the  order 
chain  and  badge  of  the  military  order  of  Saint  Andrew.     Oft 


RUSSIA.  1011 

each  wing  of  the  eagle  are  three  small  shields.  Reverse :  "  12 
ROUBLES  SILVER "  in  three  straight  lines,  below  which  is  the 
date  and  initials,  "s.  p.  b."  Legend:  "9  zol  (otik)  68  dol 
(ta)  OF  PURE  URA.L  PLATiNA."  Weight :  640  grains.  Value 
about  $9.56  ;  but  fluctuating  with  the  price  of  platinum.  Very 
rare. 

2.  Six  Roubles.  Obverse :  Similar  to  the  twelve  roubles. 
Reverse:  ''6  roubles  silver."  "4  zol  (otik)  82  dol  {ia) 
OF  PURE  URAL  PLATiNA."  Weight:  320  grains.  Value 
about  §4.78,  but  varying  with  the  price  of  platinum. 

3.  Three  Roubles.  Obverse:  Similar  to  the  twelve  roubles. 
Reverse :  "  3  roubles  silver."  "  2  zol  (otik)  41  dol  (ui)  op 
PURE  URAL  PLATINA."  Weight:  160  grains.  Value  about 
$2.39,  but  varying  with  the  price  of  platinum. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  RUSSIA. 

1.  Rouble  of  Peter  the  Great.  Bust  in  armor  partially 
enveloped  in  a  military  mantle,  laureated.     Legend :  "  tsar 

PETER  ALEKSAIEVICH,  AUTOCRAT  OF  ALL  THE  RUSSIAS."  Re- 
verse: The  imperial  eagle  surmounted  by  a  crown  and  grasp- 
ing a  sceptre  in  the  dexter,  and  the  imperial  globe  in  the  sinister 
talon.  Legend:  "new  coin:  value  of  one  rouble." 
Value:  $0.72. 

2.  Double  Rouble  of  Peter  the  Great.  Bust  in  armor.  Le- 
gend: "peter  a  (leksaiemch),  emperor  and  autocrat  op 
ALL  THE  RUSSIAS."  Reverse:  Four  Russian  P's  and  four 
crowns  arranged  in  a  cross,  with  I's  in  the  angles;  the  date, 
1722.  Legend:  "new  ooin:  value  of  two  roubles." 
Value:  $1.44. 

3.  Rouble  of  Peter  the  Great,  1725.  Bust  in  armor.  Legend : 
peter  a  (leksaievich),  emperor  and  autocrat  op  all  the 
RUSSIAS."  Reverse :  Similar  to  that  of  the  Double  Rouble.  Le- 
gend: "new  COIN:  VALUE  OF  ONE  rouble."     Value:  $0.72. 

4.  Rouble  of  Anna.  Bust  of  the  empress,  surmounted  with 
a  small  crown.     Legend:  "by  the  grace  op  god,  anna, 

empress  and  autocrat  OF  ALL  THE  RUSSIAS." 


1012  DYE^S  COIN  ENCYCLOP.M)LA. 


BOITELE    OF  AJOTA. 

Bererse:  The  Imperial  Russian  eagle,  with  a  diield  npoo  Hb 
lirea«t,  bearing  the  arms — St.  GetHge  and  the  diagon.  Legend : 
«  M OXET ;  BOFBLE^  1732."  Weight :  398.5  grains.  FinenesB : 
800.    Yalne:  $0.72.    - 

5.  Ten  Kopecs  or  Grevenneek  of  Anna.  The  imperial 
eagle.  Reretse:  Ten  pellets  and  "  grevknjneek.''  Beneath 
a  sectional  line,  "  1735."  The  pellets  on  the  coins  of  Russia  of 
small  denomination  were  to  enable  die  ser^  who  were  onable  to 
read,  to  ooant  the  valoe  of  the  jnece  by  the  nomber  of  pell^s. 

6.*  Rouble  of  Elizabeth  I.  Bust  of  the  Empress.  Le- 
gend :  "  BY  THE  GRACE  OF  GOD,  lELIZABETH  I.,  EMPBEBS  AJSTD 

AinxKBAT  OF  ALi,  THE  BUSSIA&"  Reverse:  The  Imperial 
fngle,  with  a  shield  npon  its  breast,  bearing  the  arms.  Legend : 
"moset;  BOUBi.E,1752.'*    Yalne:  $0.72. 

7.  Rouble  of  Peter  ELL  Bust  in  armor.  Legend :  "  peteb 
m.,  BY  the  grace  of  god,  empebob  and  autockat  of  all 
THE  BCSSLkS."  Reverse :  Four  Russian  P*3  and  four  crowns, 
arranged  as  a  cro!^,  with  I's  in  the  angles ;  the  date,  1762.  Le- 
gend :  "]SEW  ooDr :  value  of  oxe  bouble."     Value :  $0.72. 

8.  Qoarto-  Rouble  of  Guherine  U.  Bust  of  the  Empress. 
Legend:  "by  the  gbace  of  god,  cathebixe  n.,  empbess 
AND  autocrat  of  ALL  THE  BUSSL^s."  Reverse :  The  Imperial 
eagle ;  above  is  the  date,  and  beneath  is  the  name  of  the  coin : 

"  POLUPOLTESICK." 

9.  Grevenneek  of  Catherine  IL     Bast  of  the  Empresai    Le- 


RUSSU. 


1013 


gend :  "  BY  the  grace  OP  god,  Catherine  n.,  empress  and 

AUTOCRAT  OF  ALL  THE  RCSSIAS." 


GREVEXJTEEK   OF   CATHERINE   IL 

Reverse:  "grevexneek  1794."  A  crown  above,  and  the 
whole  inclosed  between  sprigs  of  laurel.     Value :  $0.08. 

10.  Half  Rouble  of  Paul  I.  Four  Russian  P's  and  four 
crowns,  arranged  as  a  cross,  with  the  numeral  I.  in  the  centre. 
Legend :  "  coin  :  VALUE  OF  half  a  rouble."     Date,  1798. 


HALF  ROUBLE  OF  PAUL  I. 


Reverse :  A  square  shield,  decorated,  bearing  the  inscription : 
Legend :  "  not  unto  us,  not  unto  us,  but  to  thy  name," 
Weight:   162  grains.     Fineness:  87L     Value:  $0.32. 

11.  Rouble  of  Alexander  L,  1807.     Bust  in  uniform.     Le- 


pyBAtj;5i 

Sv        i  8  O  7.      /^Sj 


rouble   of   ALEXANDER   I.,  1807. 


1014 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


geud:    "by  the  grace  of  god,  Alexander  i.,  emperor 

AND  AUTOCRAT  OF  ALL  THE  RUSSIAS." 

Reverse:  "rouble — 1807".  Legend :" imperial  Russian 
COIN."    Weight :  324  grains.     Fineness:  871.     Value:  $0.65. 

12.  Rouble  of  Alexander  I.,  1813.  The  Imperial  Russian 
eagle  with  a  shield  upon  its  breast.  Beneath  are  the  lettei-s  P. 
G.  and  the  date,  1813.     Legend :  "  money  rouble." 


/,^%HncTA^a^^ 

y^  ^OAOTH-^I 

.^421  AOAH;^/ 


ROUBLE  OP  ALEXANDER  I.,  1813. 

Reverse :  "  OP  pure  silver  4  zolotnik  21  dolia,"  in  four 
straight  lines,  with  a  crown  above,  and  "  s.  P.  B,"  separated  by 
a  dash  line,  below.  The  whole  inclosed  witli  branches  of  oak 
and  laurel,  crossed.  Weight:  320  grains.  Fineness:  868. 
Value:  $0.63. 

13.  Twenty  Kopeks  of  Nicholas.  The  Imperial  eagle  with 
a  pointed  shield  upon  its  breast.  Below,  the  letters  "  h.  p.," 
and  « 1826,  year." 


twenty  kopeks  op  laCHOLAS. 

Reverse :  "  10  kopeks,"  and  beneath  a  dash  the  letters  "  s. 
p.  b."     Weight :  64  grains.     Fineness :  868.     Value :  #0.13. 

14.  Twenty-five  Kopeks  of  Nicholas.  The  Imperial  eagle 
of  Russia  as  in  the  platinum  coins. 


RUSSIA. 


1015 


TWENTY-FIVE   KOPEKS   OF  NICHOLAS. 

Reverse :  "  25  kopeks,  1835,  s.  p.  b.,"  with  a  crown  above, 
and  oak  and  laurel  wreaths  inclosing  them. 

15.  Ten  Kopeks  of  Nicholas.     Obverse:  Similar  to  the  last. 


TEN  kopeks   of   NICHOLAS. 


Reverse:  Similar;  but  substituting  "10"  for  "25." 

16.  Five  Kopeks  of  Nicholas.     Obverse:  Similar  to  the  last. 


five   KOPEKS   OF    NICHOIAS. 


Reverse :  Similar  to  the  last,  substituting  "  5  "  for  "  10." 
17.  Rouble  of  Nicholas.     The  Imperial  eagle,  as  in  the  pre- 
ceding pieces.   Legend :  "  pure  silver,  4  zolotnik,  21  dolia." 


rouble   of    NICHOLAS. 


1016 


DYBPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


Reverse :  "  money  rouble,  1838,  s.  p.  b.,"  a  crown  above, 
with  branches  of  oak  and  laurel.-  Weight:  320  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 868.     Value:  $0.63. 

18.  Half- Rouble  of  Nicholas.  The  Imperial  eagle  of  Rus- 
sia.     "  2  ZOLOTNIK,  10|  DOUA  OF  PURE  SILVER." 


HALF-ROUBLE  OF   NICHOLAS. 

Reverse:  "money  plotina,  1848,  s.  p.  b.,"  with  crown, 
and  wreaths  of  oak  and  laurel.  Weight:  160  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 868.     Value:  §0.37.5. 

19.  One  and  a  Half  Roubles  for  Poland,  equal  to  10  ZIotych. 
Obverse :  Similar  to  the  Half-Rouble.  Legend:  " 6 zolotnik, 
31  i  DOHA." 


m  ZLOT.  Ml 

StA    1835    ir-'^ 


IJ  KOUBLES.      10  ZLOTYCH. 

Reverse:  "\^  roubles.  10  zlot,  1835,"  inclosed  in 
branches  of  oak  and  laurel.  Weight :  480  grains.  Fineness : 
868.     Value:  $0.95. 

20.  I  Rouble  or  5  ZIotych.  Obverse :  Similar  to  the  Half- 
Rouble.    Legend  :  "  3  zolotnik,  15  dolia." 


RUSSIA. 


1017 


a,ziOT.j/ 


I   ROUBLE.      5   ZLOTYCH. 

Reverse :  Similar  to  the  1^  Roubles,  with  the  change  of  value. 

"  f  ROUBLE,  5  ZLOT." 

21.  Quarter-Rouble.     The  Imperial  eagle  of  Russia.     "1 

ZOLOTNIK,  5J  DOLIA  OF  PURE  SILVER." 


QUARTER-ROUBLE. 

22.  Thirty  Kopeks,  2  Zlot.     Obverse :  Same  as  the  preced- 
ing.    Value:  $0.16. 


30   KOPEKS,    2   ZLOTE. 


Reverse :  "  PURE  silver,  1  zol  (otnik),  25  J  DOL  {ia)"    "  30 
KOPEKS,  2  ZLOTE,  1838."     Value :  $0.19. 

23.  Fifteen  Kopeks,  1  Zloty.     Obverse :  Same  as  the  pre- 
ceding.    Value:  $0.08. 

24.  Rouble   of    Alexandria   II.      Russian   Imperial    eagle 


i018  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


1 
.    1839: 


15   KOPEKS,    1    ZLOTY. 

similar  to  the  Rouble  of  Nicholas.     Reverse:  "bouble,"  date, 
etc.,  similar  to  the  Rouble  of  Nicholas. 

COPPER  COINS  OF  RUSSIA. 
These  consist  of  the  10,  5,  3,  2,  1,  .|,  and  J  Kopek.  The 
old  10  Kopek  piece  of  Catharine  II.  weighed  780  grains,  at 
present  the  same  coin  weighs  100  grains  less.  And  so  of  the 
fractions  of  the  10  Kopek.  They  usually  have  the  Imperial 
eagle,  as  on  the  gold,  silver,  and  platinum  coins,  with  the  value 
and  date ;  and  in  some  cases  the  old  coppers  have  the  initials  of 
the  sovereign  crowned.  Catharine  II.  coined  a  set  of  this 
money  for  Siberia,  having  her  initials  crowned  and  inclosed  in 
branches  of  oak  and  palm.  The  Reverse  had  two  wolves  stand- 
ing on  their  hind  feet,  and  resting  their  fore  feet  upon  a  shield, 
bearing  a  crown,  and  inscribed  with  the  value  and  the  date. 

FINLAND    MONEY. 

In  the  year  1864,  the  Russian  Government  issued  money  for 
Finland,  in  gold,  silver,  and  copper.  The  Markka  is  worth 
about  20  cents  of  our  money.  The  gold  set  comprised  the  5, 
10,  25,  and  50  Markkaa.  The  silver,  of  25  and  50  Pennia,  and 
1,  2,  and  5  Markkaa.  The  copper,  of  the  1  Penni,  and  the  5 
and  10  Pennia. 


SPAIN. 

Prior  to  the  year  1853  the  gold  coins  of  Spain  and  her 
colonies  were  the  Doblon,  valued  at  sixteen  dollars,  the  h^lf 


SPAIN.  1019 

doblon,  quarter  doblon  or  pidoky  eighth  doblon  or  escudo  and 
the  sixteenth,  called  veinten,  coroniUa  or  dollar.  Before  the 
year  1772  they  were  of  917  thousandths  fineness.  From  1772 
to  1785  they  were  reduced  to  896  thousandths,  and  since  1785 
to  875  thousandths — the  doubloon  all  the  time  weighing  418 
Troy  grains ;  its  fractions  their  proper  proportion  of  tha't  weight. 
Since  the  year  1853  the  only  gold  coin  has  been  the  Doubloon 
of  100  reals,  of  900  thouisandths  fineness  and  weighing  129  Troy 
grains. 

The  unit  of  the  silver  money  is  the  i-eal.  Twenty  of  these 
are  equivalent  to  the  dollar,  and  one  of  them  is  equal  in  value 
to  one  hundred  copper  centimos.  Before  1853  the  silver  coins 
were  the  Dollar,  its  half,  quarter,  eighth  and  sixteenth.  Since 
1853  the  silver  coins  are  the  Dollar,  half,  peseta,  half  peseta 
and  real — the  peseta  being  equal  to  four  reals. 

The  copper  coins  comprise  the  quarter  real  of  twenty-five 
centimos,  tenth  of  a  real  of  ten  centimos,  and  twentieth  of  a 
real  of  five  centimos.  In  old  time  they  were  the  two-cuarto 
piece  of  eight  maravedis ;  the  one-cuarto  piece  of  four  maravedis ; 
and  the  ochavos  of  two  maravedis.  Spain  has  three  mints ;  at 
Madrid,  Seville  and  Barcelona. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  SPAIN. 

1.  Half  Pistole  of  Philip  V.,  1740.  Bust,  "philip  v.  d. 
G.  HisPAN  (iarum)  et  ind  {iarum)  rex  1740."  Reverse:  A 
crowned  shield,  bearing  the  royal  arms.  "  initium  sapientiab 
TIMOR  DOM."     Value :  $2.00. 

2.  Quarter  Pistole  of  Ferdinand  VI.,  1760,  Bust.  "  ferdi- 
NANDUS  VI.  D.  G. — 1750."  Reverse:  A  crowned  shield,  bear- 
ing  the  arms  of  Spain.     "  hispaniarum  rex."    Value :  $1.00. 

3.  Doubloon  of  Charles  IIII.,  1802.  Bust,  "carol  iiii. 
D.  G.  HiSP.  ET  IND.  R."     Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 

Reverse :  Crowned  shield,  hung  with  the  order  chain  and 
badge  of  the  order  of  the  golden  fleece,  bearing  the  royal  arms 
with  the  arms  of  Spain  on  a  shield  of  pretence,  and  Anjou  on  a 


1020  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


DOUBLOON    OF   CHARLES  TV. 

heart-shaped  shield.     "  in  utroq.  felix  auspice  deo."     "  8- 
s "  and  mint-mark.     Value:  $15.72. 

4.  Half  Doubloon  of  Charles  IIII.,  1792.  Same  as  the 
doubloon  on  both  sides,  excepting  that  "4h3"  takes  the  place 
of"8-s."     Value:  $7.86. 

5.  Pistole  of  Charles  IV.  Same  as  the  doubloon  with  the 
substitution  of  «  2-^  "  for  "  8-s."     Value :  $3.92. 

6.  Escudo  of  Charles  IV.  Similar  to  the  doubloon,  but  the 
Legend  is  abbreviated,  and  "  8-s  "  is  replaced  by  "  2-s."  Value  : 
$1.95. 

7.  Half  Escudo  of  Charles  IV.  Obverse :  Bust  of  Charles. 
"CAROLUS  REX."  Reverse;  Arms  of  Spain  crowned,  "his- 
PAXiARUM  REX."     Bclow,  "  J.  s.  V."  .  Value :  $0.98. 

8.  Eighty  Reals  of  Joseph  Napoleon,  1811.  Bust.  "  Joseph 
NAP.  D.  G.  Hisp.  ET  IND.  R — 1811."  Reverse  :  Crowned  shield, 
hung  with  the  order  chain, and  badge  of  the  golden  fleece.  "  in 
utroq.  FELIX  AUSPICE  DEO."     Value:  $3.90. 

9.  100  Reals  of  Isabella,  1857.  Bust  laureated;  "  Isabel 
2^  POR  LA  G.  DE  Dios  Y  LA  CONST.,"  1857.  Reverse:  An 
oval  shield,  bearing  the  royal  arms,  surmounted  by  a  crown ; 
arras  of  Spain  on  a  shield  of  pretence,  and  the  arms  of  Anjou 
on  a  heart-shaped  shield.  Beneath  are  two  palm  branches 
crossed;  the  denomination,  "  100  rV     Value:  $4.96. 

10.  Twenty-five  Pesetas  of  Alphonso  XII.,  1876.  Bust. 
^'ALFONSO  XII  POR  LA  6  DE  DIOS."      Date  1876. 

Reverse:    Arms  of  Spain,  crowned  and  decorated,     "rey 


SPAIN. 


1021 


TWENTY-FIVE  PESETAS  OF  ALPH0N80  XU. 

CONST'  DE  ESPANA."     Below,  "db  25  PESETAS  M."    Value: 
$4.96. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  SPAIN. 
1.  In  the  year  1513  Charles,  Duke  of  Austria  and  of  Burgundy, 
exercised  sovereign  authority  in  consequence  of  the  insanity  of 
his  mother  Johanna,  who  was  the  Queen  regnant.     Both  of 
their  names  appear  on  the  coinage. 


DOUBLE  EEAL  OF  CHARLES  AND  JOHANNA,  1613. 

2.  Crown  Dollar  of  Charles  II.,  1672.  Bust,  "carol  n.  d. 
G.  HISP.  ET  INDIAR.  REX,  1672."  Reverse:  A  crowned  shield, 
supported  by  two  lions;  "archid.  aust.  dux  burg.  co.  flan." 
{Archduke. of  Austria,  Duke  of  Burgundy  and  Count  of  Flanders). 
Struck  for  Belgium.     Fineness:  875.     Value:  $0.82. 

3.  One  Real  of  Philip  V.,  1708.  Crowned  shield,  bearing 
the  arms  of  Spain.  "  1-R."  "  philippus  v.  d.  g.  hispaniar. 
BEX."    Reverse :  Royal  cypher  crowned,  "  dextera  d  (ominiut) 

EXALTAVIT  ME,  1708." 


10^ 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


CBOWN   DOLLAR   OF   PHILIP   III. 


PISTAREEN8  OF  PHILIP  V.      VALUE  $0,218. 

4.  Two  Reals  of  Philip  V.,  1735.  Crowned  shield,  braring 
the  royal  arms;  arras  of  Anjou  (three Jleur 8- de-lis)  on  a  shield 
of  pretence.  "  philippus  V.  D.  G."  Fineness:  916.6.  Value: 
$0.22.  Reverse :  Arms  of  Spain.  *' hispaniarum  rex/' and 
date. 

5.  One  Real  of  Philip  V.,  1735.  Similar  to  the  two  reals. 
Fineness:  916.6.     Value:  $0.11. 


ONE  REAL  OF  PHILIP  V. 


6.  Eight  Reals  of  Philip  V.,  1735.  Similar  to  the  one  and 
two  real  pieces  of  the  same  date.  Fineness :  916.6.  Value : 
$0.87. 


SPAM. 


1023 


EIGHT  REALS  OF  PHILIP  V. 

7.  Two  Reals  of  Charles  III.,  1771.  Crowned  shield,  bear- 
ing the  royal  arms,  a  shield  of  pretence  bearing  the  arms  of 
Spain  and  Anjou.     "carolus  in.  d.  g." 


TWO  REALS  OF  CHARLES   III. 

Reverse:  Arms  of  Spain,  "hispaniarum  rex."  Fine- 
ness: 916.6.     Value:  $0.22. 

8.  Pistareen  of  Charles  III.,  1759.  "carolvs"  in  a  mon- 
ogram, with  III.  below,  and  a  crown  above.  "  hispaniarum 
REX.,  1759." 


PISTAREEN   OP   CHARLES   III. 


1024 


DYKS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


Kevei-se :  Arms  of  Spain,  crowned.  "  hispaniarum  rex." 
In  the  field  :  «r  2,"  "ma  J."    Fineness:  916.6.    Value:  $0.22. 

9.  Four  Reals  of  Charles  III.,  1761.  Crowned  shield,  bear- 
ing the  royal  arras,  a  shield  of  pretence  bearing  the  arms  of 
Spain  and  Anjou.     "  carolus  hi.  d.  g." 


four  reals  of  CHARLES  IH. 

Reverse:  Arms  of  Spain,  "hispaniarum  rex.,  1761." 
Fineness:  916.6.     Value:  80.41.6. 

10.  Globe  Dollar  of  Charles  III.,  1768.  Two  globes,  repre- 
senting the  Old  World  and  the  New ;  under  a  crown  and  be- 
tween two  crowned  pillars  (of  Hercules)  "  VTRA  QUE  VNUM." 
Date  below,  1768. 


GLOBE  DOLLAR  OF  CHARLES   III. 

Reverse :  Arms  of  Spain,  etc.,  on  a  shield  crowned.  "  his- 
paniarum REX."     In  the  field  "r  8."  "s  c  J."     Value :  80.87. 

11.  Eight  Reals  of  Charles  IV.,  1792.  Bust,  "carolus 
nil.  DEI  G.  1792."    Reverse:  "hispaniarum  rex.,"  with  a 


SPAIK  1025 

crowned  shield  bearing  the  arms  of  Spain  and  Anjou.     In  the 
field  «  R  8  "  "  M  F  A."     Value :  80.87. 

12.  Four  Reals  of  Charles  IV.     Bust.     "  CAROLU8  mi.  DEI 
Q."     Exergue :  Date  of  issue. 


FOUR   REALS   OF   CHARLES   IV. 

Reverse :  Arms  of  Spain  and  Anjou  on  a  shield,  crowned. 
"  HisPAXiARUM  REX."  In  the  field  "r  4"  "m  f  a."  Value : 
$0.43. 

13.  Real  of  Charles  IV.   Obverse :  Similar  to  the  Four  Reals. 


ONE    REAL   OF  CHARLES    IV. 


Reverse:  Similar  to  the  Four  Reals,  excepting  "r  1 "  "s  i 
b"  take  the  place  of  "r  4"  "m  F  A."  in  the  field.  Fineness: 
902.7.     Value:  $0.10.7. 


PILLAR    HALF-DOLLAR   OF   CHARLES   IV. 
3N 


1026 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


14.  Pillar  Dollar  of  Charles  IV.  Obverse :  Similar  to  the 
Four  Reals,  before  described.  Reverse :  Arms  of  Spain  crowned, 
between  two  pillars,  one  encircled  by  a  scroll  inscribed  "plus," 
and  the  other  with  a  scroll  inscribed  "  ultra."  "  hispan.  et 
IND.  REX  M.  8  R.  F.  F."     Fineness  :  902.7.     Value :  $0.86. 

15.  Pillar  Half-Dollar  of  Charles  IV.  Obverse:  Similar 
to  the  Dollar. 

16.  Twenty  Reals  of  Joseph  Napoleon,  1809.  Undraped 
bust.     Legend:  "  Joseph  nap.  dei  gratia,  1809." 


TWENTY  reals  OF  JOSEPH   NAPOLEON. 

Reverse:  "hispaniarum  et  ind.  rex.  m.  a.  i."  Arms  of 
Spain  on  a  shield.     Fineness:  916.6.     Value:  $0.87. 

17.  Five  Pesetas  of  Barcelona,  1810.  "5  pesetas,"  be- 
neath which  are  palm  branches,  crossed,  inclosed  in  a  wreath. 
Legend :  "  en  Barcelona,  1810." 


i  4  pe|e^s»^  f 


FIVE   pesetas   of   BARCELONA. 


SPAIN. 


102V 


Reverse:  A  diamond-shaped  shield,  inclosed  in  a  wreath. 
Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.79. 

18.  Peseta  of  Barcelona,  1811.  Similar  to  the  last,  substi- 
tuting "peseta"  for  "5  PESETAS,"  and  the  date,  1811,  for 
1810.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $0.16. 


PESETA   OF   BARCELONA. 

The  Peseta  pieces  of  Barcelona  appeared  between  the  years 
1809  and  1812.  They  were  struck  apparently  without  author- 
ity, during  the  period  of  trouble  the  country  underwent  at  the 
time  they  are  dated. 

19.  EightRealsof  Ferdinand  VII.     Bust,    "ferdinandus 

VII.  DEI  GRATIA,  1813." 


EIGHT    REALS    OF   FERDINAND   VII. 


Reverse:  Arms  of  Spain  and  Anjou  on  a  shield,  crowned, 
and  between  pillars  with  scrolls  labelled  "plus"  and  "uLTFiA." 
"hispan.  et  ind.  rex.  m.  8  R.  T.  H."  Fineness:  902.7. 
Value:  $0.86. 

20.  Ten  Reals  of  Ferdinand  VII.,  1821.     Undraped  bust 


1028 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


inclosea  in  a  double  circle.     "  fern.  T".  por  la  g.  de  dios  y. 
LA  CONST.,  1821." 


TEN   REALS    DE   VELLON   OF   FERDINAND   VIL 

Reverse :  "  resellado  "  (recoined),  "  10  R^,"  inclosed  in  a 
wreath  of  two  laurel  branches,  "rey  de  las  espanas." 
Fineness:  902.7.     Value:  $0.43. 

21.  Four  Reals  of  Caraccas,  1819.  Two  pillars  standing  on 
a  straight  line  and  crossed  by  two  other  lines  parallel  to  the 
first.  A  fourth  line  passes  below  the  pillars,  also  a  parallel. 
The  figure  4  is  between  the  pillars  and  above  the  lines ;  then 
follows  between  the  lines:  "plv — svl — tra  b. — 1819 — s. 
CARACAS."     A  branch  fills  up  the  Exergue. 


DOUBLE  PISTAREEN  OF  FERDINAND  VH. 

Reverse :  Arms  of  Spain  quartered  by  a  cross ;  the  figure  4 
at  either  end  of  the  perpendicular,  and  F  and  7  at  the  ends  of 
the  horizontal.  Weight :  208.8  grains,  Troy.  Fineness  :  902.7. 
Value:  $0.43. 

22.  Two  Reals  of  Caraccas,  1819.  Similar  to  the  Four  Reals 
piece,  with  the  substitution  of  the  figure  2  on  the  former  where 


SPAIN. 


1029 


PISTAREEN   OF    FEEDINAND   VII. 

the  figure  4  is  found  on  the  latter.     Weight:  104.4  grains. 
Fineness:  902.7.     Value:  $0.21. 

23.  Twenty  Reals  of  Ferdinand  VII.     Bust:  " Fernando 

7°  FOR  LA  GRACIA  DE  DIOS  Y.  LA  OONSTITUCION — 1822." 


TWENTY    REALS   OF   FERDINAND   VII. 

Reverse :  A  crowned  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Spain  and 
Anjou,  between  two  pillars,  around  which  is  a  scroll  with  "  plus 
ULTRA."     Legend :  "  rey  de  las  espanas,"     Below :  "  M — 


s  r"  and  "20  Rf"     Weight:  417.6  grains,  Troy. 
902.7.     Value:  $0.86. 


Fineness ; 


FIVE   PESETAS   OF   THE   BELEARIC   ISLANDS. 


1030  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

24.  Five  Pesetas  of  Ferdinand  were  coined  for  the  Belearic 
Islands.  They  are  of  exactly  the  same  weight  and  fineness, 
and  consequently  of  the  same  value,  as  the  piece  of  twenty 
Reals. 

25.  Twenty  Reals  of  Isabella  II.,   1861.     Bust.  "ISABEL 

2*  POR  LA  G.  DE  BIOS  Y  LA  CX>KST. — 1861." 


TWENTY   REALS  OF  ISABELLA   II. 

Reverse :  Arms  of  Spain  and  Anjou,  crowned,  between  pil- 
lars which  have  a  scroll  around  them  inscribed  :  "  plus  ultra." 
Legend :  "  reina  de  las  espanas."  Exergue :  "  20  reales." 
Weight,  value,  and  fineness :  Same  as  No.  22. 

26.  Four  Piasters  of  Isabella  for  the  Philippine  Islands,  1861, 
Bust.   "ISABEL  2^  POR  LA  G.  I>E  DIOS  Y  LA  CONST. — 1861." 


POUR   PIASTERS,   PHILIPPINE   ISLANDS. 

Reverse :  Arms  of  Spain,  etc.,  between  pillars.  "  reina  de 
LAS  ESPANAS."     Exergue :  "  4 — P  "  "  filipinas." 

27.  Five  Pesetas  of  the  Republic,  1870.  Liberty,  with  a 
crown  on  her  head,  is  reclining,  with  an  olive  branch  in  her 
right  hand,  which  is  extended.  Legend :  "  espana,"  and  the 
.date,  1870. 


SPAIN. 


1031 


FIVE    PESETAS   OF   THE    REPUBI.IC. 

Reverse :  Arms  of  Spain,  etc.,  with  a  turreted  crown  sur- 
mounting, and  pillars  on  either  side,  with  a  scroll  around  them, 
inscribed:  "plus  ultra."      Legend:  "LEY  900  milesimas 


FIVE    PESETAS  OF   AMADEUS. 


40  piEZAS  EN   kilog."     Exergue :   "s.  N — 5  pesetas — m.' 
Value  and  fineness  the  same  as  the  Twenty  Reals  of  Isabella. 


FIVE   pesetas    of   ALPHO^■SO   XII. 


1032  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 

28.  Five  Pesetas  of  Amadeus  I.,  1871.  Bust.  Legend : 
"amadeo  I  KEY  DE  ESPAXA."     Date,  1871. 

Reverse :  Similar  to  that  of  the  Five  Pesetas  of  the  Republic, 
excepting  that  the  crown  is  not  turreted.  Value  and  fineness 
the  same  as  the  corresponding  coin  of  the  Republic. 

29.  Five  Pesetas  of  Alphonso  XII.,  1875.  Bust.  "Al- 
fonso XII  KEY  DE  ESPANA."     Date,  1875.  4 

Reverse :  Same  as  the  corresponding  piece  of  Amadeus  I. 
Value  and  fineness:  Same  as  the  corresponding  coin  of  the 
Republic. 


SWEDEN. 

Sweden  was  formerly  a  part  of  Denmark,  from  which  it  be- 
came a  separate  kingdom  in  1528,  Gustavus  Vasa  being  crowned 
King  at  Stockholm  in  that  year.  In  1813  Norway  was  an- 
nexed to  the  Swedish  crown.  The  unit  of  money  was  the 
Riksdaler  of  48  schillings.  It  was  formerly  of  878  thousandths 
fineness,  and  weighed  451.7  grains,  Troy.  It  had  its  subdivi- 
sions, of  pieces  of  two-thirds  and  one- third  of  the  same,  and  of 
one-sixth,  one-twelfth,  and  one-twenty-fourth  of  a  lower  stand- 
ard. In  1830  the  Riksdaler  was  made  to  weigh  528  Troy 
grains,  and  750  thousandths  fineness.  The  lower  denomina- 
tions are  of  the  same  standard  of  fineness.  The  gold  money 
cbnsists  of  the  Four,  Two,  and  One  Ducat. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  SWEDEN. 
1.  Ducat  of  Gustavus  Adolphus,  1633.  Bust  in  armor  at 
three-quarter  face,  laureated.  "  gustav.  adolph.  d.  g.  svego 
{rum)  VANDALO.  KEX.  MAG "  (nus).  Reverse:  A  crowned 
shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Sweden  and  Gothland,  quartered, 
with  the  arms  of  Vandalia  on  a  shield  of  pretence,  inclosed  be- 
tween branches  of  laurel,  crossed,     "princ  {eps)  Finland  dux 

ETHO.  CAR.  DOM  {inus)  ING." 


SWEDEN.  1033 

2.  Four  Ducats  of  Charles  XI V.  Undrajjed  bust.  "carl. 
XIV.  SVERIGES  NORR.  G.  OCH.  V.  KONUNG."  Reverse:  The 
three  crowns  of  Sweden  upon  an  oval  shield,  encircled  by  the 
order  chain  and  badge  of  the  order  of  the  Seraphim,  and  dis- 
played upon  a  mantle  draped  from  a  crown.  Beneath  are  the 
initials  "a.  g.,"  and  date,  "folkets.  karlek  min  belon- 
ING."     {The people's  love  is  my  recompense).     Value:  $9.03. 

3.  Two  Ducats  of  Charles  XIV.  Same  type  as  the  last. 
Value:  $4,511 

4.  One  Ducat  of  Charles  XIV.  Same  type  as  the  last. 
Value:  $2.26. 

5.  Twenty  Kronor  of  Sweden  of  Oscar  II.     Bust.     "oscAR 

II  SVERIGES  O  NORGE8  KONUNG."      Date,  1873. 


twenty  KRONOR  OF  SWEDEN. 

Reverse :  Arras  of  Sweden  and  Norway  on  a  shield,  quai^tered, 
with  a  crown  above,  and  draped.  Legend  :  "  brodrafolkens 
VAL."     Below  is  the  value :  "  20  kronor."     Value :  $5.25. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  SWEDEN. 

1.  Four  Marks  of  Gustavus  Adolphus.  Bust  in  armor,  lau- 
reated.  Above  is  a  glory  containing  the  Hebrew  word  "  Je- 
hovah." "gustavus  ADOLF.  D.  G.  REX  SVECIAE  PRINCEPS 
HAER,"  and  in  an  inner  circle,  "  gloria  altissemo  suorum 
REFUGIO."  Reverse :  Three  shields  beneath  a  crown,  one  bear- 
ing the  arms  of  Sweden,  another  of  Gothland,  and  the  third  of 
Vandalia.     Legend:  "nil  svenske  markr,  1617." 

2.  Two  Marks  of  Gustavus  Adolphus.  Portrait  profile  of 
the  king,  attired  in  robes  of  state,  holding  a  baton  in  the  right, 
and  an  Imperial  globe  in  the  left  hand.     Above  is  a  glory  con- 


1034  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

taining  the  Hebrew  word  "Jehovah."  "d.  g.  gustavus  adol- 
PHUS  SVE  {ciae)  got  {horum)  van  (dalorum)  rex."  Reverse : 
A  crowned  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of  Sweden  and  Gothland, 
quartered,  with  the  arms  of  Vandalia  on  a  shield  of  pretence, 
inclosed  between  branches  of  laurel,  crossed.  Above  is  in- 
scribed "  GOTT  MIT  UNS." 

3.  Riksdaler  of  Christiana.     Full  face  bust  of  the  queen. 

"CHRISTINA.  D.  G.  SVE.  GOT.  WAN  {dalorum)  Q.  DE  REGE  H^." 

Reverse:  An  image  of  Christ,  with  the  Imperial  globe.  To 
the  left  of  the  field  is  a  crowned  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of 
Sweden,  Gothland,  and  Vandalia,  in    three  fields.     Legend : 

"SALVATOR  MDNDI  SALVANOS  MDCXI^II." 

4.  Riksdaler  of  Charles  XI.,  1695.  Bust  in  armor,  with  a 
military  mantle,  "caroi.us  xi  d.  g.  rex  sve."  Reverse: 
Crowned  shield,  bearing  the  arms  of'  Sweden.  At  one  side  is 
the  numeral  8,  and  at  the  other  the  letter  M.  "dominus  pro- 
tector meus,  1695."     On  the  edge  is  inscribed  "manibus  * 

NE  *  *  *  *  LAEDAR  *  AVARIS." 

5.  One  Mark  of  Charles  XII.,  1701.  Bust  as  in  the  coins 
of  Charles  XI.  "  carolus  xii.  d.  g.  rex  sve."  Reverse : 
The  three  golden  crowns  of  Sweden,  with  the  date,  17 — 01,  and 
the  denomination,  "  1 — m." 

6.  Riksdaler  of  Gustavus  III.,  1781.  Undraped  bust. 
"  gustavus  III.  D.  G.  REX  SVECIAE."  Reverse :  The  arms  of 
Sweden  upon  a  circular  shield,  surmounted  by  a  crown,  and  en- 
circled with  the  order  chain  and  badge  of  the  order  of  Seraphim. 
"1  R°."  Beneath  are  the  letters,  "o  L,"  and  the  date.  Above 
is  inscribed  "  fademes  landet"  {The  land  of  our  fathers). 


ONE-SIXTH   RIKSDALER   OF   GUSTAVUS   IV. 


SWEDEN. 


1035 


7.  One-Sixth  Riksdaler  of  Gustavus  IV.,  1805.     Bust  in 
armor,  bedecked  with  the  order  band.     Legend :  "gustaf  iv. 

ADOLPH.  SV.  G.  OCHR.  V.  KONUNG." 

Reverse :  Arms  of  Sweden,  as  in  the  last.     Above  is  the  in- 
scription "  GUD  OCH  FOLKET  "  ( God  and  the  people).      . 

8.  Riksdaler  species  of  Charles   XIV.,    1838.      Obverse: 
Same  type  as  the  Ducat. 


EIKSDALER  SPECIES   OF   CHARLES   XIV. 

Reverse:  A  crowned  shield,  encircled  by  the  order  chain  and 
badge  of  the  order  of  the  Seraphim,  and  bearing  the  arms  of 
Sweden,  Norway,  and  Gothland,  in  three  fields,  with  a  shield 
of  pretence,  bearing  the  arms  of  Vandalia  and  Bcrnadotte. 
Beneath  is  the  denomination  :  "  1  R — sp;"  the  initials  "a.  g.," 
and  the  date,  1838.  "folkets  karlek  min  beloning." 
On  the  edge  is  inscribed  "  75 — 100  delay  fin  silfver." 


riksdaler  of  OSCAR. 


1036 


DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


9.  Riksdaler   of  Oscar,  1844.     Undraped   bust.     Legend: 

"  OSCAR  SVEEIGES  NORR.  GOTH.  OCH.  VEND.  KONUNG." 

Reverse ;  A  crowned  shield,  supported  by  two  lions,  and 
bearing  the  arms  of  Sweden  and  Gothland,  quartered,  with  a 
shield  pf  pretence,  bearing  the  arms  of  Vandalia  and  Berna- 
dotte.  On  the  base,  which  supports  the  shield,  is  the  date, 
1846,  and  the  denomination :  "  1  r — sp."  Beneath  are  the 
initials  "a.  g."  Above  is  inscribed  "  ratt.  och.  sanning," 
and  on  the  edge  "  75 — 100  delay  fin  silfver." 

10.  Riksdaler   of   Charles    XV.,    1870.      Undraped   bust. 

"  CARL  XV  SVERIGES  NORR.  GOTH.  OCH.  VEND.  KONUNG." 


RIKSDALER   OF   CHARLES   XV. 


Reverse :  Arms  similar  to  the  foregoing.  Beneath  them,  "  4 
RD  RiKSM,"  with  the  date,  and  the  letters,  "e.  t."  Above  is 
the  inscription  "  land  skall  med  lag  byggas." 


OLD   RIKSDALER   OF   SWEDEN. 


SWITZERLAND.  1037 


SWITZERLAND. 

The  Republic  of  Switzerland,  previous  to  the  year  1798,  con- 
sisted of  a  Confederacy  of  nineteen  States,  or  Cantons.  But  in 
that  year  they  were  united  under  one  government  called  the 
Helvetian  Republic.  In  the  year  1803  the  French  Republic 
dissolved  the  constitution  and  held  the  Cantons  by  a  kind  of 
French  protectorate,  which  continued  until  1815,  when  the  Con- 
gress of  Vienna  re-established  the  old  Confederacy  and  added  the 
Cantons  of  Geneva,  Valais  and  Xeufchatel.  The  names  of  the 
others  are,  Berne,  Zurich,  Vaud,  Lucerne,  St.  Gall,  Ticino, 
Basel,  Friburg,  Soleure,  Uri,  Schweitz,  Grisons,  Aargau,  Unter- 
walden,  Glarus,  Thurgau,  SchaflPhausen,  Appenzell  and  Zug. 
Previous  to  1798  each  Canton  exercised  the  right  to  coin  money. 
From  1798  to  1803  the  money  was  issued  in  the  name  of  the 
Helvetian  Republic.  In  1803  the  Cantons  resumed  the  separate 
privilege  of  coinage,  which  they  exercised  until  the  formatiou 
in  1847-8,  of  the  Federal  constitution. 

The  gold  coinage  seems  to  have  been  all  executed  previous  to 
1798.  The  pistole  followed  the  louis  d'or  of  the  law  of  1785, 
being  916.7  thousandths  in  fineness,  and  weighing  118  grains 
Troy.  The  ducat  was  rare,  irregular  in  value,  but  approached 
to  the  German  standard.  We  give  a  sample  of  a  ducat  of  Berne. 
Obverse :  Arms  of  the  Canton.  Legend  :  "  mon.  aur.  reip. 
BERNEXsrs.  1741." 


^*uaggB^^ 


DUCAT    OF   BERNE. 


Reverse:  "bene  dictus  sit  iehova  deus  1  duc;"  inclosed 
between  two  wreaths.  Weight:  47  grains  Troy.  Fineness: 
458.72.     Value:  31.97. 


1038 


DYES  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


The  silver  coins  were  the  ecu  or  crown  of  four  Swiss  francs, 
the  half  crown,  the  franc  of  ten  batzen,  the  five,  the  two  and  a 
half,  the  one  and  the  half  batzen.  The  smaller  pieces  are 
usually  quite  base.  Forty  batzen  were  estimated  to  be  equal  in 
value  to  the  crown.  After  the  formation  of  the  Helvetian  Re- 
public, a  uniform  currency  was  agreed  upon,  making  the  Swiss 
franc  of  ten  batzen,  or  ten  rappen,  the  unit.  After  1803  the 
right  of  coinage  being  restored  to  the  sovereign  Cantons,  subject 
to  the  regulations  of  the  Senate  as  to  fineness,  there  was  a  want 
of  uniformity  that  was  only  fully  corrected  by  the  new  Federal 
organization  in  1847-8.  Some  time  being  required  for  the 
redemption  of  the  old  coinages,  it  was  not  until  1852  that  the 
new  law  was  established  in  full  force.  Under  this  law  the 
silver  pieces  comprise  the  5,  2,  1  and  ^  francs  of  900  thousandths 
fineness. 

1.  Ecu  of  Zurich.  A  lion  rampant,  his  left  paw  resting  upon 
a   shield,  the   right   holding   a  sword.      Legend :    "  moneta 

EEIPUBLIC^  TIGURIN^." 


ECU  OF   ZURICH. 


Reverse :  The  city  of  Zurich  ;  above  is  the  Legend  :  "  domine 
CONSERVA  Nos  IN  PACE.''  Beneath  is  a  small  oval,  upon  which 
is  the  date,  "1781."  Weight:  390  grains.  Fineness:  844. 
Value:  $0.93. 

2.  Florin  of  Zurich.  Arms  of  the  Canton.  Legend:  "moneta 
REiPUBLic^  TVRiCENSis."  Weight:  125  grains.  Fineness: 
815.     Value:  $0.23. 


SWITZERLAND. 


1039 


FLORIN   OF   ZURICH. 


3.  Two  and  a  Half  Batzen  of  Zurich.     Arms  of  the  Canton, 
with  the  Legend :  "  canton  Zurich." 


2|   BATZEN  OF   ZURICH. 

Reverse :  "  2|  batz  :  "  surrounded  with  a  wreath.  Legend  : 
"domine  conserva  nos  in  pace."  Weight:  37  grains. 
Fineness:  775.     Vahie:  ^0.064. 

4.  Half  Crown  of  Berne.  Arms  of  the  Canton  on  a  shield, 
crowned.     Legend:  "respublica  bernensis." 


half   crown    of    BERNE. 

Reverse :  A  Swiss  soldier  standing  holding  a  sword.     Legend  : 


1040 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


"dominus  providebit."    Date,  "  1796."   Weight:  227  grains. 
Fineness :  896.     Value  $0.45. 

5.  Pataffon  or  Crown  of  Berne.     Similar  to  the  last. 


CUOWX    OF   BERNE,  1823. 

Reverse :  Similar  to  the  half  crown,  but  the  soldier  is  in  an 
oval,  and  the  date  is  1823.  Weight:  454  grains.  Fineness: 
896.     Value:  $0.90. 

6.  Ten  Batzen  of  Berne.  Arms  of  the  Canton,  crowned. 
Legend:  " mon^eta  reipub :  bernensis  1774." 


TEN  BATZEN  OF  BERNE. 

Reverse:  Eight  B^s  interlaced  and  arranged  as  a  cross. 
"dominus  PROVIDEBIT."  Weight:  223  grains.  Fineness: 
833.     Value:  $0.23. 

7.  Five  Batzen  of  St.  Gall.  Arms  of  the  Canton  on  a  shield 
resting  upon  two  crossed  branches  of  oak.     Legend:  "canton 

ST.  GALLEN." 

Reverse :  "  6  batz  ; "  within  two  wreaths.     Legend :  "  do- 


SWITZERLAND. 


1041 


FIVE  BATZEN   OF   ST.   GALL. 


MINE  CONSERVA  Nos  IN  PACE."     Weight :  74  grains.     Fine- 
ness: 775.     Value:  $0.13.4. 


TEN   BATZEN   OF  ST.  GALL. 

8.  Five  Batzen  of  Aargaii.     A  shield  bearing  the  arms  of 
the  Canton,  between  branches  of   laurel   and  palm,  crossed, 

"  CANTON  AARGAU  1826."      Below,   "  5  BATZ." 


5   BATZEN  OF  AARGAU. 

Reverse :  A  cross,  with  the  letter  "  C."  in  the  centre,  inclosed 
in  a  wreath  of  laurel.     Legend:  "die  concordieb  cantone 

DER  SCHWEIZ." 

9.  Four  Franken  of  Lucerne.     Arms  of  the  Canton  upon  a 

crowned  shield,  between  branches  of  palm.     Legend  :  "  canton 

LUZERN."     Date,  1814. 
30 


1042 


DY£PS  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


FOUR    FRANKEN   OF    LUCERNE. 

Reverse:  A  Swiss  soldier,  standing,  holding  a  spear  in  his 
right  hand;  the  left  rests  on  a  shield  inscribed:  "xrx  cant." 
Beneath  is  the  denomination :  "  4  franken."  Legend : 
"SCHWEIZER?  eidsgenossenT."  Weight :  41 6  J  grains.  Fine- 
ness: 865.     Value:  $0.82. 


6  BATZEN  AND  2|  BATZEN  OF  LUCERNE. 

10.  Crown  of  Geneva.     Arms  of  the  Canton  surrounded  by 
a  wreath  of  palm.     Legend:  "geneve  republique  l.  an. 

IV.  DEL.  EGALITE." 


CROWN    OF   GE.VEVA. 


SWITZERLAND.  IO43 

Reverse.  Legend  :" post  tenebr as  lux."  Weight:  417 
grains.     Fineness:  842.     Value:  $0.80. 

11.  Quarter  Ecu  of  Geneva.  Arms  of  the  Canton  with  the 
Legend :  "  post  tenebras  lux." 


QUARTER   ECU   OP   GENEVA. 

Reverse.     Legend  :  "  rep  :  et  cant,  de  geneve  : "  the  de- 
nomination and  date. 

12.  Franc  of  the  Republic  of  1799.  A  Swiss  soldier,  carry- 
ing a  standard.  Legend :  "  helvetische  republik."  Date 
1799. 


FRANC  OF  THE  REPUBLIC  OF  1799. 

Reverse :  The  denomination  and  mint-mark  "  10  batzen — 
B  {erne)"  inscribed  within  a  harp,  entwined  with  oak.  Value : 
$0.28. 

13.  Five  Francs  of  the  Confederation  of  1848.  The  figure 
of  Helvetia  is  seated  looking  and  pointing^  toward  the  left:  a 
shield  is  supported  by  her  left  hand,  etc.  Legend :  "  Hel- 
vetia." 

Reverse:  "5  fr.  1851;"  surrounded  by  a  wreath  of  oak. 
Weight:  383  grains,  Troy.     Value:  $0.87. 

14.  Two  Francs.     Similar  to  the  last,  with  the  substitution 


1044 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


on  the  Reverse  of"  2  fr/'  for  "  5  fr."     Weight :  150  grains, 
Troy.     Vahie:  $0.34. 


FIVE  FRANCS  OF  HELVETIA. 

15.  One  Franc.  Similar  to  the  last,  with  the  substitution  on 
the  Reverse  of  "  1  FR."  for  "2  fr."  Weight :  75  grains,  Troy. 
Value:  $0.17. 

16.  Half-Franc.  Similar  to  the  last,  with  the  substitution  on 
the  Reverse  of  "  ^  fr."  for  "  1  fr."  Weight :  37.5  grains, 
Troy.     Value:  $0.08.5. 

In  the  year  1874,  a  set  of  the  6,  2,  1,  and  |  franc  of  the 
Republic  were  coined  of  the  same  weight  and  fineness  as  those 
just  described.  The  Obverse  has  a  female  representing  Hel- 
vetia, standing,  a  staff  in  her  right  hand,  and  the  left  resting 
upon  a  shield :  the  name  Helvetia  being  below.  Around  the 
edge  are  twenty-two  stars  representing  the  Cantons.  The  Re- 
verse is  similar  to  that  of  the  preceding  issue. 


TWO  FRANCS   OF   1874. 


17.  Twenty  Centimes.     The  Swiss  cross  on  a  shield,  resting 


SWITZERLAND,  1045 

upon  branches  of  oak  and  laurel,  or  sometimes  upon  branches 
with  flowers,  and  sometimes  upon  stalks  of  wheat.  Legend : 
"  HELVETIA  "  above;  the  date  below.  Reverse :  ♦'  20 "  within  a 
wreath  of  oak  leaves.  Composition  :  iVo  gram  of  silver,  with 
copper,  nickel,  and  zinc  in  proportions  not  stated  by  law. 
Weight :  3:^  grains. 

18.  Ten  Centimes.  Similar  to  the  preceding,  "  10 "  being 
substituted  for  "  20  "  on  the  Reverse.  Composition  :  ,Vo  gram 
of  silver,  with  nickel,  copper,  and  zinc.     Weight:  2|  grains. 

19.  Five  Centimes.  Similar  to  the  preceding,  "5"  being 
substituted  for  "  10  "  on  the  Reverse.  Composition :  j*<,  gram 
of  silver,  with  nickel,  copper,  and  zinc.     Weight:  If  grains. 

BRONZE  COINS  OF  THE  REPUBLIC. 

1.  Two  Centimes.  Similar  to  the  Five  Centimes  piece  above 
described,  with  the  substitution  of  "  2  "  for  "  5  "  on  the  Re- 
verse.    Weight:  38  grains. 

2.  One  Centime.  Similar  to  the  Five  Centimes  piece  above 
described,  with  the  substitution  of  "  1 "  for  "  6  "  on  the  Reverse. 
Weight :  22  grains. 


EMPIRE  OF  TURKEY. 

The  Turkish  Piaster  is  called,  in  Arabic,  Gersh ;  plural, 
Grush.  The  Piaster  is  divided  in  40  Paras,  and  the  Para  in  3 
Aspers.  The  Para  is  called  in  Turkey  "Actshe" and  in  Egypt 
"Fadda."  In  accounts  with  foreign  lands  the  Piaster  is  divided 
into  100  Aspers  or  Minas. 

No  monetary  unit  of  any  country  has  met  with  such  a  rapid 
decline  in  value  as  the  Turkish  Gersh  or  Piaster.  During  the» 
reign  of  Mahomet  V.,  1730-1754,  the  Piaster  was  worth  about 
70  cents  of  our  money;  during  the  reign  of  Osman  II.,  1754- 
1757,  about  66  cents;  during  Mustapha  Ill's  reign,  1757- 
1774,  it  declined  to  60  cents ;  but  in  the  reign  of  Aohmet  IV., 


1046  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

its  value  was  barely  40  cents.  Selim  III.,  in  1785,  reduced  it 
further,  to  34  cents;  and  when  Mustapha  IV.  ascended  the 
Turkish  throne  in  1807,  the  Piaster  was  hardly  worth  25  cents. 
During  the  reign  of  Mahmoud-Khan,  1808-1818,  it  fell  to  19 
cents;  1819-1823  to  18  cents;  1827-1831  its  value  was  just 
6  cents;  and  when  he  died,  in  1839,  it  was  worth  only  3  cents. 
Since  June  27,  1839,  Abdul-Medjid-Khan  raised  the  value  to 
4.39  cents  in  gold,  and  3.85  cents  in  silver.  To-day  the  in- 
trinsic value  of  the  Turkish  Piaster — gold,  the  legal  standard —  • 
is  worth  $0.04.393  United  States  gold.  The  value  of  the 
silver  Piaster,  assuming  as  hitherto  the  ratio  of  value  of  gold 
to  silver  to  be  15|  to  1,  is  $0.04.312.  Therefore,  $1  United 
States  gold  is  equal  to  22.76  legal  Turkish  Piasters  of  gold 
coin,  and  23.19  Turkish  Piasters  of  silver  coin. 

The  Mahometan  religion  forbids  the  making  of  any  likeness 
for  any  purpose;  therefore,  the  coins  of  Turkey  bear  only  the 
"Toghra"  or  monogram  of  the  Sultan.  Inscriptions  in  "Taleek" 
or  "Niskhee"  Arabic  letters  and  Turkish  numerals. 

The  Silver  Piaster  is  called  "Bir-Gersh"  The  Two  Piaster 
piece  "Iklick."  The  Five  Piaster  piece  "Beshlik  "  or  "  Vejas- 
Beshlik"  which  means  White  or  Silver  Piaster.  The  Ten 
Piaster  piece  "OnKk"  or  "  Vejas  Onlik;"  and  the  Twenty  Piaster 
piece  "Jh-mUik"  or  "  Vejas  Jii-milik."  In  Egypt  this  Twenty  Pi- 
aster piece  is  commonly  called  "Ghiimuh."  In  Turkish  Asia 
they  call  the  piece  of  Twenty  Paras  ^'^Jirmi"  which  means, 
translated  into  Turkish,  "Jirmi-Para." 

The  Twenty-five  Piaster  piece  in  gold  is  called  "Jirmibesh- 
lik."  The  Fifty  Piaster  piece  "Ellilik"  The  Hundred  Piaster 
piece  or  Lira  Turca  (L.  T.)  is  called  ^^Juslik"  also  "Sarre  Juslik" 
or  Yellow  Jiislik,  to  distinguish  it  from  the  "  Fe/os  JUslik"  or 
White  Jiislik  of  Hundred  Paras  silver,  or  Two  and  a  Half 
Piasters.  The  Lira  Turca  is  also  called  "Medjidie"  in  honor 
of  the  originator  of  the  more  modern  Turkish  coins.  In  former 
years  all  Turkish  money  was  called  by  the  natives  '^Medjidie;'* 
but  by  order  of  a  Firman  of  Abdul-Medjid-Khan,  the  practice 
was  legally  abolished. 


TURKEY.  1047 

The  ''Hirh  Para  "  is  the  name  given  to  the  copper  Piaster, 
an  illustration  of  which  will  be  found  on  page  1065 ;  its  literal 
meaning  implies  Forty  (Hirk)  Paras. 

The  Turkish  ''Ku,''  plural  "Keser,"  denotes  a  purse  of  500 
Piasters. 

The  ^^Kitze,^^  or  ^'Ckise" — only  for  awards  or  presents  made 
by  the  Sultan— is  reckoned  at  30,000  Piasters.  By  a  "Jwife, 
Juik  or  Jux,"  is  commonly  understood  in  Turkey  of  Europe 
100,000  Aspers,  or  833 J  Piasters;  while  in  Asiatic  Turkey  the 
sum  of  12  Purses  or  "Keser"  of  silver,  equal  to  6,000  Turkish 
Piasters,  is  meant. 

Payment  of  large  sums  is  usually  made  in  "Beshlih"  or  5 
Piaster  pieces,  and  is  called  "Good  Money;"  while  if  in 
"Kaimeh"  notes  of  the  Ottoman  Bank,  or  in  foreign  coins,  it 
is  called  paying  debts  in  "Abusive  or  Inferior  Money." 

The  Turkish  Mints  are  located  as  follows:  1.  In  Constan- 
tinople, stamped  with  "Kostantinie."  2.  Cairo,  Egypt,  bear- 
ing stamp  "Misrh."  3.  Tripoli,  stamp  "Trahbluos."  4.  Tu- 
nis, stamp  "Tunis."  This  last  Mint  has  not  coined  money 
within  thepast  twenty  years.  The  Mint  at  Algiers,  bearing  the 
stamp  "  Jesair,"  was  abolished  December  22d,  1847, 

Smyrna  has  the  privilege  of  issuing  money;  but  little  is 
coined  by  that  Assay  office  or  branch  Mint.  On  some  of  th* 
more  ancient  Turkish  coins  the  mark  of  the  Constantinople  or 
principal  Mint  of  Turkey  is  changed  from  "Kostantinie"  to 
"  Islaraboul."  True,  Constantinople  is  also  known  by  the  word 
"Stamboul,"  an  easy  corruption  of  the  original  Greek  name; 
still  it  appears  that  the  Turks  intended  a  play  upon  this  word, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  commend  the  Mahometan  religion,  by 
stamping  on  their  coins  "  Islamboul,"  which  translated  means 
^^ The  fullness  of  the  true  faith,"  All  the  Sultans  of  Turkey, 
from  Ottman,  or  Ottoman  I.,  A.  D.  1296,  down  to  Selim  III.j 
A.  D.  1789,  used  the  title  "Islaraboul"  in  connection  with  the 
other  titles  of  Turkish  royalty.  ' 

The  floating  debt  of  Turkey  amounts  to  over  $260,000,000 
gold.  The  foreign  loans  about  £182,900,750,  equal  to  about 
$888,897,645,  gold. 


1048  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

The  interest  on  this  debt  and  the  other  expenditures  of  the 
government  are  covered  by  taxes  most  burdensome  and  exces- 
sive. 

The  taxes  of  a  district  are  sold  out  to  speculators,  who  supply 
the  needed  funds  to  the  government.  These  are  known  as 
"Contractors  of  the  Revenue,"  and  not  infrequently  each  of 
these  sells  again  to  one  or  more  parties,  who  in  turn  do  the 
same,  until  there  are  often  half  a  dozen  profits  made  on  what 
the  people  pay  for  the  support  of  the  government.  The  prin- 
cipal taxes  are : 

"Ashir,"  or  tithes.  This  covers  the  agricultural  products  of 
all  arable  lands,  such  as  the  cereals,  cotton,  tobacco,  grapes,  figs, 
olives,  opium,  etc.  On  grain  the  tax  is  paid  in  kind ;  but  on 
most  of  the  other  products  in  money  on  an  estimated  cash  value. 

"Bedel,"  a  tax  for  exemption  from  military  duty.  The 
Christians,  and  other  non-Mahometan  population,  pay  a  com- 
pensation of  5,000  Piasters,  about  $216.50  in  gold,  for  each  re- 
cruit. The  Mahometans  have  to  pay  from  5,000  to  10,000 
Piasters,  according  to  rank. 

"Sayme,"  or  tithes  of  sheep,  goats,  and  cattle  in  general,  is 
a  substitute  for  the  "Ashir,"  and  when  paid  in  kind  is  every 
tenth  sheep,  goat,  etc.;  but  is  usually  paid  in  money  on  the 
basis  of  one-tenth  the  average  cash  valuation. 

"  Verghee  "  is  the  property  tax,  and  is  divided  in  "  Temrak- 
Verghee,"  or  tax  on  real  estate,  and  "Timetouh- Verghee,"  or 
income  tax.  The  "Temrak- Verghee"  is  collected,  first,  four- 
tenths  of  one  per  cent,  of  the  estimated  fee-simple  of  all  houses 
and  lands;  six  times  the  annual  produce  is  assumed  to  repre- 
sent the  fee-simple  of  an  estate,  and  four  per  cent,  of  all  the 
rent  if  sublet  and  not  subject  to  tithes.  The  "Timetouh- 
Verghee"  or  income  tax  is  three  per  cent,  on  all  gross  profits 
from  invested  capital. 

Besides  the  treasury  where  all  these  taxes  are  paid,  the  gov- 
ernment is  the  owner  of  the  Sacred 'Treasury  of  Islam,  and  the 
treasury  of  the  Seraglio. 

The  Sacred  Treasury  of  Islam  is  one  of  the  most  important 


TURKEY.  1049 

institutions  of  the  Great  Mosque,  or  the  house  of  God.  Each 
Mahometan  pilgrim  makes  a  cash  offering  for  the  defence  of 
Islam  or  Holy  Faith,  amounting  in  the  aggregate  about  70  to 
76,000,000  Piasters  =  to  about  $3,000,000  annually.  This 
Sacred  Treasury  consists  of  three  immense  treasury  chests,  the 
first  of  which  was  opened  and  used  in  defence  of  the  Holy 
Faith  during  the  Russo-Turco  war  of  1828-1829;  the  second 
chest  was  opened  during  the  Crimean  war  of  1854-1856;  but 
the  third  chest  remains  unopened,  and  is  believed  to  contain 
about  $450,000,000  to  $500,000,000,  the  accumulation  of  about 
five  hundred  years.  The  "  Sheik-ul-Islam,"  or  supreme  eccle- 
siastical chief  of  Mahometanism,  has  ordered  the  delegation  of  the 
"  Ulema  or  Learned  "  to  visit  Mecca  for  the  purpose  of  obtain- 
ing the  contents  of  that  third  offertory  chest;  but  the  true 
amount  it  really  contains,  provided  it  has  not  been  interviewed 
on  the  sly,  will  never  be  known,  for  their  religion  forbids  them 
to  let  the  world  know  of  the  heavenly  treasures.  The  treasury 
of  the  Seraglio  is  a  dazzling  array  of  precious  stones  and  jewels, 
of  untold  value.  The  collection  embraces  pearls,  many  of  them 
as  large  as  sparrow  eggs ;  a  throne  of  pure  massive  gold,  inlaid 
with  real  pearls;  draperies  embroidered  with  rubies,  sapphires, 
and  pearls;  a  massive  gold  cradle,  studded  with  precious  stones; 
inlaid  armor,  jeweled  helmets,  sword  hilts  decorated  with 
diamonds ;  coffee  trays  of  ebony,  with  a  double  row  of  large 
diamonds,  set  close  together;  tshoobooks  or  pipe  stems,  sword 
belts,  caskets,  and  bushels  of  necklaces  of  the  most  splendid 
description,  huddled  together  in  glass-cases,  and  flashing  like 
fire-flies  in  the  dark. 

The  most  costly  article  in  the  treasury  is  a  toilet  table  of 
Lapis  Lazuli,  a  blue  stone  of  great  value,  and  other  valuable 
material,  richly  inlaid  with  precious  stones  of  every  description. 
The  pillars  that  support  the  mirror  are  set  with  diamonds ;  the 
stem  and  claws  of  the  table  are  covered  with  diamonds,  emeralds, 
rubies,  carbuncles,  sapphires  and  opals ;  along  the  edge  of  the 
table  hangs  a  deep  fringe  of  diamonds,  with  immense  solitaires. 
The  next  costly  treasure  is  the  sword  of  the  Sultan,  worn  on 


1050  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

gala-days;  it  is  of  the  finest  Damascus  steel,  heavily  mounted  in 
solid  gold,  decorated  with  fifteen  solitaire  diamonds,  each  one 
as  large  as  the  top  of  a  man's  thumb,  surrounded  by  precious 
stones  of  almost  every  description.  This  "  Serai "  or  Seraglio 
containing  these  countless  treasures  was  erected  by  Mahomet  II. 
between  A.  D.  1455  and  1480;  and  is  situated  in  the  heart  of 
Constantinople.  This  "  Serai"  or  Seraglio  (meaning  palace)  is 
the  chief  residence  of  the  Sultan,  and  stands  in  a  triangular 
inclosure  surrounded  by  a  strong  wall,  on  a  point  of  land  with 
the  Bosphorus  to  the  east,  and  the  Golden  Horn  to  the  north. 
The  wall  is  about  three  miles  long,  and  the  water  frontage  is 
two-thirds  of  the  entire  length.  Within  the  inclosure  are  sev- 
eral public  edifices,  including  the  Mint,  Treasury  and  Arsenal ; 
besides  several  Mosques,  private  dwellings  and  offices  of  the 
ministers  of  war  and  treasury. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  TURKEY. 

The  gold  coins  of  the  Empire  of  Turkey  still  in  circulation 
are  as  follows: 

1.  Lira  Turca  (L.  T.),  or  Turkish  Lira,  coined  at  Constanti- 
nople in  1839.  Weight:  111.359  grains;  916  Fineness. 
Value:  $4.40.0127  U.  S.  gold. 

2.  50  Piasters  Piece,  or  "  Ellilik,"  coined  at  Cairo,  Egypt,  in 
1839.  Weight:  66  grains;  874  Fineness.  Value:  $2.48- 
.3943  U.  S.  gold. 

3.  50  Piasters  Piece,  or  "Ellilik,"  coined  at  Constantinople 
in  1839.  Weight:  55.679  grains;  916  Fineness.  Value: 
$2.20.0064  U.  S.  gold. 

4.  20  Piasters  Piece,  or  "Jirmibeshlik,"  coined  at  Constanti- 
nople in  1807.  Weight:  25.417  grains;  835  Fineness.  Value: 
$0.93.2745  U.  S.  gold. 

5.  20  Piasters  Piece,  or  "Jirmibeshlik,'' coined  at  Constanti- 
nople in  1839.  Weight:  22.271  grains;  916  Fineness.  Value: 
$0.89.2191  U  S.  gold. 

6.  10  Piasters  Piece,  or  "Onlik,"  coined  at  Constantinople  in 
1788.    This  gold  coin  is  often  called  a  Quarter  Sequin  or  Ducat. 


TURKEY.  '  1061 

Weight:  12.208  grains;  835  Fineness.  Value:  $0.44.6095 
U.  S.  gold. 

7.  5  Piasters  Piece,  or  "  Beshlik,"  coined  at  Constantinople 
in  1807.  Weight:  6.203  grains;  835  Fineness.  Value: 
$0.22.2948  U.  S.  gold. 

The  Obverse  of  these  gold  coins  bear  the  "Toghra"  or 
monogram  of  the  reigning  Sultan,  an  involution  of  the  letters 
of  his  name ;  but  so  fancifully  and  artistically  entwined  that 
even  most  of  his  subjects  cannot  disentangle  them. 

The  Reverse  contains  :  "Struck  at  Constantinople  or  Cairo," 
the  date  of  the  Hegira,  which  commenced  July  16th,  622  a.  d.; 
also  the  year  of  the  happy  reign  of  the  Sultan.  To  enable  the 
reader  to  get  at  the  correct  date  of  the  Turkish  era,  it  must  be 
borne  in  mind  that  their  year  is  11  days  shorter  than  ours,  and 
that  for  every  33  years  of  theirs  one  year  of  ours  must  be  added 
to  the  sum  total. 

In  1845  a  new  Lira  Turca  (L.  T.)  of  100  Gersh  or  Piasters 
made  its  first  appearance;  officially  it  was  promulgated  to  be 
of  22  carats  fine  or  equal  916.6  Fineness;  but  the  actual  assay 
proved  it  only  915  fine.  Its  Weight:  111  grains,  and  its 
Value:  $4.37.4  U.  S.  gold. 

In  1846  a  new  50  Piasters  piece  was  coined  for  the  first  time. 
Its  Weight:  55.5  grains;  915  Fineness.  Value:  $2.18.7  U. 
S.  gold. 

The  Turkish  gold  coins  are  of  so  variable  a  standard,  and 
the  temptations  so  great  to  adulterate,  that  very  little  reliance 
can  be  placed  on  their  real  value.  The  flood  of  unredeemable 
paper  currency  of  all  kir>ds,  the  great  financial  distress,  and 
the  excessive  burdens  of  taxation,  have  driven  gold  out  of  gen- 
eral circulation  among  the  natives.  The  bankers  and  mer- 
chants make  their  payments  usually  in  English  exchange  or  in 
Austrian  silver  money. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  TURKEY. 

The  20  Piasters  Piece,  of  which  we  give  an  illustration, 
was  coined  in  1839  under  Abdul-Medjid-Khan.     Its  Obverse 


I 

1052   •  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

bears  the  Toghra  of  the  reigning  Sultan ;  to  the  right  a  fanciful 
scroll  bearing  a  twig,  with  blossom,  which  is  the  mint-mark  of 
Constantinople.  Exergue  bears  the  Turkish  figures  24,  mean- 
ing the  24th  year  of  the  happy  reign  of  the  Sultan.  Legend  : 
12  stars,  surrounded  by  12  scrolls,  shape  of  a  crescent  and  out- 
side of  it  12  ro.«ettes. 


ft  5 

20    PIASTERS   OP   CONSTANTINOPLE. 

Reverse:  Struck  in  Kostantinie,  meaning  Constantinople. 
Exergue  in  Turkish  numerals  1255  of  the  Hegira,  and  which 
corresponds  with  A.  D.  1839.  Legend  :  Same  as  on  the  Ob- 
verse. Its  Weight:  371.225  grains.  Fineness :  830.  Value: 
$0.87.4224  U.  S.  gold. 

In  A.  D.  1860-1861  a  new  device  was  adopted  for  the  20 
Piasters  Piece ;  the  twig  and  blossom  on  the  Obverse  was  re- 
moved, and  the  Exergue  bore  the  Turkish  figure  1,  meaning 
the  first  happy  year  of  the  reigning  Sultan  Abdul-Aziz.  The 
Reverse  remained  unchanged  with  the  exception  of  the  Ex- 
ergue, which  bears  the  Turkish  figures  1277  of  the  Hegira, 
corresponding  to  our  period  A.  D.  1861. 

The  10  Piasters  Piece  bears  the  same  devices  as  the  20 
Piasters  Piece,  only  in  reduced  proportion.  Its  Weight:  185- 
.612  grains.     Fineness:  830.     Value:  $0.43.7112  U.  S.  gold. 

The  5  Piasters  Piece  or  "  Vejas  Beshlik,"  same  devices  as  the 
20  and  10  Piasters  pieces,  only  reduced  in  proportion.  Weight: 
92.806  grains;  830  fine.  Value:  $0.21.8556  U.  S.  gold. 
,  The  2  Piasters  Piece  or  "  Iklik,"  same  devices  as  the  three 
aforementioned  silver  coins  and  in  proportion.  Weight:  37.114 
grains :  830  Fineness.     Value :  $0.09.3780  U.  S.  gold. 


TURKEY. 


1063 


The  1  Piaster  Piece  or  "  Bir  Gersh,"  sometimes  called  in 
Asiatic  Turkey  "Altmichlik,"  devices  same  as  the  foregoing, 
with  due  proportions.  Weight  according  to  legal  standard : 
18.557  grains;  but  usually  varying  a  few  grains.  Fineness 
professed  830 ;  but  often  only  820  and  825  fine.  Value  quite 
nominal  at  $0.04.393  down  to  $0.03.85  U.  S.  gold. 

COPPER  MONEY  OF  TURKEY. 

The  2  J  Piasters  Piece,  or  100  Paras  piece,  of  which  we  give  an 
illustration,  was  coined  in  Constantinople  and  Cairo  in  1187  of 
the  Hegira,  under  the  reign  of  Mustapha  III.,  corresponding 
to  A.  D.  1774. 


d^>^ 


100  PARAS  OP  CONSTANTINOPLE. 

The  Obverse  bears  the  Toghra  of  the  Sultan  Mustapha  III., 
the  mint-mark  and  imprint,  Kostantinie  (Constantinople). 
Exergue:  "1187." 

The  Reverse  bears  four  lines  of  inscriptions :  1.  Sultan  of  two 
lands.  2.  Sultan  of  two  seas.  3.  Sultan  by  inheritance,  and 
in  the  left  corner  the  Turkish  numerals  20,  meaning  the  20th 
happy  year  of  his  reign.  4.  Son  of  a  Sultan.  Value  about  10 
cents,  but  often  worth  only  9.7  cents. 

The  Piaster,  or  Gersh,  or  40  Paras,  was  coined  in  Constan- 
tinople. 

The  Obverse  bears  the  Toghra,  the  mint-mark  and  imprint. 
The  Reverse  :  Inscription  40  in  Turkish  numerals.     Legend : 


1054  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

The  Sultan,  son  of  a  Sultan,  Servant  of  the  Praised  One ;  may 
God  continue  his  kingdom.  Value  quite  nominal,  varying 
from  4  to  4J  cents  U.  S  gold. 

The  date  on  the  Turkish  coins  is  always  that  of  the  Hegira, 
or  Mahometan  Era,  and  is  expressed  with  the  following  signs : 

1.       2.        3.      4.        6.        6.      7.       8.  9.       0. 

All  the  inscriptions  on  the  coins  read  from  right  to  left;  but 
the  numerals  run  in  the  opposite  direction. 

The  method  of  arriving  at  the  date  on  the  coins  of  Turkey — 
for  most  of  them  bear  two  dates,  that  of  the  Hegira  and  of  the 
Sultan's  reign — is  somewhat  less  lucid  to  the  casual  observer. 
A  table  giving  a  key  to  the  same  is  hereby  appended : 

Mahmud  I.  Anno  Hegira  1143.  A.  d.  1730. 

Othraan  III.  "  1168.  "  1754. 

Mustaphalll.  «  1171.  "  1757. 

Abd-Ul-Haraed  I.  «  1187.  "  1774. 

Selim  III.  «  1203.  "  1789. 

Mustapha  IV.  '*  1222.  "  1807. 

Mahmud  II.  "  1223.  "  1808. 

Abd-Ul-Medjid  I.  "  1255.  "  1839. 

Abd-Ul-Aziz  I.  "  1277.  "  1861. 

Amuiath  V.  "  1293.  "  1876. 

Abd-Ul-Hamed  II.  «  1293.  «  1876. 

Coins  bearing  the  twig  and  blossom-mark  on  the  Obverse  of 
the  Ottoman  coins,  guarantee  the  real  value  of  the  money. 
Coins  without  this  mint-mark  are  of  great  irregularity  in 
the  weight  and  fineness ;  and  the  latter  is,  in  the  silver  coin  es- 
pecially, exceedingly  low.  This  accounts  also  for  the  somewhat 
large  size  of  silver  piasters,  yet  of  so  little  value. 

Quite  in  contrast  with  the  debasement  of  coin  is  the  native 
honesty  of  the  Turkish  people.  It  does  not  seem  to  occur  to 
them  that  any  desirable  end  can  be  attained  by  lying  or  misrep- 
resentation. In  trade  their  fidelity  to  every  verbal  agreement 
is  as  remarkable  as  it  is  creditable.     If  a  Turk  promises  to  de- 


U.  S.    OF  COLOMBIA.  1055 

liver  a  commodity  on  a  certain  day,  in  a  given  place,  at  a  stated 
price,  the  goods  will  be  on  hand,  entirely  irrespective  of  the 
profit  or  loss  that  may  accrue  from  the  transaction.  Neither 
note  nor  bond  will  enhance  his  punctuality  or  precision. 


TURKISH   COINS. 


UNITED  STATES  OF  COLOMBIA. 

In  the  year  1819  New  Grenada,  Venezuela,  and  Quito  were 
united  into  an  independent  government  under  the  name  of  the 
United  States  of  Colombia.  This  union  was  dissolved  in  1829 
by  the  withdrawal  of  Venezuela,  and  in  1830  Ecuador,  for- 
merly Quito,  also  withdrew.  In  1831  the  Republic  of  New 
Grenada  was  organized,  but  continued  to  coin  money  with  the 
name  of  Colombia  up  to  1836.  There  were  two  mints  in  oper- 
ation, one  at  Bogota  and  the  other  at  Popayan :  the  name  in 
full  being  usually  given  on  the  coins,  although  Bogota  is  some- 
times abbreviated  to  B^.  In  1860  a  revolution  broke  out  which 
resulted  in  the  adoption  of  a  constitution,  in  1863,  by  which 
the  several  States  were  united  under  the  name  of  the  United 
States  of  Colombia.  These  States  are:  Antioqiiia,  Bolivar, 
Boyaca,  Cauca,  Cundinamarca,  Magdalena,  Panama,  Santander, 
and  Tolima. 

The  system  of  money  is  the  same  as  that  of  Spain  :  the  gold 
being  the  Doubloon  and  its  fractions,  the  silver  the  Real  and  its 
multiples,  and  the  nickel  the  multiple  of  the  Centavo.  Much 
of  the  early  money,  from  the  mint  of  Popayan  especially,  is 
below  the  Bogota  standard. 


» 
1056  DYES  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

GOLD  COINS  OF  COLOMBIA  AND  NEW 
GRENADA. 

1.  Doubloon,  1823-36.  A  female  bust  of  Liberty  ;  the  hair 
confined  by  a  band  on  which  is  inscribed  "  libertad,"  Legend  : 
"kepublica  de  COLOMBIA,"  and  the  date*  in  the  Exergue. 


DOUBLOON  OF  COLOMBIA  {Popayan  mini). 

Reverae :  A  fasces  in  pale,  crossed  by  a  bow  and  arrows,  sal- 
tiere,  between  two  cornucopias.  Above,  the  name  of' the  mint. 
Below:  "8  E  (scudos)  u.  r"  (initials  of  the  mint  officer). 
Weight:  416.5  grains.  Fineness:  870.  Value:  about 
$15.50,  but  varying  in  different  years. 

2.  The  Half  Doubloon,  O '  ;rter,  Eighth,  and  Sixteenth  of 
a  Doubloon  are  similar,  ovil,  varying  in  size  and  each  having 
the  abbreviated  value  in  Esei  dos. 


ESCUDO   OF   POPAYAN. 


3.  Doubloon  of  18';  7.  A  female  bust  enveloped  in  a  Ro- 
man mantle;  the  hair  confined  by  a  band  inscribed  "  libertad." 
L^end  :  "  republica  de  la  nueva  granada,"  and  the  date. 

Reverse :  A  pointed  shield  bearing  the  arms.  Above  is  a 
condor  and  a  scroll  inscribed  "  libertad  l  orden."     Legend  : 


U.  S.   OF  COLOMBIA.  1067 


DOUBLOON   OF  BOGOTA,  1837. 

DiEZ  I  SEis  PESOS.   BOGOTA.  R.  s."     Weight:  416.5  grains. 
Fineness:  870.     Value:  $15.58. 

4.  Doubloon  of  1849  and  later,  A  head  of  Liberty  looking 
left,  with  the  band  inscribed  "ijbertad."  Legend:  "repub- 
LiCA  DE  LA  NUEVA  GRANADA,"  and  the  date. 


DOUBLOON   OF   NKW    (iKAXADA,  1849. 

Reverse:  The  arms  upon  a  rointetl  shield,  suspended  upon 
four  standards.  Upon  the  top  o(^e  shield  is  perched  a  Condor. 
Beneath  the  Condor  is  a  scroll  inscribed  "  libertad  l  orden." 
Legend:  " Bogota  peso  25,8064  o.  {rammes)  lei  0.900." 
Weight:  398.2  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $15.31. 

SILVER   COINS   OF   COLOMBIA   AND   NEW 
GRANADA. 

1.  Peso  of  1819.     Bust  of  an  Indian  chief,  surmounted  by  a 
double  crown  of  feathers.    "  libertad  Americana."     Below: 
1819.     Reverse :  A  pomegranate,  "8  R  "  in  the  field,  one  either 
6 


1058 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


side  of  it,  and  "  NUEVA  granada."     Weight :  362.9  grains. 
Fineness:  750.     Value:  $0.74. 

2.  Peso  of  Cundinamarca.  Obverse:  Same  as  No.  1,  except- 
ing the  Legend,  which  is  "  republica  de  Colombia,"  and  the 
date,  which  is  1821. 


peso  of  cundinamarca. 

Reverse:  Like  the  reverse  of  No.  1,  excepting  that  the  Le- 
gend reads:  "cundinamarca,"  a  mint-mark  of  B^.  Weight, 
Value,  and  Fineness  the  same  as  No.  1. 

3.  Real  of  Cundinamarca.  The  designs  are  exactly  the  same 
on  this  piece  as  the  preceding,  only  the  denomination  "  1 
R  (ecd)"  is  substituted  for  "8  R." 


REAL   of   cundinamarca. 

4.  Eight  Reals  of  1827.  A  fasces  in  pale,  crossed  by  a  bow 
and  arrows,  «aftiere,  between  cornucopias.  Legend:  "repub- 
lica de  COLOMBIA,"  the  date  below. 

Reverse :  "  b>  colombiano  ocho  reales  r.  s."  in  four 
straight  lines,  inclosed  with  a  wreath.  Above,  the  word 
"  libertad,"  appears  on  a  scroll.  Weight,  Value,  and  Fine- 
ness the  same  as  No.  1. 


U.  S.    OF  COLOMBIA. 


1059 


KIGHT    REALS  OF   COLOMBIA. 


5.  Eight  Reals  of  1837.  A  pointed  shield  bearing  the  arms. 
Legend :  "  republica  de  la  nueva  gran  ad  a,"  with  the 
date  below. 


eight  reai^  of  new  GUA^aL>a. 

Reverse:  "8  reales"  in  two  straight  lines,  surrounded  with 
a  wreath.  Legend:  " Bogota"  above  and  "r.  s."  below. 
Weight,  Value,  and  Fineness  the  same  as  No.  1. 


eight   REALtJ   OF    1839. 


1060 


DYIPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


6.  Eight  Reals  of  1839.  A  cornucopia,  above  which  is  a 
condor  holding  in  his  beak  a  scroll  inscribed,  "libertad 
Ij  orden."  Legend:  "republica  de  la  nueva  gran- 
ADA."    Exergue:  "1839." 

Reverse:  "lei  ocho  dineros,"  inscribed  in  a  wreath  of 
laurel.  Around  the  edge,  "  vale  ocho  reales,"  "  Bogota." 
AVeight,  Value,  and  Fineness  the  same  as  No.  1. 

7.  Ten  Reals  of  New  Granada.  A  shield  suspended  upon 
four  standards  and  surmounted  by  a  condor  with  expanded 
wings.     "  REPUBLICA  DE  LA  NUEVA  GRANADA,"  and  the  date. 


Lx^^D  I  E  Z^(M 


TEW  BEALS  OF   NEW   GRANADA. 

Reverse:  "diez  reales"  in  two  straight  lines,  surrounded 
with  wreaths  of  laurel.  Legend:  "  Bogota."  Exergue:  "lei 
0900."  Weight:  398.2  grains.  Fineness:  900.  Value:  88 
cents. 

8.  Two  reals  of  New  Granada.  A  shield,  bearing  the  arras, 
between  branches  of  laurel  crossed.  Legend  :  "  republica  de 
LA  NUEVA  GRANADA,"  and  the  date. 


TWO   REALS   OF   NEW   GRANADA. 

Reverse :  "dos  reales"  in  two  straight  lines,  inclosed  in  a 


URUGUAY.  1061 

heavy  wreath  of  laurel,  intwined  in  a  scroll  or  ribbon.     Above 
is  inscribed  "  Bogota," and  beneath  "ley  0,900." 

NICKEL    COINS    OF    UNITED    STATES   OF 
COLOMBIA. 

1.  Two  and  a  Half  Centavos.  "  2|  c"  inscribed  iu  a  circle. 
Legend :  "  DOS  Y  medio  centavos."  Below  is  the  date,  188L 
Reverse :  A  lil^erty  cap  in  a  circle.  Legend  :  "  estados  unidos 
DE  COLOMBIA."  Bclow  the  cap  is  an  arch  of  nine  stars.  Com- 
position three  parts  copper  and  one  part  nickel.  Weight:  17 
grains.     Value :  2 J  cents. 

2.  One  Centavo  and  a  Quarter,  "c  1|  "  inscribed  in  a  circle. 
"uN  CENTAVO  I  CDARTO,"  1874-  feeverse :  Exactly  like  the 
two  and  a  half  Centavos.  Weight :  23  grains  (1 J  grammes). 
Composition  same  as  the  last.     Value:  IJ  cent. 

The  anomaly  is  here  shown  of  two  coins  of  the  same  alloy, 
issued  by  a  government  and  given  such  a  fictitious  value  as  to 
make  the  lighter  piece  have  a  purchasing  capacity  of  just  double 
that  of  the  heavier. 


URUGUAY. 

By  a  treaty  made  between  Brazil  and  Buenos  Ayres  in  1825, 
the  territory  bordering  upon  the  Rio  de  la  Plata  and  Uruguay 
rivers,  and  lying  at  the  southernmost  extremity  of  the  Brazil- 
ian empire,  was  erected  into  an  inde[)endent  Republic,  with  its 
capital  the  seaport  city  of  Montevideo. 

SILVER  COINS  OF  URUGUAY. 

1.  Dollar  of  Montevideo,  1844.  Arms  of  the  Republic  in- 
closed between  two  branches  of  oak,  crossed.  Legend  :  "  re- 
PUBLICA  ORIENTAL  DEL  URUGUAY."  Date,  1844.  Reverse : 
"UN  PESO  fuerte"  in  two  straight  lines,  surrounded  by  stars, 
and  this  by  the  Legend  :  "  sino  DE  Montevideo."    Below  : 

"  101  D?  " 

2.  Peso  of  Uruguay,  1877.     "  1  peso  "  inclosed  in  a  wreath. 


1062  DYEPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Ijegend:  "libre  y  constituida/'  Date,  1877.  Reverse: 
Arms  of  Uruguay.  Legend :  "  eepublica  oriental  del  URU- 
GUAY."   Weight:  380  grains.   Fineness:  900.   Value:  $0.87. 

COPPER  COINS  Of  URUGUAY. 

1.  Forty  Centesimos  of  1857.  The  number  40  on  a  circular 
shield,  with  "CENTESiMOs"  on  a  scroll  resting  on  its  upper 
border.  The  whole  inclosed  between  two  branches  of  maize, 
crossed.     Weight:  536  grains.     Value:  four  cents. 

2.  Twenty  Centesimos  of  1857.  Exactly  like  the  last,  re- 
duced in  size,  and  with  the  substitution  of  20  for  40.  Weight : 
268  grains.     Value:  two  cents. 

3.  Five  Centesimos  of  1857.  Exactly  like  the  first,  reduced 
in  size,  and  with  the  substitution  of  5  for  40.  Weight :  67 
grains.     Value:  half  cent. 

4.  Four  Centesimos  of  1869.  Exactly  like  the  first,  except- 
ing in  size,  and  the  substitution  of  4  for  40.  Weight :  308 
grains.    Value :  four  cents. 

5.  Two  Centesimos  of  1869.  Exactly  like  the  first,  except- 
ing in  size  and  the  substitution  of  2  for  40.  Weight :  154 
grains.     Value :  two  cents. 

6.  One  Centesimo  of  1869.  Exactly  like  the  first,  excepting 
in  size,  and  the  substitution  of  "  1  centesimo  "  for  "  40  cen- 
tesimos/'    Weight:  77  grains.     Value:  one  cent. 


VENEZUELA. 

The  island  of  Margnerita,  on  the  coast  of  Venezuela,  was 
discovered  by  Columbus  in  1498.  The  next  year  Ojeda  and 
Vespucci  entered  Lake  Maracaybo,  where  they  found  an  Indian 
village  constructed  on  piles  over  the  water,  and  called  it  Venez- 
uela— Little  Venice.  This  name  was  eventually  applied  to  the 
whole  country. 

BILLON  COINS  OF  VENEZUELA. 

1.  Five   Rials.     Head  of  Liberty  with   a   band    inscribed 


VENEZUELA.  1063 

"  LiBERTAD."  Date  below,  1858.  Reverse :  the  arms  of  Ven- 
ezuela with  the  Legend :  "  republica  de  Venezuela." 
Below:  "5  r'Ji«  11.50  G^"  {Grammes).  Weight:  177.491 
grains,  Troy.     Fineness:  750.     Value:  $0.37.518. 

2.  Two  Rials.  Obverse :  Similar  to  the  five  Rials.  Re- 
verse: Similar  to  the  five  Rials,  substituting  below:  "2  r'^ 
4.60  Gf"  Weight:  70.988  grains,  Troy.  Fineness:  750. 
Value:  $0.14.955. 

3.  One  Rial.  Obverse:  Similar  to  the  five  Rials.  Reverse: 
Similar  to  the  five  Rials,  substituting  below  :  "  1  r!1"  2.30  g"  " 
Weight :  34.494  grains,  Troy.  Fineness :  750.  Value : 
$0.07.349. 

4.  Half  Rial.  Obverse:  Similar  to  the  five  Rials.  Reverse: 
Similar  to  the  five  Reals,  substituting  below:  "|  r!^  1.15  Q*" 
Weight:  17.746  grains,  Troy.  Fineness:  750.  Value: 
$0.03.549. 

COPPER  COINS  OF  VENEZUELA. 

1.  Centavo.  Head  of  Liberty  with  a  cap  and  fillet  inscribed 
"  LIBERTAD."  Legend  :  "  republica  de  Venezuela."  Re- 
verse: "1  CENTAVO  1843"  in  three  straight  lines,  the  whole 
surrounded  with  a  laurel  wreath.  Weight:  190  grains,  Troy. 
Value :  one  cent. 

2.  Half-Centavo.  Precisely  similar  to  the  Centavo,  except- 
ing that  "  I  "  takes  the  place  of  the  "  1."  Weight :  95  grains. 
Value:  a  half  cent. 

3.  Quarter  Centavo.  Precisely  similar  to  the  Centavo,  ex- 
cepting that  "i"  takes  the  place  of  the  "1."  Weight:  47J 
grains.     Value:  one-fourth  of  a  cent. 

Several  years  after  the  issue  of  the  foregoing,  the  Centavo 
was  reduced  in  weight  to  166  grains,  and  its  fractions  were  dis- 
continued.    In   1876  the  copper  Centavo  was  superseded  by 

the 

NICKEL  COINS  OF  VENEZUELA. 

1.  Two  and  a  half  Centavos.     The  arms  of  Venezuela  with 

the  Legend  :  "  estados  unidos  de  Venezuela.'*    The  date, 

1876,  below. 


1064 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


m.,^ 


TWO   AND   ONE-HALF  CENTAVOS    OF   VENEZUELA. 

Reverse:  "dos  y  medio  centavos"  in  three  lines,  sur- 
rounded with  a  wreath  of  laurel.  Composition :  nickel,  20 
parts;  copper,  65;  zinc,  15.  Weight:  76  grains,  Troy. 
Value :  2^  cents. 

2.  One  Centavo.  Obverse :  Similar  to  the  two  and  a  half 
Centavos. 


UN   CENTAVO  OF  VENEZUELA. 

Reverse:  "uN  centavo"  in  two  lines,  surrounded  with  a 
wreath  of  laurel.  Composition :  Same  as  the  two  and  a  half 
Centavos.     Weight:  76  grains,  Troy.     Value:  one  cent. 

1.  Silver  Half  Peso  of  Venezuela,  1873.  Bust  of  Simon 
Bolivar :  Legend  :  "  bolivar  libertador." 


HALF   peso   of  VENEZUELA. 

Reverse :  Arms  of  Venezuela.  Legend :  "  estados  unidos 
DE  VENEZUELA."  Below :  "o{rammes)  12,500, 1873.  lei  835." 
Weight:  187  grains,  Troy.     Fineness:  835.     Value:  $0.46. 


UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA. 


HISTORY   OF  THE   MINTS. 

On  the  28th  day  of  January,  1791,  a  resolution  was  offered 
in  the  House  of  Representatives  in  Philadelphia  assembled,  for 
the  establishment  of  a  United  States  Mint,  which  was  finally 
passed  on  the  3d  day  of  March,  1791.     It  read  as  follows : 

CONGRESS  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

AT  THE  THIKD  SESSION. 

Begun  and  held  at  the  City  of  Philadelphia,  on  Monday  the  sixth  day  of 
December,  one  thousand  seven  hun  red  and  ninety. 

RESOLVED  by  the  Senate  and  House  of  Representatives  of  the  United 
Slates  of  America  in  Congress  assembled,  That  a  mint  shall  be  establislied  under 
such  regulations  as  shall  be  directed  by  law. 

Resolved,  That  the  President  of  the  United  States  be,  and  he  is  hereby  au- 
thorized to  cause  to  be  engaged,  such  principal  artists  as  shall  be  necessary  to 
carry  the  preceding  resolution  into  effect,  and  to  stipulate  the  terms  and  con- 
ditions of  their  service,  and  also  to  cause  to  be  produced  such  apparatus  as 
shall  be  requisite  for  the  same  purpose. 

FREDERICK  AUGUSTUS  MUHLENBERG, 

Speaker  of  the  House  of  Hepresentalives. 
JOHN  ADAMS, 

Vice-President  of  the  United  States  and  President  of  the  Senate. 
Approved  March  the  third,  1791. 

GEORGE  WASHINGTON,  President  of  the  United  States. 
Deposited  among  the  Rolls  in  the  Office  of  the  Secbetaut  of  State. 
TH :  JEFFERSON,  Secretary  of  Stale. 

A  lot  of  ground  was  purchased  on  Seventh  street  opposite 
Filbert  street,  between  Market  and  Arch  streets,  in  Philadel- 
phia, Pa.,  occupied  at  that  time  by  an  old  still-house  and  a 

(1065) 


1066 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


frame  tenement  building.*  Washington  appointed,  on  the  first 
day  of  July,  1791,  David  Rittenhouse  to  be  the  Director  of  the 
Mint.  A  code  of  laws  for  the  government  of  the  Mint  was 
enacted  on  the  2d  of  April,  1792.  The  foundation  of  the  first 
Mint  of  the  United  States  was  laid  on  Thursday,  the  31st  day 
of  July,  1792,  at  ten  o'clock  iu  the  forenoon,  by  David  Ritten- 
house. 

As  soon  as  the  ceremony  of  laying  the  oorner-stone  was  ac- 


FIRST   MINT  OF  THE   U^TTED   STATES.      ERECTED   1792. 


complished,  the  work  upon  the  foundation  commenced.  The 
foundation  was  completed,  ready  for  the  superstructure,  on  Sat- 
urday, the  25th  day  of  August,  1792,  and  the  framework  was 
raised  in  the  afternoon  of  that  day. 

The  coin-presses,  three  in  number,  were  imported  from  abroad 

*This  Mint  ia  still  standing. 


U.  S.   OF  AMERICA.  1067 

and  arrived  at  the  mint  on  Friday,  the  2l8t  day  of  September, 
1792,  were  put  in  operation  the  9th  day  of  October  following, 
and  first  used  for  striking  the  pattern  half-dimes  of  1792. 

The  first  purchase  of  copper  by  the  United  States  govern- 
ment was  made  on  Tuesday,  the  11th  day  of  September,  1792, 
and  comprised  six  pounds  of  old  copper. 

The  first  deposit  of  silver  bullion  for  coinage  took  place  on 
the  18th  day  of  July,  1794.  The  deposit  was  made  by  the 
Bank  of  Maryland,  and  consisted  of  coins  of  France  amount- 
ing to  $80,715.73. 

The  first  return  of  silver  coins  from  the  chief  coiner  to  the 
treasurer  was  made  on  the  15th  day  of  October,  1794,  and 
comprised  $1,758. 

The  first  deposit  of  gold  bullion  for  coinage  at  the  United 
States  Mint  took  place  on  the  12th  day  of  February,  1795. 
T4ie  deposit  was  made  by  Moses  Brown,  merchant  of  Boston, 
Mass.,  and  consisted  of  gold  ingots  amounting  to  §2,276.22. 

The  first  return  of  gold  coins  from  the  chief  coifier  was  on 
the  31st  day  of  July,  1795,  and  consisted  of  744  half-eagles. 

The  first  delivery  of  Eagles  was  on  the  22d  day  of  Septem- 
ber, 1795,  and  consisted  of  400  pieces. 

As  the  population  and  trade  of  the  Colonies  had  increased, 
foreign  gold  and  silver  had  been  introduced  and  had  become  a 
part  of  the  circulating  medium.  These  were  chiefly  the  Guinea, 
the  Joe  and  its  half,  the  Doubloon  and  Pistole,  in  gold ;  the 
Mexican  Dollar  and  its  parts,  the  Pistareen  and  its  parts,  and 
the  British  Shilling  and  Six-pence  in  silver.  French  Crowns 
were  not  known  until  the  Revolution,  when  they  became  com- 
mon. But  of  the  specie  currency  no  piece  was  so  well  known 
as  the  Spanish  Dollar,  which,  as  already  noted,  became,  by  the 
act  of  Congress  in  1785,  the  effective  standard  or  unit  of  our 
moneys. 

The  Pound  of  the  Colonies  was  at  first  the  same  as  the 
Pound  Sterling  of  England,  being  simply  a  money  of  account. 


1068 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPjEDIA. 


THE  MINT  IN  PHILADELPHIA,   PA. 

On  the  19th  day  of  May,  1828,  Congress  approved  an  act 
locating  the  United  States  Mint  at  its  present  site  on  Chestnut 


street  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  and  in  1829-1830  the  pro- 
visions of  the  law  were  carried  into  effect. 

This  Mint  commenced  operations  in  1838,  and  at  the  present 
day,  with  its  improved  machinery  and  appendages,  is  as  com- 
plete and  efficient  as  can  be  desired.  A  valuable  collection 
of  over  8,000  coins  of  the  different  nations  is  also  kept  there  on 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA. 


1069 


exhibition.  The  coins  minted  in  Philadelphia  bear  no  Mint- 
mark.  This  Mint  commenced  operation  in  1832.  The  building 
was  made  fire-proof,  1853-1856. 

THE  MINT  IN  CHARLOTTE,  N.  C. 
By  Act  of  Congress,  March  3d,  1835,  a  Mint  was  ordered  to 
be  erected  at  Charlotte,  in  Mecklenburg  county,  N.  C,  for  the 
coinage  of  gold  only. 


BRANCH  MINT  IN  CHARLOTTE,  N.  C.      ERECTED,   1836-1837. 

The  Mint-mark  of  the  Charlotte  Mint  is  the  letter  "C," 
which  appears  on  all  the  coins  minted  there.  Since  1862  no 
coinage  has  been  done  there,  and  by  Act  of  Congress  in  1873,  it 
was  transformed  from  a  regular  Mint  to  an  assay  office.  This 
Mint  was  built  in  1836-1837,  and  commenced  operation  in 
1838;  burned  down  in  1844,  was  re-built  in  1845-1846. 


1070 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


THE  MINT  IN  DAHLONEGA,  GA. 

Congress,  in  1835,  also  pro.vided  for  a  Branch  Mint  in  Dah- 
lonega,  in  Lumpkin  county,  Ga.,  and  for  the  coinage  of  gold 


only.  The  productions  of  the  Greorgia  gold  mines  made  this 
a  necessity,  and  Congress  relieved  this  much  felt  want  by  en- 
acting a  law  providing  this  Branch  Mint. 

The  discovery  of  gold  in  California,  and  the  events  of  war 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA.  1071 

in  1862  in  Georgia,  induced  the  United  States  Government  to 
close  this  Mint. 

On  all  coinages  of  the  Dahlonega  Mint  the  initial  "D"  ap- 
pears as  a  Mint-mark,  on  the  Obverse  of  the  coin.  The  first 
coinage  of  gold  at  this  Mint  was  made  in  1838. 

THE   MINT  IN  NEW   ORLEANS,  LA. 
On  the  3d  of  March,  1835,  a  supplementary  Act  was  passed 


BRANCH    MINT  IN   NEW  ORLEANS,  LA.      ERECTED,  1836-1837. 

and  approved  for  the  establishment  of  a  Branch  Mint  in  New 
Orleans,  La.     This  Mint  commenced  operation  in  1838. 

This  Mint  is  also  furnished  with  the  latest  improvements  for 
the  coinage  of  gold  and  silver.  The  initial  of  the  New  Orleans 
Mint,  "  O,"  is  on  all  of  this  Mint's  coinages. 

The  Carson  City  Mint  is  provided  with  the  latest  improve- 


1072 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


merits  for  the  mintage  of  money.     On  all  the  coinages  of  this 
Mint  the  initials  "  C.  C."  appear  as  a  Mint-mark. 

On  the  4th  day  of  July,  1864,  a  bill  was  passed  and  approved 
for  the  establishment  of  a  Mint  at  Dalles  City,  in  Oregon,  for 
the  coinage  of  gold  and  silver  money. 


e 


oo 

o 


On  the  2'J  day  of  April,  1862,  Congress  ordered  an  assay 
office  at  Deiver,  Colorado.  A  building  was  purchased  in  1863, 
and  operations  commenced  in  1864.  This  establishment  was 
styled  a  Mint,  in  the  Coinage  Act  of  1873. 

This  Mint  is  in  operation  at  the  present  time. 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA. 


1073 


THE  MINT  IN  SAN  FRANCISCX),  CAL. 
In  July,  1852,  an  Act  was  passed  and  approved  for  the 


establisliment  of  a  Branch  Mint  in  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  for  the 
coinage  of  gold  and  silver  money. 


3P 


1074  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Having  been  established  since  the  discovery  of  gold  in  Cali- 
fornia, and  the  vast  production  of  precious  metals  on  the  Pacific 
slope,  the  Mint  at  San  Francisco,  which  commenced  operation 
in  1854,  has,  since  the  legalized  suspension  of  specie  payments 
in  1861,  and  up  to  the  full  resumption  of  the  same  in  1878, 
coined  much  the  greater  part  of  all  the  vast  sums  of  gold  and 
silver  money  minted  in  the  United  States,  which  never  ceased 
to  circulate  in  the  far  West,  and  along  the  shore  of  the  Pacific 
Ocean.  This  Mint  provided  about  twenty-nine  millions  of 
Trade  Dollars  for  export  to  China  and  Japan,  and  in  1875  was 
doing  about  four-fifths  of  all  the  coinage  of  the  United  States. 

On  all  coinages  of  the  San  Francisco  Mint,  the  initial  "S" 
appears  as  a  Mint-mark,  generally  on  the  Obverse,  but  some- 
times on  the  Reverse  of  the  coins. 

GOLD  COINAGE  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES. 

In  1849  the  first  Double  Eagle  coinage  of  the  United  State? 
was  struck ;  this  single  piece  was  placed  in  the  Cabinet  of  the 
Mint  at  Philadelphia. 

The  first  issue  to  the  public  took  place  in  1850. 

Obverse:  Bust  of  liberty;  hair  looped  up  in  a  roll  behind; 
stray  curls  hang  loosely  upon  the  neck ;  upon  the  forehead  a 
tiara,  with  "  liberty  "  inscribed ;  around  the  edge  thirteen 
stars.  Exergue:  "1849."  Reverse:  A  very  small  eagle,  its 
body  hidden  by  the  United  States  shield;  from  the  eagle's  beak 
depends  an  ornamented  scroll,  upon  which  is  inscribed  "e 
PLURIBUS  UNUM;"  in  left  talon  three  arrows,  in  right  an  olive 
branch ;  above,  a  circle  of  thirteen  stars,  crossed  by  diverging 
rays  of  the  sun.  I^egend :  "united  states  of  America." 
Exergue:  "twenty  d."  Weight:  516  grains.  Fineness: 
900. 

The  Double  Eagles  have  been  coined  in  great  numbers,  year 
after  year,  the  successive  dates  apj^earing  in  the  Exergue  on 
the  Obverse.  In  1866  a  change  was  made  on  the  Reverse,  the 
oval  of  stars  was  changed  in  form,  and  the  motto :  "  in  god 
we    trust,"    inscribed    within    it.      In    1877    the    Legend : 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA.  1075 

TWENTY  D.,"  in  the  Exergue  on  the  Reverse,  was  changed  to 
"  TWENTY  DOLLARS."     No  other  changes  have  been  made. 


DOUBLE   EAGLB  OP  TWENTY   DOLLARS. 

The  Double   Eagle  of  Twenty  Dollars,  gold,  is  equal   in 
value  to : 

20  Patakas  of  Abyssinia. 

30  Kwans  of  Annara. 

24  Piasters  of  Arabia. 

20  Pesos  Fuertes  of  the  Argentine  Republic. 

44  Florins,  15  Kreutzers  of  Austria. 
103  Francs,  62 J  Centimes  of  Belgium. 

20  Pesos,  7  Reals  of  Bolivia. 
36  Milreis,  697  Reis  of  Brazil. 

21  Pesos,  93  Centavos  of  Bogota. 

20  Dollars  of  Canada  and  British  possessions  of  North  America. 
2  Gold  Condors,  1  Peso,  93  Centavos  of  Chili. 

12  Taels,  4  Mace,  2  Candareens,  3  Cash  and  6  Haos  of  China. 

21  Pesos,  80  Centavos  of  Costa  Rica. 

21  Pesos,  62  Centavos  of  Cuba  and  Porto  Rico. 

36  Rigsdalers,  6  Marks,  4  Skillings  or  74  Kroner,  64  Ores, 

of  Denmark. 
21  Pesos,  80  Centavos  of  Ecuador. 
400  Piasters  of  Egypt. 

103  Francs,  62J  Centimes  of  France  and  French  possessions  in 
Africa. 
4  Pounds,  2  Shillings,  3  Pence  Sterling  of  Great  Britain  and 
Australia. 


1076  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

103  Drachmas,  62J  Leptas  of  Greece. 

84  Marks  of  tlie  German  Empire. 

21  Pezos,  80  Centabos  of  Guatemala. 

21  Dollars,  gold  of  Hayti. 

21  Pezas,  80  Centavos  of  Honduras. 

45  Rupees,  15  Annas  of  India. 
103  Lires,  62J  Centissirai  of  Italy. 

20  Yens,  6  Sens  of  Japan. 

20  Dollars,  gold  of  Liberia. 

50  Scudis  of  Malta. 

20  Dollars,  4  Centavos  of  Mexico. 
103  Lei,  62|  Ban  Paras  of  Moldavia,  Roumania  and  Wallachia. 

50  Guilders  of  the  Netherlands. 

20  Pesos  of  Paraguay. 

18  Milreis,  350  Reis  of  Portugal. 
27  Roubles,  25  Kopecks  Silver  of  Russia. 
8  Tomauns,  47  Abassis  of  Persia. 

21  Sols,  80  Centavos  of  Peru. 
251  Piasters,  75  Paras  of  Servia. 
32|  Silver  Ticals  of  Siara. 

103  Pesetas,  62|  Centimes  of  Spain. 

74  Ricksdaler  Ricksmynt,  64  Ores  of  Sweden  and  Norway. 
103  Francs,  62|  Rappens  of  Switzerland. 
200  Gurush  of  Tripoli. 
169  Piasters,  6  Kharoubs  of  Tunis. 
7  Tillas,  8  Tengas  of  Turkestan. 
465  Piasters,  10  Aspers  of  Turkey. 

2  Gold  Condors,  1  Peso,  80  Centavos  of  U.  S.  of  Colombia. 
21  Patacons  of  Uruguay. 
25  Pesos,  74  Centajos  of  Venezuela. 
20  Janurio  Dollars  of  Zanzibar. 
In  June,  1795,  the  first  coinage  of  Eagles  or  Ten  Dollar  gold 
pieces  occurred ;  they  were  of  916f  fineness  and  270  grains  in 
weight.     Value:  $10.50. 

Obverse :  The  Goddess  of  Liberty,  facing  to  the  right,  wear- 
ing a  rather  high  liberty  cap,  hair  flowing  loosely ;  around  the 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA. 


1077 


edge,  fifteen  six-pointed  stars ;  five  on  the  right,  and  ten  on  the 
left  of  the  Goddess  of  Liberty ;  Legend ;  "  liberty."  Ex- 
ergue: "1795.*' 


EAGLE  OF  lEN   DOLLARS. 


Reverse :  Eagle,  with  expanded  wings,  holding  in  itfi  beak  a 
laurel  wreath  and  grasping  a  palm  branch  with  both  talons; 
Legend  :  "  united  states  of  America." 

In  1796  the  Eagles  had  sixteen  stai-s  u|)on  the  Obverse,  eight 
upon  each  side  of  the  Goddess  of  Liberty.  It  was  the  original 
intention  to  add  an  additional  star  for  every  new  State ;  but  it 
was  concluded  to  abandon  the  practice  for  fear  that  the  stars 
would  become  too  numerous.  Fineness:  916J.  Weight:  270 
grains.     Value:  $10.50. 

In  1797  a  change  was  made. 


EAGLE  OF  TEN   DOLLARS. 


The  Obverse  remained  the  same  as  that  of  1796;  but  upon 
the  Reverse  the  following  change  was  made:  Eagle,  raised 
wings,  upon  its  breast  the  United  States  shield,,  holding  in  its 


1078  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

beak  a  scroll  with  "e  pluribus  unum"  inscribed  upon  it, 
gi*asping  in  its  right  talon  a  bundle  of  arrows ;  in  the  left  an 
olive  branch ;  above  the  eagle  thirteen  stars  and  clouds.  Le- 
gend:  "united  states  of  AMERICA."  Fineness:  91 6f. 
Weight:  270  grains. 

From  1798  to  1804,  inclusive,  the  stars  on  the  Obverse  were 
reduced  to  thirteen.  Fineness:  916|.  Weight:  270  grains. 
Value:  $10.50. 

From  1805  to  1837,  inclusive,  no  eagles  were  issued. 

June  28th,  1834,  an  act  of  Congress  was  passed,  by  which 
the  fineness  of  United  States  standard  gold  was  reduced  from 
91 6|  to  899.225,  and  the  weight  of  the  eagle  from  270  to  258 
grains.  This  was  done  to  favor  coinage  of  gold  and  prevent  its 
exportation  and  destruction :  United  States  gold  coin,  always 
at  a  premium  on  account  of  its  extra  fineness,  had  been  im- 
mediately exported  to  Europe  and  smelted. 


EAGLE  OP  TEN  DOLLARS. 

The  Half  Eagles  and  Quarter  Eagles  coined  under  the  act  of 
1834  were  called  "  Benton's  Mint  Drops,"  after  Senator  Benton, 
of  Missouri,  the  chief  advocate  of  the  new  measure. 

January  18th,  1837,  another  act  of  Congress  changed  the 
standard  of  the  gold  and  silver  coins  of  the  United  States  to 
900,  the  fineness  established  by  several  nations  of  Europe. 

Upon  this  change  of  standard  an  alteration  took  place  in  the 
device  of  the  eagles,  and  the  first  eagles  of  the  new  standard 
and  weight  were  issued  on  the  26th  day  of  December,  1838, 
having  on  the  Obverse,  Liberty  facing  left,  having  her  hair  tied 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA. 


1079 


in  a  loose  knot,  a  tiara  with  "  liberty  "  inscribed  upon  it : 
thirteen  stars  around  the  field  and  1838  in  Exergue.  Reverse: 
An  eagle  with  a  United  States  shield  upon  its  breast  and  up- 
lifted wings,  left  talon  three  arrows,  right,  olive  branch.     Le- 


EAGLE  OP  TEN   DOLLARS. 

gend:  *' united  states  of  America."     Exergue:  "tend." 
Weight :  258  grains.     Fineness :  900.     Scarce. 

No  alteration  occurred  until  1866,  when  upon  the  Reverse, 
over  the  head  of  eagle,  the  motto  "  in  ood  we  tbust  "  was 
added  in  a  scroll;  no  other  change  was  made.  Weight:  258 
grains.     Fineness:  900. 


EAGLE  OF  ten  DOLLARS. 

The  Eagle  of  Ten  Dollars  is  equal  in  value  tO! 

22  Florins,  7|  Kreutzers  of  Austria. 

51  Francs,  81  ^  Centimes  of  Belgium. 

18  Mil  Reis,  348|  Reis  of  Brazil. 

51  Francs,  81^  Centimes  of  France. 

42  Marks  of  the  German  Empire. 

2  <£.,  1  Shilling,  1|  Pence  of  Great  Britain. 
25  Guilders,  19  Stivers,  2J  Cents  of  Holland. 
51  Lires,  81^  Centissimi  of  Italy. 


1080 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


9  Mil  Reis,  175  Reis  of  Portugal. 
13  Roubles,  62J  Kopecks,  Silver  of  Russia. 
51  Pesetas,  81 J  Centimes  of  Spain. 
37  Crowns,  32  Ores  of  Sweden  and  Norway. 
51  Francs,  81 J  Rappens  of  Switzerland. 

The  first  return  of  gold  coins  from  the  United  States  Mint 
was  on  the  31st  day  of  July,  1795,  and  consisted  of  744  Half 
Eagles,  of  the  value  of  Five  Dollars  each.  Obverse:  A  female 
bust,  emblematic  of  Liberty,  facing  to  the  right,  wearing  a 
rather  high  liberty-cap,  hair  flying  loosely  about  it. 

Above  is  inscribed  the  word  "liberty;"  beneath,  "1795." 
To  the  left  of  the  effigy,  ten  stars,  and  to  the  right,  five,  fifteen 
in  all. 


HALF   EAGLE  OF  FIVE  DOLLAES. 

Reverse:  An  eagle,  with  expanded  wings,  holding  a  laurel 
wreath  in  its  beak,  and  grasping  a  palm  branch  with  both  talons. 
Legend:  "united  states  of  America."  Weight:  135 
grains.     Fineness:  916§.     Value:  $5.25. 

No  change  was  made  in  the  coinage  until  1797.  Obverse 
remained  the  same. 


HALF  EAGLE  OF  FIVE   DOLLARS. 

The  Revei*se  was  changed   to  an  eagle  with  raised  wings, 
holding  in  its  beak  a  scroll,  inscribed  "e  pluribus  unum," 


U.  S.   OF  AMERICA. 


1081 


and  grasping  in  the  right  talon  a  bundle  of  arrows,  and  in  the 
left  an  olive  branch.  Upon  its  breast  is  the  United  States 
shield.  Above  the  eagle  are  clouds  and  thirteen  stars.  Le- 
gend :  "  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA."  Weight :  135  grains. 
Fineness:  916§.     Value:  $5.25. 

No  further  changes  were  made  until  the  first  issue  of  the  new 
type,  which  took  place  on  the  30th  of  September,  1807.  Ob- 
verse :  A  bust  of  Liberty,  facing  to  the  left,  wearing  a  liberty- 
cap,  upon  the  band  of  which  is  inscribed  "liberty."  Exergue: 
"  1807."  To  the  left  of  effigy  are  seven  stars,  to  the  right,  six, 
thirteen  in  all. 


HALF    EAGLE  OP   FIVE   DOLLARS. 

Eeverse:  An  eagle,  with  its  wings  expanded,  the  United 
States  shield  upon  its  breast.  In  the  left  talon  three  arrows,  in 
the  right  an  olive  branch."  Ab©ve  the  eagle  is  displayed  a  scroll, 
inscribed  "e  pluribus  unum."  Legend:  "united  states 
OF  AMERICA."  Exergue :  "  5  d."  The  value  of  United  States 
gold  coins  was  stamped  upon  them  for  the  first  time  in  1807. 
Weight:  135  grains.     Fineness:  916§.     Value:  $5.25. 

In  1813,  the  Obverse  was  changed  to  a  head  of  Liberty,  with 
thirteen  stars  arranged  in  an  arch  above  it  and  around  the  edge 
,of  the  coin.     Exergue :  "  1813." 


^^%xs- 


HALF  EAGLE  OF   FIVE  DOLLARS. 


1082  DYE'S  com  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Reverse:  Unchanged.  Weight:  135  grains.  Fineness: 
916§.     Value:  $5.25. 

In  1814  and  1815  (only  five  or  six  known  of  1815),  same 
devices  and  legends. 

In  1816  and  1817,  there  was  no  gold  coinage. 

In  1818,  the  old  devices  and  legends  were  resumed,  and  con- 
tinued until  1833,  inclusive.  Weight:  135  grains.  Fineness: 
916t.     Value:  $5.25. 

Upon  the  change  of  standard  in  1834,  another  alteration 
took  place  in  the  type  of  the  gold  coinage.  Up  to  June,  1834, 
they  continued  the  same  as  before,  but  the  change  of  standard 
having  taken  place  in  that  month,  the  type  was  changed,  in  order 
to  distinguish  the  new  standard  from  the  old,  merely  by  sight. 

The  Obverse  similar  to  the  old  coin,  except  that  the  liberty- 
cap  is  removed  from  the  head  of  the  Goddess  of  Liberty,  and 
instead,  the  hair  is  confined  by  a  band  inscribed  with  the  word 
"liberty." 


HALF  EAGLE  OF   FIVE  DOLLAES. 

Reverse :  Same  as  the  old  coin,  except  the  scroll  bearing  the 
motto  "e  pluribus  unum,"  is  omitted.  Weight  reduced  from 
135  grains  to  129  grains,  and  the  Fineness  from  91 6f  to  899- 
.225  fine.     Value:  $5.00. 

By  Act  of  Congress,  January  18th,  1837,  the  fineness  of 
United  States  coin  was  raised  to  900.  Near  the  end  of  the 
year  1838,  a  change  of  device  was  made,  but  none  of  these 
pieces  were  issued  until  1839.  Obverse:  A  bust  of  Liberty, 
the  shoulders  undraped.  The  hair  in  a  roll  l)ehind,  entwined 
floating  ribbons.  Two  curls  hang  loose  upon  the  neck.  Upon 
the  brow  a  tiara,  with  "  liberty  "  inscribed  upon  it.  Around 
the  edge  thirteen  stars.     Exergue  :  Date  of  issue. 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA.  1083 

Reverse:  Same  as  since  1807,  except  that  "5  d"  in  the  Ex- 
ergue was  changed  to  "  five  d."  Weight :  129  grains.  Fine- 
nes.s:  900. 


HALF  EAGLE  OF   FIVE  DOLLARS. 


From  1839  down  to  1866  no  alteration  was  made. 

In  1866,  upon  the  Reverse,  over  the  head  of  the  eagle,  the 
motto,  "in  god  we  trust,"  was  added.  No  other  change  was 
made.     Weiglit :  129  grains.     Fineness :  900. 


HALF   eagle   OF   FIVE   DOLLARS. 

The  Half  Eagle  of  Five  Dollars  is  equal  in  value  to: 

11  Florins,  3f  Kreutzers  of  Austria. 
25  Francs,  90f  Centimes  of  Belgium. 

9  Mil  Reis,  174 J  Reis  of  Brazil. 
25  Francs,  90f  Centimes  of  France. 
21  Marks  of  the  German  Empire. 

1  £,  Q^  Pence  of  Great  Britain. 

12  Guilders,  19  Stivers,  3|  Cents  of  Holland. 
25  Lires,  90f  Centissimi  of  Italy. 

4  Mil  Reis,  587|  Reis  of  Portugal. 

6  Roubles,  81|^  Kopecks  of  Russia. 
25  Pesetas,  90f  Centimes  of  Spain. 
18  Crowns,  66|  Ores  of  Sweden,  Norway,  and  Denmark. 
25  Francs,  90f  Rappens  of  Switzerland. 


1086  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Liberty,  the  hair  being  confined  by  a  band,  upon  which  is 
inscribed  "  liberty." 


QUARTER   EAGLE  OP  TWO  DOLLARS  AND  A   HALF. 

Reverse :  Same  as  the  old  coin,  with  the  exception  that  the 
scroll  bearing  the  motto  "e  pluribus  unum"  is  omitted. 
Weight:  64.500  grains.     Fineness:  899.225. 

In  1839  the  Quarter  Eagle  reappeared,  device  of  1834. 
Fineness  changed.  Act  of  January  18th,  1837,  to  900. 

In  1840  a  change  was  made.  Obverse:  A  bust  emblematic 
of  Liberty ;  the  shoulders  undraped.  The  hair  is  looped  in  a 
roll  behind,  and  entwined  with  beads ;  a  couple  of  stray  curls 
bang  loosely  upon  the  neck.  Upon  the  front  of  the  head  a 
tiara,  with  "  liberty  "  inscribed  upon  the  same.  Around  the 
edge  thirteen  stars.     Exergue:  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 


quarter    eagle  of  two   dollars  AKD  a   HALF. 

Reverse    remained    unchanged.      Weight :    64.500    grains. 
Fineness:  900. 


quarter  eagle  of  two  dollars  and  a  half. 

The  Quarter  Eagle  of  Two  Dollars  and  a  Half  is  equal  to : 
5  Florins,  51  f  Kreutzers  of  Austria. 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA.  1087 

12  Francs,  95/g  Centimes  of  Belgium. 

4  Mil  Reis,  857  Reis  of  Brazil. 
12  Francs,  95j*6  Centimes  of  France. 
10  Marks,  50  Pfennige  of  the  German  Empire. 
10  Shillings,  3|  Pence  of  Great  Britain. 

6  Guilders,  9  Stivers,  4|  Cents  of  Holland. 
12  Lires,  95j*6  Centissimi  of  Italy. 

2  Mil  Reis,  193|  Reis  of  Portugal. 

3  Roubles,  4 Of  Kopecks,  Silver  of  Russia. 
12  Pesetas,  95  i*6  Centimes  of  Spain. 

9  Crowns,  33  J  Ores  of  Sweden  and  Norway. 

12  Francs,  95i*s  Rappens  of  Switzerland. 

In  1854  a  new  coin  made  its  appearance;  namely,  the  Three 
Dollar  Gold  Piece.  Obverse:  A  graceful  Indiau  head,  a 
feathered  crown,  inscribed  "liberty"  upon  the  band.  Le- 
gend :   "  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA." 


THREE  DOLLARS. 

Reverse:  "3  Dollars,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
The  whole  surrounded  by  a  wreath  of  the  leaves  of  the  tobacco 
plant  and  cereals.  No  change  has  been  made  since.  Weight: 
77.400  grains.     Fineness  :  900. 

The  Three  Dollar  Gold  Piece  is  equal  in  value  to: 

6  Florins,  62^  Kreutzers  of  Austria. 
15  Francs,  M^6\  Centimes  of  Belgium. 

5  Mil  Reis,  604,Vo  Reis  of  Brazil. 
15  Francs,  504  ,Vo  Centimes  of  France. 
12  Marks,  61  Pfennige  of  the  German  Empire. 
12  Shillings,  4  Pence  of  Great  Britain. 

7  Guilders,  10  Stivers  of  Holland. 
15  Francs,  54,Vo  Centissimi  of  Italy. 


1086  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Liberty,  the  hair  being  confined  by  a  band,  upon  which  is 
inscribed  "  LIBERTY." 


QUARTER   EAGLE   OP   TWO   DOLLARS   AND   A    HALF. 

Reverse :  Same  as  the  old  coin,  M'ith  the  exception  that  the 
scroll  bearing  the  motto  "e  pluribus  unum"  is  omitted. 
AVeight :  64.500  grains.     Fineness  :  899.225. 

In  1839  the  Quarter  Eagle  reappeared,  device  of  1834. 
Fineness  changed.  Act  of  January  18th,  1837,  to  900. 

In  1840  a  change  was  made.  Obverse:  A  bust  emblematic 
of  Liberty ;  the  shoulders  undraped.  The  hair  is  loopetl  in  a 
roll  behind,  and  entwined  with  beads;  a  couple  of  stray  curls 
hang  loosely  upon  the  neck.  Upon  the  front  of  the  head  a 
tiara,  with  "  liberty  "  inscribed  upon  the  same.  Around  the 
edge  thirteen  stars.     Exergue :  Date  of  the  year  of  issue. 


quarter    eagle  of  TWO   DOLLARS  AITD  A   HALF. 

Reverse    remained    unchanged.      Weight :    64.500    grains. 
Fineness:  900. 


QUARTER   EAGLE   OF   TWO   DOLLARS   AND   A    HALF. 

The  Quarter  Eagle  of  Two  Dollars  and  a  Half  is  equal  to : 
5  Florins,  51  f  Kreutzers  of  Austria. 


C7.  >S'.  OF  AMERICA.  1087 

12  Francs,  95/^  Centimes  of  Belgium. 

4  Mil  Reis,  857  Reis  of  Brazil. 
12  Francs,  95i*6  Centimes  of  France. 
10  Marks,  50  Pfennige  of  the  German  Empire. 
10  Shillings,  3|  Pence  of  Great  Britain. 

6  Guilders,  9  Stivers,  4f  Cents  of  Holland. 
12  Lires,  95i*6  Centissimi  of  Italy. 

2  Mil  Reis,  193f  Reis  of  Portugal. 

3  Roubles,  40|  Kopecks,  Silver  of  Russia. 
12  Pesetas,  95  i^  Centimes  of  Spain. 

9  Crowns,  33|  Ores  of  Sweden  and  Norway. 

12  Francs,  95i*6  Rappens  of  Switzerland. 

In  1854  a  new  coin  made  its  appearance;  namely,  the  Three 
Dollar  Gold  Piece.  Obverse:  A  graceful  Indian  head,  a 
feathered  crown,  inscribed  "liberty"  upon  the  band.  Le- 
gend :   "  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA." 


THREE  DOLLARS. 

Reverse:  "3  Dollars,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue. 
The  whole  surrounded  by  a  wreath  of  the  leaves  of  the  tobacco 
plant  and  cereals.  No  change  has  been  made  since.  Weight: 
77.400  grains.     Fineness  :  900. 

The  Three  Dollar  Gold  Piece  is  equal  in  value  to: 

6  Florins,  62  J  Kreutzers  of  Austria. 
15  Francs,  54iVs  Centimes  of  Belgium. 

5  Mil  Reis,  504,Vo  Reis  of  Brazil. 
15  Francs,  504  ,Vo  Centimes  of  France. 
12  Marks,  61  Pfennige  of  the  German  Empire. 
12  Shillings,  4  Pence  of  Great  Britain. 

7  Guilders,  10  Stivers  of  Holland. 
15  Francs,  54i»jfo  Centissimi  of  Italy. 


1088  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

918  Reis  of  Portugal. 

4  Roubles,  8|  Kopecks,  Silver  of  Russia. 

15  Pesetas,  54 ^^^q  of  Spain. 

11  Crowns,  20  Ores  of  Sweden  and  Norway. 

15  Francs,  54  iVo  of  Switzerland. 

In  1849  the  One  Dollar  Gold  Piece  was  added  to  the  coin: 
age. 

The  Obverse :  A  female  head  emblematic  of  Liberty,  hair 
loosely  tied  in  a  knot,  on  the  forehead  a  tiara,  with  "liberty" 
inscribed  upon  it;  around  it,  in  a  circle,  thirteen  stars. 


ONE  DOLLAE. 

Reverse :  "  1  dollar,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue, 
surrounded  by  two  branches  of  laurel,  crossed  and  tied.  Le- 
gend :  "  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA."  Weight :  25.800 
grains.     Fineness:  900. 

This  dollar,  aft€r  a  few  years  of  trial,  was  found  too  small  in 
diameter,  and  many  complaints  were  made  against  it  on  that 
account. 

In  1854,  therefore,  an  alteration  was  made  in  the  size  of  the 
dollar  gold  piece;  larger  in  diameter,  it  is  of  a  proportionate 
decrease  in  thickness.  The  Obverse  bears  a  beautiful  Indian 
female  head,  crowned  with  feathers;  upon  the  band  encircling 
the  head  and  feathers  the  word  "  liberty  "  is  inscribed.  Le- 
gend :   "  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERIOA." 


ONE  DOLLAR. 

Reverse :  "  1  dollar,"  and  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue ;  the 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA.  1089 

whole  surrounded  by  a  wreath  of  cereals.    No  change  has  since 
been  made. 

The  Dollar  is  equal  in  value  to : 

1  Patack  of  Abyssinia. 

1  Kwan,  5  Mas  of  Annam. 

1  Piaster,  16  Ca veers  of  Arabia. 

1  Peso  Fuerte  of  the  Argentine  Republic. 

2  Florins,  20f  Kreutzers  of  Austria. 

5  Francs,  ISj'o'o  Centimes  of  Belgium. 
1  Peso,  3J  Centavos  of  Bolivia. 

1  Mil  Reis,  834  iVo  Reis  of  Brazil. 
1  Peso,  9iV5  Centavos  of  Bogota. 

1  Dollar  of  Canada,  and  the  other  British  Provinces  of 
North  America. 

1  Peso,  9iVo  Centavos  of  Chili. 

6  Mace,  2  Candareens,  1  Cash,  1  Hao,  8  Tse  of  China. 
1  Peso,  SjVo  Centavos  of  Costa  Rica. 

1  Peso,  8  ,'o  Centavos  (gold)  of  Cuba  and  Porto  Rico. 

1  Rigsdaler,  5  Marks,  2  Shillings  of  Denmark. 

1  Peso,  8  ,Vo  Centavos  of  Equador. 

20  Piasters  of  Egypt. 

6  Francs,  18iVo  Centimes  of  France  and  French  Possessions 
in  Africa. 

4  Shillings,  IJ  Penny  Sterling  of  Great  Britain  and  Aus- 
tralia. 

4  Marks,  20  Pfennige  of  the  German  Empire. 

5  Drachmas,  18iVo  Leptas  of  Greece. 
1  Peso,  8iVo  Centavos  of  Guatemala. 
1  Dollar,  5  Centimes  (gold)  of  Hayti. 

1  Pezo,  8iVo  Centavos  of  Honduras. 

2  Rupees,  4  Annas,  9  Pice  of  India. 
5  Lires,  18iVo  Centissimi  of  Italy. 

1  Yen,  I'o  of  a  Sen  of  Japan. 

1  Dollar,  gold,  of  Liberia. 

2  Scudi,  6  Tari  of  Malta. 

1  Dollar,  1*0  of  a  Centavo  of  Mexico. 
3R 


1090  DYE'S    COIN  ENCYGLOPjEDIA. 

» 

5  IJfi,  I81V0  Ban  Para  of  Moldavia,  Roumania,  and  Wal- 
lachia. 

2  Guilders,  10  Stivers  of  the  Netherlands, 
1  Peso  of  Paraguay. 

22  Abassi,  1  Shatree  of  Persia. 
1  Sol,  8,Vo  Ceutavos  of  Peru. 
967, Vo  Reisof  Portugal. 

1  Rouble,  36^  Kopecks,  silver,  of  Russia. 

1  Peso,  81V0  Centavos  of  San  Salvador. 

12  Piasters,  47|  Para  of  Servia. 

If  Silver  Ticals  of  Slam. 

5  Pesetas,  18^'o  Centimes  of  Spain. 

3  Ricksdaler  Ricksmynt,  73^  Ores  of  Sweden  and  Norway. 
5  Francs,  18i'g'o  Rappens  of  Switzerland. 

10  Gurush  of  Tripoli. 

8  Piasters  of  Tunis. 

7  Tengas,  33  Pool  of  Turkestan. 

23  Piasters,  25  J  Aspers  of  Turkey. 

1  Patacon,  5j'o  Ceuta\t)s  of  Uruguay, 

1  Peso,  28 1'ij  Centajos  of  Venezuela. 

1  Janurio  Dollar  of  Zanzibar. 

The  constantly  changing  prices  at  which  coins  are  sold  at 
public  auction  and  private  sales,  render  it  a  work  of  extreme 
difficulty  to  give  the  market  value  of  each  piece ;  we  can,  how- 
ever, approximate  the  values  sufficiently  to  present  the  buying 
prices  of  our  country's  coinage,  and  with  this  view  we  have 
had  prepared  the  following  and  other  tables  of  prices,  be- 
lieving that  the  reader  will  find  it  a  valuable  guide  for  the 
preservation  of  the  rare  and  fine  coins  found  among  the  mediums 
of  exchange  that  pass  from  hand  to  hand.  To  Bankers,  Brok- 
ers, Storekeepers,  and  other  branches  of  the  business  communi- 
ties of  this  country  as  well  as  to  the  numismatists,  the  following 
schedule  of  American  pieces  and  prices  will  have  a  special  in- 
terest. (Double  Eagles,  Assay  pieces,  etc.,  command  a  small 
premium.) 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA. 


1091 


Approximate  Fictitious  Value  op  the  American  Co- 
lonial AND  United  States  Coinages,  prepared  expressly 
for  "  Dye's  Coin  Encyclopaedia  "  by  Mason  &  Co.,  Coin 
Dealers,  32  North  13th  street,  Philadelphia. 

PRICES  PAID  FOR  UNITED  STATES  GOLD 
COINS. 


Dekom. 


UKagle. 
■^  Kagle. 
EaRle. 
V^  Kagle. 
i/i  iBagle. 
'i  KHgle. 
Kagle. 
KiiKle. 
]4  Kagle. 
U  K"gle. 
k  Kagc. 
k  a«gle. 
Kai;le. 
Kiiglx. 
U  Kagle. 

li  i:agK-. 
Kiigle. 
14  Kagle. 
Eagle. 
14  Kagle. 
i<^le. 
Eagle. 
]4  l-ivgle. 
\i  VMg\e. 
Eagif. 

'A  liag'e- 
Eagle. 
y.  Eagle. 
\4  l'>«gle. 
'<  Eagle. 

\i  '•:"g>«'- 
'4  •■■*gi'- 

«^  Eagle. 
U  Ea^le. 
\i  F^agle. 
1^  l^igle. 
1^  Kagle. 
U  EMgle. 
k  l-agle. 
'A  ^aKl«• 
k  Kngl*'. 
U  Eagle. 
V|  Kagle. 
k  Kagle. 
k  Eag'"- 


Remarks. 


Small  Eagle. 
8in:ill  Kagle. 
Lai^e  l-^gle. 
6  stars  lacing. 


With  stars. 
No  8tai>. 
i>  stars  facing. 
i  Htars  facing. 
IC  Bt irs. 
15  stars. 
LargK  Eagle. 

G  stars  facing. 
4  stars  fiiciiig. 
Large  Eagle, 
^mall  Eagle. 


4  varietiec. 


Roman  Head. 
Urecian  Head. 


I.Arge  date. 
Small  date. 


BuYixo  Prick. 


111.00  to$13.0flj 

B.OO  to  7.00 

8.00  to  10.00 

12.00  to  13.50 

«.00  to  8.0JJ 

7.00  to  9.0Ui 

8  00  to  10.00, 

11.00  to  1.3.00 

13.00  to  15.00 

7.00  to  8.5' 

8.00  t»  10.00 

7.00  to  8  00 

4.00  to  6.00 

11.00  to  12  0. 

12.00  to  14.00 

6.00  to  7.00 

7.00  to  8.00 

6.00  to  6.00 

10.25  to  10.60 
5.60  ti>  coo 

10.26  to  lti.{0 
6.5tt  to  6.00 

10.25  to  1U.69 

ll.dOto  12.00 

5.25  to  5.:$.' 
3.76  to  4.50 

10.60  to  11.00 

6.26  to  5.50 
10.60 'o  11.00 

6.50  to  6.50 

5.-26  to  5.50 

3  50  to  4.'>0 

6.25  to  TM 

3  50  to  4.76 

6.25  to  6..^i0 

6..MI  to  6.0U 

3.50  to  4  75 

6.25  to  6.50 

4.00  to  8.00 

6.50  to  6.IH) 

6.25  to  6.76 
6.6i>  to  6.00 
6..'i0  to  6.00 

6.26  to  6.50 
6.2.'>  to  5  50 
6.60  to  6.60 

25.00  to  60.00 


1818 
1M9 
l8-.i0 
jl821 
11821 
!lfi22 
1823 
1824 
1824 
18z5 
1826 
I82C 
1826 
1827 
1S27 
182& 
1829 
1829 
18.i« 
18;iO 
1831 

i8;n 

1832 
1832 
1833 
1*^3:1 
1834 
18.;4 
1834 
1834 


1835 
18S8 
183S 

1876 


DmOM. 


14  Kagle. 
k  l-^agle. 

k  K«gl«- 
^  Kagle. 

14  K«gl«- 
«  Kagle. 
(4  Fiagle. 
y.  Kagl.'. 

V<  Kagle. 

ii  Kagle. 

k  Eagle. 

Kaule. 


V,  Kagle. 
1^  Eagle. 
y  Kagle. 
k  Kagle. 
'xl  Kxgle- 
U  Eagle. 
\4  Kagle. 

Kagle. 

Kagle. 

l-:«gle. 

Kagle. 

Eagle. 

h^le. 
Si  Eagle. 
\4  Kagle. 
.,  Eagle. 
%  Eagle. 


RnuKu. 


Eagle. 


Motto. 

No  Motto. 

No  Motto. 

Motto. 
From  this 
date  up  to 
1838  the  va. 
rioui  pieces 
only  val'ble 
as  proofs. 


Bcriifo  Psics. 


$5.26  to 
7.00  to 
6.00  to 
7.00  to 
4.0Ota 

10.00  to 
COO  to 
8.00  to 
6.00  to 
6.00  to 
3.60  to 
".OOto 
3.00  to 
7.00  to 
8.0UtO 
8.00  to 
0.00  to 
S.OOlo 
7.60  to 

2.75  to 
eJiOtO 

2.76  to 
5.60  to 

2.75  to 
6.60  to 
2.60  to 
6.60  to 
6.00  to 
2  60  to 

2.76  to 


85.50 
9.00 
8.00 

is.oor 
8.ua 

10.(19 
8.00 

4.Sti^ 

8.U» 
3.7A 

8.0O 
4.0U 
10.00 
7.00 
3,50 
8.»0 
3.00 
7.50 
3.00 
6.U0 
3.00 
6.2» 
2.75 
600 
6.10 
2M 
3.00 


10.60  to  lUO 


1092 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


PRIVATE  GOLD  COINAGK 

CALIFORNIA  COINS. 

Previous  to  the  establishment  of  the  Branch  Mint,  at  San 
Francisco,  in  1854,  many  private  refineries  and  companies 
struck  gold  coins  of  various  denomination. 

In  1850,  by  Act  of  Congress,  the  United  States  Assay  Office 
was  established  in  San  Francisco,  and  the  following  coins  were 
issued  from  that  office : 


THE   CALIFORNIA  SLUGS. 

This  coin,  of  which  there  are  two  varieties,  is  of  an  octagon 
shape.  The  first  variety  has  an  eagle,  with  raised  wings,  grasp- 
ing the  United  States  shield,  three  arrows  in  the  right,  and  an 
olive  branch  in  the  left  talon ;  from  its  beak  floats  a  scroll,  in- 
scribed with  the  word  "liberty;"  above  the  eagle  is  another 
scroll,  with  "887  thous."  inscribed  upon  it.  Legend :  "united 
STATES  OF  AMERICA."  Exergue:  "  50  D.  c."  {I^fly  Dollars  of 
California).  These  are  inclosed  in  a  beaded  circle,  and,  though 
in  relief,  are  sunk  into  the  piece  in  such  a  manner  as  to  leave  a 
raised  rim  around  the  outside.     Upon  the  edge  is  inscribed : 

"AUGUSTUS   HUMBERT,  UNITED  STATES  ASSAYER,  CALIFORNIA 
GOLD,  1851." 

The  second  variety  is  similar  in  type,  but  is  much  more 
finished.  Upon  the  scroll,  above  the  eagle,  is  inscribed  :  "880 
THOUS. J "  around,  the  Legend:  "united  states  of  America." 


V.  S.  OF  AMERICA.  1093 

Exergue :  "  50  d.  c."  The  raised  rim  does  not  appear  upon 
this  piece;  but  outside  of  the  circular  line,  inclosed  in  the  field, 
is  inscribed :  "Augustus  Humbert,  united  states  assayer 
OF  GOLD,  CALIFORNIA,  1851."  The  edge  is  grained.  Upon 
the  Reverse,  in  the  middle  of  the  field  "50,"  surrounded  by 
rays  of  peculiar  lining.  Weight:  1319.312  grains.  Fineness: 
880  and  887.     Value :  $49.85  and  $50.00. 

Considerable  controversy  has  existed  for  years  regarding  the 
afore-described  "California  Slugs."  Some  writers  on  ooiiis 
maintain  that  they  were  of  the  authorized  United  States  coinage, 
while  others  dispute  the  same.  To  settle  this  vexed  question, 
we  appealed  to  Director  Linderraan,  of  the  United  States  Mint. 
His  letter,  which  we  print  in  full,  settles  the  matter  conclu- 
sively: 

Teeasuky  Depabtmekt, 
Office  of  the  Diebctob  of  the  Mint. 
Washington,  D.  C,  May  1, 1878. 
Sib  :— I  have,  received  your  letter  of  the  30th  ultimo,  requesting  to  be  informed 
if  the  $50  California  Slug  is  an  authorized  United  States  coin. 

The  piece  referred  to  i«  not  an  authorized  United  States  coin,  but  cimply  A 
slug  or  bar  with  the  United  States  stemp,  indicating  the  degree  of  fineness  and 
value,  affixed  by  the  United  States  Assayer,  appointed  by  authority  of  law,  to 
"  perform  such  duties  in  assaying  and  fixing  the  value  of  gold  in  grain  and  lump, 
and  in  forming  the  same  into  bars,  as  shall  be  prescribed  by  the  Secretary  of  the 
Treasury."  Very  respectfully, 

H-  E.  LINDBEMAN, 

DireeUyr. 
John  S.  Dye,  Esq., 

1338  Chestnut  Street, 

Philadelphia,  —•> 

2.  Twenty-five  Dollars  of  California. 


*^V/ENTFPjp, 


1094 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


Issued  by  Templeton  Reid,  whose  name  appears  upon  the 
Obverse;  of  variable  standard,  and  ranging  in  value  from 
^23.50  to  125.00. 

3.  Twenty  Dollars,  issued  by  Humbert.  Obverse :  Same  as 
the  Fifty  Dollar  piece,  with  the  exception  that  upon  the  scroll 
"900"  appears.  The  Reverse  is  similarly  lined;  but  across 
the  centre  is  an  open  space  on  which  is  inscribed  "united 

STATES  ASSAY  OFFICE  OF  GOLD,  SAN  FRANCISCO,  CALIFORNIA, 

1863."     The  edge  is  grained.     Weight:  517. G24  grains.     Fine- 
ness: 900.     Value:  $20. 

4.  California  Half-Doilar.     5.  California  Quarter-Dollar. 


Value :  40  cents. 


Value :  20  cents. 


For  several  years  gold  Half  and  Quarter-Dollars  were  is- 
sued; the  Half-Dollar  of  the.  first  issue  was  of  a  round  shape, 
and  had  upon  the  Obverse  a  head  of  Liberty,  surrounded  by  a 
circle  of  thirteen  stars.  Some  have  upon  the  Reverse  "1852," 
within  a  wreath  of  laurel.  Legend:  "half  dol.  California 
GOLD."  Others  have  the  date  "  1853,"  and  the  Legend:  "Cal- 
ifornia GOLD.  HALF  D."  The  Half  and  Quarter-Dollars 
were  issued  by  private  parties.  Obverse :  Head  of  Liberty, 
encircled  by  stars.  Reverse:  "J  dollar,"  and  the  date  of 
the  year  of  issue,  within  a  circle  of  pellets.  The  Quarter- 
Dollar  has  the  same  devices  and  Legends,  with  the  exoeption 
of  "i  dollar"  instead  of  |  Dollar. 

6.  Twenty  Dollars,  or  Double  Eagle  of  the  Pacific  Co. 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA.  1095 

The  Legend :  "  s.  M.  v.  California  gold,"  stands  for 
Standard  Mint  Value;  nevertheless,  the  weight  and  fineness  of 
this  coin  varies  so  much,  that  $19.22|  has  proved  to  be  the 
average  value  of  25  coins  assayed  at  the  Assay  office  of  the 
United  States,  in  San  Francisco. 

7.  Ten  Dollar  piece  of  the  Pacific  Co. 


The  Obverse  of  this  piece  bears  an  eagle  flying,  across  the 
field,  grasping  an  olive  branch  in  the  right,  and  a  hammer  in 
the  left  talon.  Legend:  "pacific  company,  California." 
Exergue:  "1849."  Reverse:  A  liberty  cap,  surrounded  by 
diverging  rays  and  stars.  Exergue:  "10  dollars."  Weight: 
229  grains.     Fineness :  797.     Value :  $7.86. 

8.  Five  Dollars  of  the  Pacific  Co. 


The  Obverse  and  Reverse  are  similar  to  No.  7-     Weight : 
130  grains.     Fineness :  797.     Value :  $4.48. 
9.  Ten  Dollar  gold  pieces  of  Baldwin  &  Co. 


1096 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


Obverse :  Indian  on  horseback,  throwing  a  lasso.  Legend : 
" CALIFORNIA  GOLD."  Exergue :" TEN  DOLLARS."  Reverse: 
An  eagle,  in  imitation  of  the  National  coinage.  Legend: 
"BALDWIN  &  CO."  Exergue:  "san  francisco."  Weight: 
263  grains.     Fineness :  880.     Value :  $9.96. 

30.  Five  Dollar  gold  piece  of  Baldwin  &  Co.  Obverse: 
Head  of  Liberty,  same  as  on  the  National  gold  coinage,  with 
the  exception  that  instead  of  the  word  "  liberty,"  "  Baldwin 
&  CO.,"  appears  upon  the  tiara.  Reverse  :  "  S.  m.  v.  {Standard 
Mint  Value)  California  gold."  Weight:  128  and  130 
gmins.  Fineness:  880.  Value:  at  from  $4.90  to  $4.92|. 
All  the  coins  of  Baldwin  &  Co.  contain  copper  as  alloy,  while 
most  of  the  California  coins  are  usually  alloyed  with  native 
silver. 

11.  Ten  Dollar  gold  piece  of  Augustus  Humbert. 


Weight:  260  grains.     Fineness:  884.     Value:  $9.96. 

12.  Ten  Dollar  gold  piece  of  Moffat  &  Co.  This  company 
coined  money  for  a  number  of  years;  their  first  coins  bear  the 
date  of  1849,  and  some  are  stamped  with  1854.     Obverse  and 


Reverse  similar  to  the  devices  of  the  National  Double  Eagle, 
with  exception  only  that  "moffat  &  CO."  takes  the  place  of  the 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA,  1097 

word   "liberty"   upon   the  tiara.     Weight,   Fineness,  and 
Value  :  Same  as  the  United  States  coinage. 

13.  Ten  Dollar  gold  piece  of  Moffat  &  Co. 

Weight:  258.250  grains.     Fineness:   897.     Value:  $9.97- 
.700. 

14.  Five  Dollar  gold  piece  of  Moffat  &  Co. 


Obverse  and  Reverse  of  same  type  as  No.  13,  and  value  in 
proportion. 

Messrs.  Moffat  &  Co.  also  issued  gold  ingots  for  circulation 
in  California,  bearing  the  stamp  of  Moffat  <fe  Co.  upon  one  side, 
and  the  fineness  in  carats  and  value  stamped  upon  the  Reverse. 
These  ingots  of  21|  carats  were  of  the  intrinsic  value  of  $16.00, 
and  those  of  20f  carats,  $9.43. 

15.  Ten  Dollar  gold  piece  of  the  Oregon  Exchange  Co. 
Obverse :  A  beaver  in  the  middle  of  the  field,  beneath  which 
is  inscribed  "o.  T."  {Oregon  Territory)^  and  the  date,  "1849," 
as  Exergue.  Legend  :  "  k.  m.  t.  p.  c.  8."  (the  initials  of  the 
persons  composing  said  company). 


Reverse:  "10  d.  20  g."  (10  dineros,  20  granos,  equal  to  878 
fine),  "native  gold  10  d."  (10  dollars).  Legend:  " Oregon 
EXCHANGE  CO."  Weight:  255  grains.  Fineness:  878. 
Value:  $9.70. 


1098 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA, 


16.  The  Five  Dollar  gold  piece  of  the  Oregon  Exchange  Co. 
is  similar  in  device  and  Legend  to  No.  15. 


1  3  0  r, . - 

■  NATIVE ;;; 

v;     COLD.    ^ 


Fineness:  878.     Value:  H84J. 
f  Temnleton  Keid. 


Weight:  130  grains.     Fineness:  878. 
17.  Ten  Dollar  piece  of  Templeton  Reid, 


B  18  49  ! 


Value:  $9.85. 

18.  Ten  Dollar  gold  piece  of  Dr.  J.  S.  Orrasby,  of  Penn- 
sylvania, coined  during  his  sojourn  on  the  Pacific  coast. 


,g  .J.S.0   S 


Obverse:  "10  dollars,"  in  the  middle  of  the  field,  sur- 
rounded by  a  circle  of  thirty-one  stars.  Reverse:  "j.  s.  o,"  in 
the  middle  of  the  field,  initials  of  Dr.  J.  S.  Ormsby.  Legend  : 
•* UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA."  Exergue:  "CAL."  Weight: 
258.500  grains.     Fineness:  842.     Value:  $9.37. 

19.  Ten  Dollar  gold  piece  of  Dubosque  &  Co. 

Obverse  and  Reverse  similar  to  the  National  coinage  of  that 
denomination.     Value:  $9.85. 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA. 


1099 


20.  Ten  Dollar  gold  piece  of  the  Cincinnati  Mining  and 
Trading  Co. 


Obverse:  An  Indian  bust,  head  crowned  with  feathers.  Le- 
gend: "CINCINNATI  MINING  AND  TRADING  COMPANY."  Re- 
verse :  An  eagle  in  flight,  grasping  United  States  shield  in  his 
right,  and  three  arrows  and  olive  branch  in  the  left  talon.  Le- 
gend :     "CALIFORNIA    TEN    DOLLARS."       ExergUC :     "1849." 

Weight :  258  grains.     Value :  $9.70. 

21.  Five  Dollar  gold  piece  of  the  Cincinnati  Mining  and 
Trading  Co. 


Obverse  and  Reverse:  Similar  lo  No.  20.  "Weight:  132 
grains.     Value:  $4.95. 

22.  Ten  Dollars  of  the  Miners'  Bank  of  San  Francisco. 

Obverse:  "ten  d."  in  the  middle  of  the  field.  Legend: 
"MINERS  BANK."  Excrguc :  " SAN  FRANCISCO."  Reverse: 
An  eagle,  similar  to  the  National  coinage.     Legend:  "CALI- 


1100 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


TEN.   D. 


PORNIA,"  beneath  are  thirteen  stars,  arranged  around  the  edge. 
Weight :  263.500  grains.     Fineness :  865.     Value :  $9.87. 
23.  Five  Dollar  gold  piece  of  N.  G.  &  N. 


Weight  and  Fineness  variable.  Value  varying  from  $4.83 
to  $4.95|,  without  the  alloy  of  silver;  and,  including  that,  2| 
cents  more. 


\%^m' 


24.  Five  Dollar  gold  piece 
fornia  Company. 


le  Massacnusetts  and  Gali- 


Obverse :  "  five  d."  in  the  middle  of  field,  surrounded  by  a 
wreath  of  laurel.    Legend :  "Massachusetts  and  California, 


U.  S.  OF. AMERICA.  HOI 

00."  Exergue:  "1849."  Reverse:  The  crest  and  arms  of 
Upper  California :  around  the  edge  are  arranged  thirteen  stare. 
Weight:  115.500  grains.     Value:  H75. 

25.  Five  Dollar  gold  piece  of  Dunbar  &  Co, 

Value:  $4.75. 

NORTH  CAROLINA  COINS. 

In  1830,  Mr.  C.  Bechtler  established,  with  consent  of  the 
United  States  Government,  a  Mint  at  Rutherfordton,  North 
Carolina,  and  commenced  the  coinage  of  Five  and  Two  and 
a  Half  Gold  Dollar  pieces.  In  1834,  he  also  coined  some  One 
Dollar  pieces.  Of  Mr.  C.  Bechtler's  gold  coins  there  are  two 
series,  those  previous  to  1834,  and  after  that  year,  and  up  to 
1842.  In  1842,  Mr.  C.  Bechtler  sold  his  interest  to  Mr.  A. 
Bechtler,  and  his  name  appears  upon  the  North  Carolina  gold 
coins  from  1842  to  1849.  The  Five  Dollar  gold  piece  of 
Bechtler,  from  1830  to  1834,  weighs  150  grains,  and  of  833 
fineness,  and  its  value,  at  the  present  standard,  $5.34.  In  1834, 
there  was  an  important  reduction  of  standards  in  the  National 
gold  coins,  to  which  Mr.  Bechtler  conformed,  and,  by  way  of 
distinction,  afterward  used  the  uniform  date  of  that  year. 

C.  Bechtler  also  adopted  three  grades  of  fineness  and  weight; 
thus  the  Five  Dollar  gold  piece,  of  which  we  give  an  illustra- 
tion, was  coined  at  the  following  standards : 


Those  of  20  carats,  833  fine,  weight,  140  grains,  value,  $4.90; 
those  of  21  carats,  875  fine,  weight,  134  grains,  value,  $4.89; 
those  of  22  carats,  917  fine,  weight,  128  grains,  value,  $4.84. 
The  20  carat  gold  pieces  are  stamped  "nobth  Carolina" 
gold ;  the  21  carat  pieces  "Carolina  "  gold ;  and  the  22  carat 


1102  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

pieces  "Georgia"  gold.  Notwithstanding  that  the  stamp  of 
Georgia  gold  appears  on  the  coins,  it  is  a  well-known  fact  that 
all  the  gold  was  mined  in  North  Carolina,  and  that  these  stamps 
are  only  to  assist  in  indicating  the  different  qualities,  as  they 
are  generally  understood  in  that  region,  Georgia  gold  being 
always  the  best,  and  North  Carolina  the  poorest. 

The  Two  and  a  Half  Gt)ld  Dollar  pieces  were  coined  of  20  and 
22  carats  fine, and  stamped  "n.  c."  gold  and  "Georgia"  gold. 


§6-4:c.c 


Those  of  20  carats,  833  fine,  weight,  70  grains,  value  $2.47; 
those  of  22  carats,  917  fine,  weight,  64  grains,  value  $2.39.  The 
One  Dollar  gold  pieces  are  all  of  21  carats  fine,  and  of  28  grains 
in  weight,  and  their  intrinsic  value  only  94  cents. 


BECHTLER  TWO  DOLLAR  AND  A   HALF  PIECE. 

After  1842,  and  up  to  1849,  Mr.  A.  Bechtler's  coins  were  of 
considerable  variance  in  weight,  fineness,  and  value. 


BECHTLER  DOLLAR. 

Since  1849  that  Mint  has  been  abolished,  and  that  coinage 
has  become  very  scarce. 

GEORGIA  COINS. 

In  1830,  when  the  first  extensive  produce  of  Greorgia  gold 
was  mined,  Mr.  Templeton  Reid  established  a  Mint,  and  coined. 


U.  S.   OF  AMERICA.  1103 

by  permission  of  the  United  States  Government,  Ten,  Five, 
and  Two  and  a  Half  Gold  Dollar  pieces.  His  coins  bear  on  the 
Obverse :  "  templeton  reid,  assayer,"  and  their  denomina- 
tions. Upon  the  Reverse,  the  inscription  "Georgia  gold," 
surrounded  by  a  circle  of  stars. 

The  Ten  Dollar  gold  pieces  of  1830,  1831,  1832,  and  1833 
weigh  248  grains,  and  are  942  fine,  their  value  $10.06.  The 
Five  Dollar  gold  pieces  of  that  jjeriod,  124  grains,  and  930 
fine,  value  $5.00.  The  Two  and  a  Half-Dollar  pieces  are  932 
fine,  and  weigh  60.500  grains,  value  $2.43. 

In  1834,  Templeton  Reid  reduced  his  standard  weight  and 
fineness,  and  being  of  irregular  value,  their  issue  was  soon  dis- 
continued. In  1849,  when  the  gold  discoveries  of  California 
startled  the  whole  world,  Mr.  Templeton  Reid  removed  his 
machinery  and  tools  to  San  Francisco,  California,  and  com- 
menced soon  after  to  coin  Twenty-five  and  Ten  Dollar  gold 
pieces. 

MORMON  COINS  OF  UTAH. 

The  Mormons,  at  Great  Salt  Lake  City,  have  issued  gold 
coins  of  twenty,  ten,  five  and  two  and  a  half  dollars.  Their 
weight  varies  materially,  and  their  fineness  899  and  sometimes 
900  fine. 


TWENTY  DOLLARS  OF  UTAH. 


Obverse:  An  eye  surmounted  by  a  Mormon  Mitre.  Le- 
gend: "holiness  TO  THE  i^RD."  Reverse:  Two  hands 
clasped;  beneath,  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Legend:  "o 
s.  L.  c.  P.  G."  {Great  SaU  Lake  CUy  Pure  Gold).  Exergue: 
"twenty' dollars."     Value:  Twenty  dollars  in  Utah;  but 


1104  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

the  intrinsic  value  upon  assay  varies  from  sixteen  dollars  to 
eighteen  dollars. 


TEN   DOLLARS   OF    UTAH. 


Obverse  and  Reverse  same  as  the  twenty  dollar  pieces,  only 
upon  the  Exergue  of  Reverse,  "ten  dollars."  Value  in 
Utah,  ten  dollars ;  but  the  intrinsic  value  upon  assay  varies 
from  $8.50  to  $9.00. 


FIVE   dollars   and   TWO   AND   A   HALF   DOLLARS   OF   UTAH. 

Obverse  and  Reverse  same  as  the  twenty  and  ten  dollar 
pieces,  only  upon  the  Exergue  on  the  Reverse  "five  do"  and 
"two  and  half  do,"  respectively.  Their  value  varies  from 
$4.25  to  $4.50,  and  also  from  $2.10  to  $2.25. 

The  coins  of  Utah,  prior  to  1860,  proved  upon  assay  to  vary 
materially  in  fineness;  being  coined  from  native  gold,  they  con- 
tain silver,  about  as  the  average  of  the  unassayed  gold,  out  of 
which  they  were  made. 

The  results  of  assay  at  the  United  States  Mint  prove  that 
they  are  irregular,  both  in  weight  and  fineness ;  but  on  a  gen- 
eral average  they  were  found  to  be  886  fine. 

The  Utah  coins,  up  to  this  day,  bear  the  Legend  "pure 
gold;"  they  took  for  granted  that  it  had  no  alloy,  being  coined 
from  "  native  gold,"  which  has  silver  alloy,  about  the  average 
of  Cab'fornia  gold,  out  of  which  the  coins  were  made;  and,  of 
course,  without  correct  assay. 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA.  1105 

The  coins,  prior  to  1860,  are  now  very  rare,  and  much  sought 
for  by  collectors,  at  advancecl  priws. 

In  1858  President  Brigham  Young  had  a  new  die  prepared 
for  coining  the  five  dollar  gold  pieces.  A  pattern  piece  was 
struck  for  him,  and  we  are  indebted  to  the  Hon.  Brigham  Young, 
Jr.,  and  Joseph  L.  Barfoot,  Esq.,  Curator  of  the  Salt  Lake 
City  Museum,  for  a  wax  impression  of  the  same,  which  we 
illustrate  herewith. 

This  pattern  piece  was  worn  by  the  Prophet  Brigham 
Young,  as  a  charm  attachetl  to  his  watch  chain,  up  to  the  time 


of  his  death.  At  the  death  of  the  Prophet  and  Governor,  the 
watch,  chain  and  charm  were  sold  by  the  executors  of  his  will, 
and  realized  three  hundred  dollars. 

Thecoius  issued  for  circulation  are  similar  in  size  and  device. 


FIVE   DOLLARS  OF   UTAH   OF   1860   AND    1862. 

Upon  the  Obverse,  an  eagle,  with  outspread  wings,  a  bee- 
hive upon  its  breast.  Legend:  "assay  office,  g.  s.  l.  c." 
{Great  Salt  Lake  City).     Exergue :  "  5  d.  pure  gold." 

Reverse:    A  lion   couchant  occupying   the  field.     Legend: 
Same  as  upon  the  Obverse,  only  in  the  "Deseret"  characters, 
an  alphabet  on  phonographic  principles. 
38 


1106  DYE/S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

TEMPLETON  REID'S  GEORGIA  COINAGE. 

In  the  year  1830,  when  gold  began  to  be  extensively  rained  in 
the  States  of  Georgia  and  North  Carolina,  the  project  was  set  on 
foot  of  coining  it  "  at  the  pit's  mouth."  The  authorized  estab- 
lishments for  this  purpose  have  been,  that  of  Templeton  Reid, 
in  Geoi^ia  j  and  that  of  Christopher  Bechtler  in  North  Carolina. 

Three  denominations  of  coin  were  issued  :  Ten,  Five  and  Two 
and  a  Half  Dollar  gold  pieces ;  bearing  the  name  of  "Temple- 
ton  Reid,  Assayer,"  and  the  designation  :  "  Georgia  Gold."  The 
Ten  Dollar  gold  pieces  weighed  248  grains,  and  were  of  942 
fineness.  The  Five  Dollar  gold  pieces  weighed  123.5  grains, 
and  were  of  938  fineness.  The  Two  and  a  Half  Dollar  pieces 
weighed  60.5  grains,  and  were  of  932  fineness. 

Afterwards,  when  the  California  gold  fields  began  to  attract 
attention,  Templeton  Reid  removed  his  establishment  to  that 
region,  and  in  1849  commenced  the  coinage  of  Twenty-five  and 
Ten  Dollar  gold  pieces. 


TWENTY-FIVE   DOLT-AKS   OP  TEMPLETON   REID. 

They  are  similar  to  the  Georgia  coinage. 

MR.  C.  BECHTLER'S  COINAGE. 

Mr.  Bechtler's  Mint  was  located  at  Rutherfordton,  N.  C. ;  it 
commenced  operation  in  1831.  There  were  two  series;  the 
first  bearing  no  date,  but  issued  earlier  than  1834.  They 
were  of  three  denominations,  viz. :  Five,  Two  and  a  Half 
and  One  Dollar  pieces:  professedly  20  carats  fine,  and  150.75 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA. 


1107 


and  30  grains,  respectively.  The  second  series  are  those  which 
bear  the  date  of  1834.  In  that  year  tliere  was  an  important 
reduction  of  standard  in  the  United  States  gold  coin,  to  which 
Mr.  Bechtler  conformed. 

The  denominations  were  as  before,  but  there  were  three  grades 
of  fineness  and  weight;  thus  at  20  carats,  the  Five  Dollar  piece 
weighed  140  grains ;  the  same  at  21  carats,  weighed  134  grains, 
and  at  22  carats,  weighed  128  grains. 

The  pieces  of  20  carats  were  stamped :  "  north  Carolina 
GOLD ; "  those  of  21  carats :  "  Carolina  gold,"  and  tliose  of 
22  carats:  "GEORGIA  GOLD." 

Christopher  Bechtler's  coinage  after  1834,  according  to  official 
United  States  assays,  varied  as  follows: 

^5  North  Carolina  gold,  140  to  139.8  grains;  833  to  815 
fineness- 
es Carolina  gold,  134  to  134.4  grains;  875  to  845  fineness. 

$6  Georgia  gold,-  128  to  127  grains ;  917  to  882  fineness. 

$2.50  North  Carolina  gold,  70  grains;  833  to  81,9  fineness. 

$2.50  Georgia  gold,  64  to  63.6  grains;  917  to  872  fineness. 

81.00  North  Carolina  gold,  28  to  27.6  grains;  833  to  810 
fineness. 

Georgia  gold  was  always  understood  to  be  the  best,  and  the 
North  Carolina  gold  the  poorest 

CALIFORNIA   PRIVATE   COINAGE. 

In  1849,  and  after  California  was  admitted'  into  the  Union, 


CALIFORNIA    QUINTUPLE    EAGLES   OF   FIFTY   DOLLAF.S. 


1108 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


gold  coins  were  issued  by  that  State  of  the  denominations  of 
Fifty,  Twenty-five,  Twenty,  Ten,  Five,  Two  and  a  Half  and 
One  Dollar  pieces ;  also  Fifty  and  Twenty-five  Cent  pieces  in 
gold. 

The  Fifty  Dollar  piece  and  the  Fifty  and  Twenty-five  Cent 
pieces  are  octagon  shai>ed  ;  all  the  otliers  are  round  coins. 


O  l^S> 


CALIFOUNIA    E\C1JS8  OF   TEN    DOLLAKS. 


10     : 

DOLLS W 


CALIFORNIA   EAGLES  OF  TEN    DOLLARS. 

SILVER   COINAGE. 

In  1794,  the  first  Silver  Dollar  of  the  United  States  Gov- 
ernment was  issued.  Obverse:  A  female  bust,  facing  to  the 
right,  with  flowing  hair.  Legend:  "liberty."  Round  the 
edge  fifteen  stars,  eight  to  the  left  of  effigy  and  seven  to  the 
right.  Exergue :  "  1794."  Reverse  :  Eagle,  as  if  about  to  fly, 
surrounded  by  a  wreath.  Legend:  "united  states  of 
AMERICA."  On  the  edge:  "one  dollar;  or,  unit,  hun- 
dred CENTS." 

In  1795  a  slight  change  took  place  on  the  Obverse:  The 
bust  of  Liberty  made  larger  and  partly  draped,  the  hair  tied 
with  a  ribbon  at  the  back  of  the  head.     Reverse :  Eagle  re- 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA. 


1109 


duced  in  size,  but  better  proportioued,  and  is  standing  on  clouds. 
Exergue:  "1795." 

In  1796  tiie  device  remained  unchanged  until  about  Septem- 


ONE  DOLLAB. 


ber,  when  the  stars  on  the  Obverse  were  reduced  to  thirteen, 
seven  to  the  left  and  six  to  the  right  of  effigy. 


OlSTE  DOLLAR. 

In  1798  the  Obverse  remained  unchanged  except  Exergue: 
"1798."  Reverse:  Eagle,  raised  wings,  holding  in  its  beak  a 
scroll,  inscribed  "e  pluribus  untjm  "  upon  it,  grasping  in  its 
right  talon  a  bundle  of  four  arrows,  in  its  left  an  olive  branch, 
upon  its  breast  the  United  States  shield ;  above  the  eagle, 
clouds   and    thirteen    six-pointed   stars.      Legend:    "united 

STATES  OF  AMERICA." 


1110 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA^ 


ONE   DOLLAR. 


In  1799  and  up  to  1804  no  change  was  made.  In  1804 
only  a  few  dollars  were  struck,  and  they  have  become  so  exceed- 
ingly rare,  that  during  1877  the  one  sold  at  auction  brought 
seven  hundred  dollars. 


ONE  DOLLAR. 

The  weight  of  the  Silver  Dollar  was  established  by  Act  of 
Congress  on  the  2d  day  of  April,  1792,  and  the  quantity  of 
pure  silver  fixed  at  371|  grains,  and  that  of  the  standard  metal 
at  416  grains,  being  of  900  fineness,  and  up  to  1805  it  con- 
tinued unchanged.  Between  1805  and  1836  no  dollars  Avere 
coined. 

In  1836  a  new  pattern  was  prepared ;  it  had  on  the  Obverse: 
Liberty  seated  beside  a  .United  States  shield,  holding  in  her 
left  hand  a  staff,  with  liberty  cap,  in  the  right  a  scroll,  upon 


U.  S.   OF  AMERICA. 


nil 


which  "liberty"  is  inscribed.  Legend:  "Thirteen  stars." 
Exergue :  "  1836."  Reverse :  Eagle  flying  across  a  field, 
studded  with  twenty-six  stars.     Legend :  "  united  states  of 


ONE   DOLLAR. 

AMERICA."      Exergue:    "one    dollar."       Fineness:    900. 
Weight :  416  grains. 

In  1837,  January  the  18th,  Congress  enacted  a  change  in  the 
standard  weight  by  abstracting  therefrom  3J  grains  of  the  alloy, 
reducing  416  grains  to  412|  grains;  but  still  retaining  371 J 
grains  oi pure  silver.     No  dollars  were  issued  that  year. 


ONE  DOLLAR. 


In  1838  the  first  reduced  412|  grain  silver  dollar  was 
issued:  it  bore  the  device  of  the  dollar  of  1836,  excepting  on 
the  Reverse  the  stars  were  omitted. 

In  1839  no  change  occurred.     In  1840  the  Obverse  same  as 


1112 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


1 838-1 839,  except  Exergue,  changed  to  "  1 840."  Tlje  Reverse 
was  changed  to  an  eagle  about  to  fly,  wings  expanded.  United 
States  shield  upon  its  breast,  right  talon  an  olive  branch,  left 
a  bundle  of  three  arrows.  Legend :  "  united  states  of 
AMERICA."    Exergue:  "one  DOL." 


ONE  DOLLAR. 

In  1866,  the  motto,  "  in  god  we  trust,"  was  added  upon 
the  Reverse. 


ONE  DOLLAR. 


From  this  date  up  to  1873  the  Dollar  was  regularly  issued, 
and  always  of  the  same  device;  until  Congress  in  that  year  de- 
monetized silver. 

In  1873  the  first  Trade  Dollar  was  coined,  of  900  fineness, 
and  of  420  grains  weight.  Obverse :  Goddess  of  Liberty,  fac- 
ing to  the  left,  and  seated  on  a  bale  of  merchandise,  against 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA. 


1113 


which  leans  a  sheaf  of  wheat;  in  her  right  hand  she  holds  an 
olive  branch,  in  the  left  a  scroll,  upon  which  "liberty"  is  in- 
scribed; on  the  base  of  seat  the  motto  "in  god  we  trust;" 
surroundihg  which  are  thirteen  stars.    Exergue :  "1873." 


TRADE  DOLLAR. 

Reverse:  Eagle  with  expanded  wings,  holding  in  its  right 
talon  a  bunch  of  three  arrows,  left,  an  olive  branch;  underneath, 
"420  GRAINS,  900  FINE;"  over  the  eagle's  head  a  scroll,  with 
"e  pluribus  unum"  inscribed.  Legend:  "united  states 
OF  AMERICA."     Exergue :  "trade  dollar." 

This  Trade  Dollar  has  been  ever  since  regularly  issued,  with 
the  Exergue  on  Obverse,  the  date  of  the  year  of  issue. 


ONE  DOLLAR. 


In  1878,  after  considerable  debate  in  both  Houses,  the  bill 
for  the  remonetization  of  silver  was  passed  ;  but  vetoed  by  the 
President;  nevertheless,  the  Senate  and  House  of  Represcnta- 


1114  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

tives  passed  the  bill  over  the  veto  by  a  Constitutional  majority, 
and  the  Silver  Dollar  of  412^  grains  Troy  became  once  more  a 
legal  tender,  and  appeared  in  its  new  form  on  the  13th  day  of 
March,  1878.     Trade  Dollars  not  legal  tender. 

Obverse:  Head  of  Lil)erty,  facing  to  the  left.  Legend:  "e 
PLUIIIBUS  UNUM,"  and  thirteen  stars,  seven  to  the  left,  and  six 
to  the  right.  Exergue:  "1878."  Reverse:  An  eagle  as  if 
about  to  fly;  above  the  eagle,  "in  god  we  trust."  Olive 
branches,  crossed  and  tied  at  the  ends.  Legend:  "united 
STATES  OP  AMERICA."  Exergue :" ONE  DOLLAR."  Weight: 
4121  grains.     Fineness:  900.     Value:  $1.00. 

The  Dollar  is  equal  in  value  to : 

2  Florins,  20f  Kveutzers  of  Austria. 

5  Francs,  18iVo  Centimes  of  Belgium. 
1  Dollar,  9,Vo  Centabos  of  Chili. 

6  Mace,  2  Candareens,  1  Cash,  1  Hao,  8  Tse,  of  China. 
1  Dollar,  8iVo  Centavos  of  Costa  Rica. 

1  Dollar,  8i'^o  Centabos  of  Cuba. 
1  Dollar,  8,"o  Centavos  of  Ecuador 
20  Piasters  of  Egypt. 
6  Francs,  18iVo  Centimes  of  France. 

5  Drachmas,  18iVo  Leptas  of  Greece. 

1  Dollar,  8iVo  Centabos  of  Guatemala. 

1  Dollar  Silver  of  Hayti. 

2  Guilders,  10  Stivers  of  Holland. 

1  Dollar,  8,Vo  Centabos  of  Honduras. 

2  Rupees,  4  Annas,  9  Pice  of  India. 

6  Lires,  18iVo  Centissimi  of  Italy. 
1  Yen,  1^6  of  a  Sen  of  Japan. 

1  Dollar,  1=^0  of  a  Centavo  of  Mexico. 

1  Dollar,  8  Vo  Centaros  of  Nicaragua. 

1  Dollar  of  Paraguay. 

1  Dollar,  8iVo  Centabos  of  Peru. 

1  Dollar,  8^  Centabos  of  Porto  Rico. 

5  Lei,  8^%  Ban  Paras  of  Roumania. 

1  Rouble,  36 1  Kopecks,  Silver  of  Russia. 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA.  1115 

1  Dollar  Silver  of  San  Dom'ingo. 
5  Pesetas,  18, Vo  Centimes  of  Spain. 
5  Francs,  18, Vo  Happens  of  Switzerland. 
1  Pataeon,  5i'o  Centabos  of  Uruguay. 
1  Dollar,  28 /o  Centavos  of  Venezuela. 

HALF  DOLLARS. 

The  first  Half  Dollar  was  issued  in  1794,  and  resembled  the 
Dollar  of  that  year.     Weight:  208  grains.     Fineness:  892.400. 


HALF  DOLLAR. 

In  1795  the  Half  Dollar  was  similar  in  designs  to  1794. 


HALF  DOLLAR. 

In  1796  the  Half  Dollar  resembled  the  Dollars  of  that  year. 
But  2,918  Half  Dollars  were  coined  in  1796,  and  about  an  equal 
number  in  1797. 

In  1798,  1799,  and  1800  no  Half  Dollars  were  issued. 

In  1801,  and  up  to  1807  inclusive,  the  issues  resembled  the 
Dollars  of  these  years  respectively. 


1116 


DYIPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


HALF  DOLLAB. 

In  1808  a  complete  change  was  made.  Obverse:  Liberty 
facing  to  the  left,  wearing  a  loose  cap  with  "  liberty  "  on  the 
band,  having  seven  stars  in  front  of  effigy  and  six  behind,  with 
date  of  issue  in  the  Exergue.  Reverse :  Eagle  with  expanded 
wings,  United  States  shield  upon  its  breast,  right  talon  holding 
an  olive  branch  and  left  three  arrows ;  over  its  head  a  scroll 
with  "e  pluribus  uxum"  inscribed.  L^end :  "united 
STATES  OF  AMERICA."  Exerguc :  "  50  c."  This  device  con- 
tinued until  1814  inclusive. 


HALF  DOLLAR. 

In  1816  no  Half  Dollars  were  coined. 

In  1817  the  coinage  of  Half  Dollars  was  resumei',  and  con- 
tinued to  be  issued  regularly  down  to  the  year  1836  inclusive, 
without  any  change,  except  that  in  1826  the  stars  on  the  Ob- 
verse were  small,  and  in  1827  large  again.  In  the  issue  of 
1834  the  dates  varied  in  size  on  the  Exergue  of  Obverse. 

In  1837,  by  act  of  Congress,  January  the  18th,  the  weight 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA. 


1117 


of  the  Half  Dollar  was  reduced  to  206.25  grains,  and  raised 
to  the  standard  of  900  fineness. 


HALF  DOLLAR. 

In  1837  the  scroll,  "e  pluribus  unum,"  was  removed  from 
tlie  Reverse,  and  "  50  cents  "  replaced  the  "  50  c."  on  the  Ex- 
ergue.    From  this  time  on  the  edges  were  reeded. 


HALF  DOLLAB. 


In  1838  and  1839  no  change  in  device;  in  1840  it  resembled 
the  Dollar  of  that  year.  Exergue  on  the  Reverse:  "half 
DOL."  This  device  continued  without  change,  except  date  on 
Exergue,  up  to  1852  inclusive. 

In  1853,  the  21st  day  of  February,  Congress  reduced  the 
weight  of  the  Half  Dollar,  fixing  the  weight  at  192  grains,  but 
making  no  change  in  fineness,  which  has  remained  900  fine  up 
to  this  date. 

In  1853  the  device  was  slightly  changed ;  a  barbed  arrow  was 
placed  on  each  side  of  the  date  on  the  Exergue  of  the  Obverse, 
and  background  of  the  Reverse  was  covered  with  rays. 


1118 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 


HALF   DOLLAR. 

In  1854  the  rays  were  again  removed,  as  also  the  barbed 
arrows,  and  continued  so  till  1866  inclusive. 

In  the  latter  part  of  1866  a  scroll  was  placed  over  the  eagle's 
head  on  the  Reverse,  bearing  the  motto,  "  in  god  we  trust." 

No  change  occurred  till  1873,  when  Congress  changed  the 
weight  of  the  Half  Dollars  to  12|  grammes  or  192.9  grains  in 
weight;  fineness:  900.  In  that  year,  and  in  1874,  an  arrow- 
head was  placed  on  each  side  of  the  date  on  the  Exergue. 


HALF  DOLLAR. 


In  1875,  1876,  and  1877,  the  arrow-heads  were  removed;  no 
other  change  was  made. 


QUARTER  DOLLAR. 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA.  mo 

The  first  Quarter  Dollar  was  issued  to  the  public  in  1796: 
the  device  resembling  the  Dollar  of  1796.     In  1797  no  change. 


QUARTER   DOLLAR. 

In  1798,  1799,  1800,  1801,  1802,  and  1803  no  Quarter 
Dollars  were  issued. 

In  1804  the  Quarter  Dollar  resembled  the  Dollar  of  that 
year.     In  1805,  1806,  and  1807  no  change. 


QUARTER  DOLLAR. 

In  1808  to  1815  no  Quarter  Dollars  were  issued. 
In  1816  a  new  device  was  adopted  resembling  the  Half 
Dollar  of  that  year.     In  1817  no  Quarter  Dollars  were  coined. 


QUARTER  DOLLAR. 


1120 


DYPS  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


In  1818  the  Quarter  Dollar  resembled  that  of  1815,  and  was 
issue<l  with  that  device  till  1823  inclusive. 


QUARTER   DOLLAR. 

In  1824  no  Quarter  Dollars  issued.  In  1825  device  of  1815 
used.  In  1826  no  Quarter  Dollars  issued.  In  1827  and  1828 
device  of  1815  used.  In  1829  and  1830  no  Quarter  Dollars 
issued. 


QUARTER    DOLLAR. 

In  1831  the  diameter  was  reduced,  the  stars  on  Obverse  made 
smaller;  on  the  Reverse,  the  scroll  with  "e  pluribus  unum" 
was  omitted,  and  the  edge  raised. 

In  1831  and  up  to  1837  the  Quarter  Dollar  was  coined  of 
the  same  device,  having  the  original  weight  of  104  grains  and  a 
fineness  of  892.400,  as  established  in  1796. 

By  act  of  Congress,  January  18th,  1837,  the  weight  of  the 
Quarter  Dollar  was  reduced  from  the  original  104  grains,  to 
103.125  grains  ;  the  fineness  being  raised  at  the  same  time  from 
892.400,  as  at  first,  to  the  standard  of  900  fine. 

In  1838  and  1839  the  Quarter  Dollar  coinage  bore  the  same 
device  as  that  of  1831. 

In   1840  an  entire  change  was  made.     Obverse:  Liberty 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA.  1121 

seated,  holding  liberty-cap  in  left,  and  resting  right  hand  <ni 
the  United  States  shield:  on  the  Reverse,  the  Exergue  wa« 

"  QUAR.  DOL." 


QUARTER   DOLLAR. 

This  device  continued  for  each  year  down  to  1853,  when, 
March  31st,  Congress  again  reduced  tl>e  weight  from  103.125 
to  96  grains,  still  retaining  900  fineness. 


QUARTER   DOLLAR. 

In  1853  the  device  of  1840  was  continued,  except  upon  the 
Exergue  an  arrow  was  placed  on  each  side  of  date ;  the  Reverse 
was  slightly  changed;  rays  in  abundance  filled  the  background 
of  the  American  eagle. 

In  1854  the  same  device,  with  the  exception  of  the  rays  hav- 
ing been  withdrawn  from  the  Reverse.  Weight :  96  grains, 
and  of  900  fineness.  No  change  occurred  until  1866,  when,  by 
order  of  Congress,  on  the  Reverse  overhead  of  the  eagle  a  scrolJ 
appeared  with  the  motto :  "  IN  GOD  WE  trust."  The  arrdwt 
l)eside  the  date  were  also  removed.  Weight:  96  grains  and 
900  fineness. 

In  1873  another  slight  change  was  made.  Congress  wish- 
ing to  approximate  the  United  States  coinage  to  the  decimal 

French    system,  ordered    the  weight    to    be   increased    nine- 
3T' 


1122  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

twentieths  of  a  grain,  and  make  the  Quarter  Dollar  weigh  6J 

grammes  or  96.450  grains,  retaining  the  old  standard  of  900 

fineness. 

In  1874  a  slight  change  was  made  upon  the  Obverse  of  the 

Quarter  Dollar,  the  arrows  being  again  replaced  <m  each  side 

■of  the  date. 

\ 


QUARTER   DOLLAR. 

In  1875  the  arrows  each  side  of  the  date  were  discontinued. 


TWENTY  CENT  PIECE, 

In  1875  Congress  for  the  use  of  the  Pacific  States  authorized 
the  coinage  of  the  Twenty  Cent  piece.  Several  pattern  pieces 
were  struck  in  advance.  Device,  Obverse :  Liberty  seated, 
holding  in  her  right  hand  a  staff  surmounted  by  a  liberty-cap, 
left  resting  on  a  United  States  shield.  Legend  :  Thirteen  stars. 
Exergue:  "1873.*'  Reverse:  A  rather  high-shouldered  eagle, 
resembling  the  one  on  the  Trade  Dollar,  holding  three  arrows 
in  right  talon,  and  olive  branch  in  left.     Legend:  "united 

STATES     OF     AMERICA."        ExergUC :     "*  TWENTY     CENTS.*" 

Weight:  77.160  grains  and  of  900  fineness.  Edges  not  reeded. 
In  1874  a  few  Twenty  Cent  pieces  were  coined  with  a  change 
in  device  on  the  Obverse,  viz. :  Seated  Goddess  of  Liberty  of  a 
more  modern  type  and  facing  to  the  left ;  back  of  her  and  by 
her  right  side,  sheaves  of  wheat ;  in  her  right  hand  she  holds  a 


a  S.  OF  AMERICA.  1123 

staff  surmounted  by  a  liberty-cap,  her  left  resting  on  a  globe 
instead  as  usual  upon  the  United  States  shield;  the  word 
"liberty"  is  inscribed  upon  a  band  surrounding  the  globe. 


TWENTY  CENT  PIECE. 

Exergue:    "1874."      Reverse  unchanged.      Weight:    77.160 
grains  and  of  900  fineness. 

In  May,  1878,  by  act  of  Congress,  the  Twenty  Cent  pieces 
were  abolished. 

DIMES,  OR  TEN  CENT  PIECES. 

The  first  Dimes,  or  Ten  Cent  pieces,  were  struck  in  France 
from  old  silver  family  plate  furnished  by  President  Washing- 
ton, and  from  a  supposed  resemblance,  between  the  head  of 
Liberty  and  Washington's  wife,  were  known  as  the  "Martha 
Washington  Dismes  "  (see  Half  Disme  1 792).  The  circulation 
was  very  limited,  and  but  few  examples  are  now  known. 

Obverse:  A  head,  facing  left,  hair  unconfined,  floating  back- 
ward in  flowing  locks.  Legend :  "  liberty  parent  op 
SCIENCE  &  INDUS."  Within  the  legend  and  beneath  the  head 
the  date  1792. 

Reverse :  A  small  eagle,  flying  toward  the  left,  though  look- 
ing to  the  right.  Legend:  "united  states  of  America." 
Exergue :  An  inscription  :  "  disme."  Border,  milled  ;  edge, 
milled;  size,  14;  weight,  silver,  40  to  57  grains;  copper,  58 
grains.     Extremely  rare. 

The  next  issue  and  really  the  commencement  of  the  regular 
coinage  appeared  in  1796.  Obverse :  Bust  of  Goddess  of  Liberty, 
facing  to  the  right.  Legend  :  Seven  stars  on  the  right  of  the 
word  "  liberty,"  and  eight  on  the  left  of  it.   Exergue :  "  1 796." 


1124  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Reverse :  Eagle,  with  a  small  shield  upon  its  breast,  wings 
expanded,  as  if  about  to  fly ;  sorrounded  by  a  laurel  wreatJj. 
I.«gend  :  "united  states  of  America."  Weight:  41.6  grains. 
Fineness:  892.400. 

In  1797  the  Legend  bore  thirteen  instead  of  fifteen  stars; 
otherwise  no  alteration  was  made  on  the  Obverse. 


DIME. 

Upon  the  Reverse  a  complete  change  was  made,  viz. :  Eagle 
with  expanded  wings,  a  United  States  shield  upon  its  breast ; 
in  his  beak  a  scroll  with  "e  pluribus  unum"  upon  it;  right 
talon,  bunch  of  arrows ;  left,  an  olive  branch ;  over  his  head 
sixteen  stars,  surmounted  by  clouds.    Legend :  "  united  states 

OF  AMERICA." 

In  1798  no  change  in  device  except  Reverse.  Exergue: 
'UOa" 


DIME. 

In  1799  no  Dimes  were  coined  for  circulation. 

Up  to  1806  no  change  but  to  thirteen  stars  on  Reverse. 

In  1806  no  Dimes  were  coined  for  circulation. 

In  1807  the  device  resembled  Quarter  Dollar  of  that  year. 


DIME. 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA,  1125 

In  1808  no  Dimes  were  coined  for  circulation. 
In  1809  the  device  resembled  that  of  the  Half  DoUara  of 
that  period,  except  Exergue  on  Reverse:  "  10  c." 


\P^/ 


DIME. 

In  1812  and  1813  no  Dimes  issued.    Coinage  resumed,  1814. 

In  1815,  1816,  1817,  1818,  and  1819  no  Dimes  were  issued. 

Coinage  resumed  1820,  device  same  as  of  1809  and  inter- 
mediate coinages.  Weight:  41.600  grains.  Fineness:  892- 
.400.  In  1824  no  dimes  issued.  In  1825  same  device  used. 
In  1826  no  dimes  issued.  In  1827  same  device  used;  so  con- 
tinued to  1837. 

January  18th,  1837,  Congress  reduced  the  weight  of  the 
Dime  from  41.600  grains  to  41.250  grains,  and  also  raised  the 
standard  of  the  coinage  to  900  fineness.  A  change  was  also 
made  in  the  device:  upon  the  Obverse:  Goddess  of  Liberty 
seated,  staff  with  liberty-cap  in  left  hand,  and  right  resting 
upon  United  States  shield.  Exergue:  "1837."  This  issue  is 
conspicuous  by  the  absence  of  the  usual  thirteen  stars.  The 
Reverse  has  the  inscription,  "one  dime,"  surrounded  by 
a  wreath.     Legend :  "  united  states  of  America." 

In  1838  the  Obverse  bears  the  thirteen  stars.  Exergue: 
"  1838  ; "  no  other  change  took  place.  The  New  Orleans  Mint 
still  coined  the  1838  issue  with  starless  Obverse.  Weight: 
41.250  grains.     Fineness:  900. 

From  1838  down  to  1860,  inclusive,  tha  device  remained 


t^jiDIMEM/?. 


DIME. 


1126 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


as  illustrated,  save  the  Exergue  on  Obverse,  bearing  the 
date  of  the  year  of  issue.  Weight :  41 .250  grains.  Fineness : 
900. 

In  1860  the  stars  were  dispensed  with  (in  this  year  the 
dimes  appeared  both  with  and  without  stars),  and  the  Legend : 
"  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA,"  appeared  on  Obverse. 


■\V  07ME  >;. 
V  DTME 


DIMES. 

In  1853,  February  21st,  Congress  reduced  the  weight  to 
38.400  grains,  retaining  still  900  fineness.  The  device  was 
still  the  same  of  1838 ;  but  an  arrow-head  was  placed  on  either 
side  of  date  on  Exergue,  and  retained  during  1854  and  1855, 
but  again  removed  in  1856 ;  since  which  time  the  Dime  has 
been  issued  every  year  with  device  unchanged,  except  in  1873 
and  1874,  when  the  arrows  reappeared;  and,  in  1860,  when 
the  Legend :  "  united  states  of  America,"  was  substituted 
for  the  stars. 

In  1873  Congress  ordered  the  Dime  to  weigh  2 J  grammes, 
or  38.580  grains.     Fineness:  900. 

In  1875  a  slight  change  was  made  on  the  Reverse;  the  laurel 
wreath  was  replaced  by  one  composed  of  oak,  ivy,  and  tobacco 


'■'ONENNk 
,,  Disu:  Oy'^ 


leaves,  corn  in  the  ear,  and  sheaves  of  wheat.     Weight :  38.580 
grains.     Fineness:  900. 

Excepting  the  changes  of  1873  no  change  has  been  made  up 


U,  S.  OF  AMERICA.  1127 

to  Uie  present  day,  with  the  ezoeption  of  changing  the  date  of 
issue  upon  the  £xergue  of  the  Obverse. 

HALF  DIME,  OR  FIVE  CENT  PIECE. 

The  Half  Dime  was  the  first  coin  struck  by  the  United 
States  Mint,  located  in  Seventh  street  between  Market  and 
Arch  streets,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  The  coin-presses,  three  in 
number,  were  imported  from  abroad,  and  arrived  at  the  Phila- 
delphia .Mint  on  Friday,  the  21st. of  September,  1792,  were 
put  in  operation  on  the  9th  of  October,  and  first  used  for 
striking  the  Half  Dimes  of  1792. 

The  Obverse  bore  the  Bust  of  Liberty,  surrounded  by  thir- 
teen stars.  Exergue:  1792.  Reverse :  Eagle, expanded  wings, 
surrounded  by  a  laurel  wreath.  Legend :  "  united  states 
OF  AMERICA."  Weight:  20.800  grains.  Fineness:  892.400. 
In  1793  only  a  few  more  were  coined ;  but  no  change  was  made 
either  in  device  or  Exergue. 

In  1794  and  1795  the  device  of  1792  was  well  preserved, 
with  the  exception  that  instead  of  the  thirteen,  fourteen  stars 
were  put  upon  the  Legend,  and  the  Exergue  bore  the  date  of 
the  respective  years  of  issue. 

Obverse:  A  head,  facing  left,  hair  unconfined,  disposed  in 
short  tresses  or  tufts.  Legend :  "lib-  par-  of  science  &  in- 
dustry."    Within  the  Legend,  and  beneath  the  head,  the  date 

1792. 

Reverse :  A  small  eagle,  flying  and  looking  toward  the  left. 
Legend:  "UNr  states  of  America."  Exergue:  An  inscrip- 
tion: "half  disme"  in  three  lines.  Border,  njj^ed;  edge, 
reeded  ;  size,  10| ;  weight,  21  grains.     Extremely  rare. 

These  Half  Dimes  were  coined  from  a  quantity  of  silver 
plate  furnished  by  Washington,  and,  although  pronounced  by 
numismatic  writers  "pattern  pieces,"  undoubtedly  went  into 
general  circulation  for  a  time;  hence  should  be  considered  a 
regular  coinage,  and  commence  the  series  of  Half  Dimes.  The 
dies  were  of  French  origin.     The  following  article  taken  from 


1128  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

Washington's  4th  annual  address,  1792,  explains  fully  the  facts 
connected  herewith : 

"  In  execution  of  the  authority  given  by  the  legislature 
measures  have  been  taken  for  engaging  some  artists  from 
abroad  to  aid  in  the  establishment  of  our  Mint.  Others  have 
been  employed  at  home.  Provisions  have  been  made  for  the 
requisite  buildings,  and  these  are  now  being  put  into  proper  con- 
dition for  the  purposes  of  the  establishment.  There  has  been 
a  small  beginning  in  the  coinage  of  half  dismes,  the  want  of 
small  coins  in  circulation  calling  the  first  attention  to  them.'^ 

The  1792  Half  Dismes  were  called  "Trial  Pieces:"  the  dies 
cut  and  struck  in  France.  These  pieces  are  very  rare  and  val- 
uable. The  bust  is  popularly  supposed  to  represent  Martha 
Washington,  but  the  portraits  extant  hardly  bear  out  the  suj)- 
position.  No  Half  Dimes  were  issued  after  this  until  1794, 
which  date  is  also  rare  and  valuable. 


HALF  DIMS. 

In  1796  the  hair  of  Goddess  of  Liberty  was  tied  with  ribbon, 
back  of  the  head.  Legend :  Thirteen  stars.  Exergue :  "1796." 
Reverse :  Eagle,  reduced  in  size,  and  further  from  the  knot 
with  which  the  wreath  is  tied,  otherwise  no  change  was  made. 
Weight :  |j.800  grains.     Fineness :  892.400. 

In  17977the  same  device  was  used,  with  the  exception  that 
instead  of  thirteen,  fifteen  stars  were  on  the  Obverse.  Reverse : 
Eagle,  United  States  shield  upon  its  breast ;  scroll,  with  "  E 
PLURiBUS  UNUM  "  in  its  beak ;  stars  and  clouds  above  its  head. 
Legend  :  "united  states  op  America." 

lu  1798  and  1799,  no  Half-Dimes  were  coined.  In  1800, 
the  stars  were  again  reduced  to  thirteen,  six  facing  the  bust  of 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA.  1130 

Liberty,  and  seven  were  behind  it.    This  device  was  continued 
through  1801,  1802,  and  1803,  inclusive. 

In  1804,  no  Half-Dimes  were  coined  or  iasaed,  and  those  of 
1805  bore  the  device  of  1800. 


HALF  DIME. 

From  1806,  and  up  to  1828,  inclusive,  the  Half-Dimes  were 
discontinued. 

In  1829,  a  new  device  appeared.  Obverse:  Bust  of  Goddess 
of  Liberty.  Legend:  Thirteen  stars.  Exergue:  "1829." 
Reverse :  Eagle,  wings  expanded ;  a  United  States  shield  upon 
its  breast;  left  talon  a  bunch  of  arrows;  right,  olive  branch; 
over  its  head  a  scroll,  with  "e  pluribus  unum"  upon  it.  Le- 
gend :  "united  states  of  AMERICA."     Exergue :  "5  c." 

In  1830,  and  up  to  1836,  inclusive,  no  change  was  made  in 
the  device. 


HALF  DIME. 


In  1837,  and  the  early  part  of  1838,  %  new  device  was  coined ; 
it  bore  on  the  Obverse:  Goddess  of  Liberty,  seatetl ;  staff,  with 
liberty-cap  in  left  hand;  right  resting  on  United  States  shield. 
The  Legend  is  starless.  Exergue:  "1837  and  1838."  Re- 
verse: "HALF-DIME,"  surrouudcd  by  a  wreath.  Legend: 
"  UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA."  Weight :  By  Act  of  Congress, 
January  18th,  1837,  reduced  to  20.625  grains;  and  the  Fine- 
ness raised  to  the  standard  of  900. 

In  1839,  the  thirteen  stars  were  again  replaced  on  the  Ob- 


1130 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


HALF  DIME. 

verse,  and  with  the  exception  of  date  of  issue  upon  the  Ex- 
ergue, no  change  was  made  up  to  1853,  inclusive. 

In  1853,  February  21st,  the  Half-Dime,  by  order  of  Con- 
gress, was  reduced  to  19.2  grains,  but  retained  its  900  fineness. 
A  slight  change  was  also  made  on  the  Obverse;  upon  the  Ex- 
ergue, an  arrow  was  placed  each  side  of  date ;  this  was  retained 
during  1854  and  1855,  but  was  again  absent  in  1856,  and  up 
to  1872,  inclusive,  reappearing  again  1873,  when  the  issue  of 
Half  Dimes  or  Five  Cent  silver  pieces  ceased. 


HALF  DIME. 


THREE  CENT  SILVER  PIECES. 

In  1851,  March  3d,  Congress  authorized  the  issue  of  Three 
Cent  silver  pieces,  and  required  them  to  be  composed  of  three- 
fourths  silver,  and  one-fourth  copper.  The  device  adopted  bears 
on  the  Obverse,  a  large  six-pointed  star,  with  United  States 
shield  in  the  middle  of  it.  Legend:  "united  states  of 
AMERICA."  Exergue:  "1851."  Reverse:  A  large  ornamental 
"  C,"  with  the  Roman  numerals,  "  III "  in  the  centre.  Legend : 
Thirteen  stars. 


THREE   CENT  SILVER   PIECE. 


U.  8.   OF  AMERICA.  1131 

No  change  was  made  in  1852.  Weight:  12.375  grains. 
Fineness:  750. 

On  March  3d,  1853,  Congress  changed  the  fineness  from  750 
to  900 ;  namely,  900  parts  silver,  and  100  parts  copper ;  and 
reduced  the  weight  from  12.375  down  to  11.520  grains.  The 
device  was  also  altered,  on  the  Obverse,  the  plain  star  of  1851 
was  edged  with  three  distinct  lines,  the  Legend  exhibited  the 
words:  "UNITED  STATES  OF  AMERICA,"  in  more  modern  and 
clearer  type.     Exergue:  "1853." 

On  the  Reverse,  within  the  letter  "  C,"  and  above  the  Roman 
numerals,  "III,"  an  olive  branch  was  inscribed,  and  a  bunch 
of  arrows  placed  below. 


THREE   CENT  SILVER  PIECE. 

This  last  device.  Weight,  and  Fineness,  was  continued  with- 
out change,  down  to  1873,  when,  by  order  of  Congress,  the 
coinage  of  the  silver  Three  Cent  piece  was  discontinued. 

Approximate  Fictitious  Values  of  the  United  States 

Silver  Coinages. 

dollars. 

(OOOD  TO  FIHK.) 

Paying  Prices.  Selling  Price*. 


troi  $20.00  to  $35.00  $35.00  to  $50.00 

179(f 
1796 
1797 


?««  1.25  1.60  1.50  2.50 

JySf  1.35  1.75  1.60  2.75 


,7-y  r.35  IM  1.60  2.86 

1798  Large  Eagle  1.05  1.20  1.15  1.26 

j79SSn,all  Eagle  I.JO  2.00  2.50  5.| 

1799, 5  stars  facing  1.50  2.00  2M  4.00 

1801  1.35  1.75  1-50  2.76 

1802  1.35  1.75  1.50  2.75 
,5^  155  1.75  1.60  2.75 
lis  500:00  750.00  375.00  650.00 
1R3B  3.00  6.00  5.00  8.00 
?SS  10.00  25.00  15.00  36.00 
1S9  5.00  15.00  lO.W  25.00 
lSoto'49New  1.10  1.25                     New  1.60 


1132  DYE'S  COIN  EN  CYCLOP JEDIA. 

Approximate  Values— Continued.    Dollabs. 


Paying 

Prices. 

Selling  Prices. 

1850  New 

$1.25 

New,    $1.75 

1851 

$10.00 

20.00 

$20.00  to   35.00 

1852 

15.00 

25.00 

35.00         40.00 

1853 

1.23 

1.50 

1.75           2.75 

1854 

3^a 

6.00 

6.00           9.00 

1855 

3.00 

5.00 

4.00           7.00 

1856 

1.50 

2.00 

3.00           5.00 

1857 

1.25 

1.75 

2.25           3.75 

1858 

10.00 

20.00 

15.00         35.00 

1859  to  '69, 

inc., 

New 

1.25 

New       1.75 

1870  te  '81, 

Pfs. 

1.15 

1.25 

Pfe.  1.25    to    1.76 

UNITED  STATES  HALF  DOLLARS. 

(GOOD  TO   FINE.) 


Paying  ' 

Prices. 

Selling  Prices. 

1794 

$2.00   to 

$5.00 

$4.00  to  $10.00 

1795 

.55 

.75 

.65 

1.25 

1796 

15.00 

40.00 

35.00 

65.00 

1797 

15.00 

30.00 

35.00 

65.00 

1801 

1.00 

2.00 

2.50 

6.00 

1802 

1.00 

2.00 

2.50 

5.00 

1803 

.52 

.75 

.60 

1.50 

1805 

.52 

.76 

.60 

1.25 

1806 

M. 

.« 

.60 

1.00 

1807 

.61 

.60 

.60 

1.00 

1808 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.75 

1809 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.75 

1810 

^0 

.60 

.60 

.75 

1811 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.75 

1812 

^0 

.60 

.60 

.75 

1813 

.60 

.60 

.60 

.75 

1814 

.50 

.60 

.60 

.75 

1816 

2.00 

4,00 

4.00 

8.00 

1817 

.60 

.66 

.55 

.65 

1818 

.50 

.50 

.55 

.65 

1819 

.50 

.55 

.55 

.66 

1820  to  1835 

.50 

.56 

.55 

.65 

1836  Lettered  Edge 

.50 

.55 

.55 

.65 

1836  Reeded  Edge 

2.00 

S.OO 

3.00 

5.00 

1838  Phila.  Mint 

.50 

.52 

.55 

.65 

1838  Orleans  Mint 

2.50 

5.00 

5.00 

10.00 

1839  to  '50 

.50 

.53 

.55 

.65 

1851 

M 

.66 

.65 

1.00 

1852 

2.00 

SXK) 

3.00 

6.00 

1853  Arrows 

.60 

.52 

.55 

.60 

1853  No  Arrows 

5.00 

15.00 

10.00 

26.00 

1864  to  '82 

.50 

.55 

.55 

.76 

UNITED  STATES  QUARTER  DOLLARS. 

(GOOD  TO  FINK.) 

Paying  Prices.  Selling  Prices. 

1796                                $1.00   to  $3.00  $2.00  to  $5.00 

1804  .75           3.00  1.25  6.00 

1805  JSO             JSO  .40  .75 

1806  JO           M  .40  .75 


a  S.  OF  AMERICA. 


1133 


APPEOXIMATB  VaLUBS— C(MJ<tn««d.    Qttartbr  Dollabs. 


Paying : 

Price*. 

Selling  Prices. 

t815 

.35 

.76 

.60 

1.60 

1818 

.26 

.50 

.35 

.76 

1819 

.26 

^ 

.35 

.76 

1820 

.26 

.60 

.35 

.76 

1821 

.26 

M 

.35 

.76 

1822 

.26 

.60 

.35 

.76 

1823, 

25.00 

50.00 

40.00 

75.00 

1824 

.26 

.60 

.35 

.76 

1825 

.26 

.50 

.35 

.75 

1827 

10.00 

60.00 

60.00 

100.00 

1828 

.26 

.60 

.35 

.60 

1831 

.25 

.30 

.30 

.40 

1832 

.25 

.30 

.80 

.40 

1«33 

.25 

.80 

.30 

.40 

1834 

.25 

.SO 

.30 

.40 

1836 

.25 

.80 

.30 

.40 

1836 

.25 

.30 

.30 

.40 

1837 

.25 

.80 

.30 

.40 

1«86 

.25 

.30 

.30 

.40 

1839 

.25 

.80 

.80 

.4e 

1«40  to  '62 

.25 

.30 

.80 

.40 

1853  Arrows 

.25 

.80 

.30 

.40 

1853  No  Arrows 

2.00 

4.00 

4.00 

8.00 

1869  to  '82 

.25 

.30 

.30 

.40 

UNITED  STATES  TWENTY  CENT  PIECES 

Paying 

Prices. 

Selling 

Prices. 

1874  Proof  (pattern)     $5.00  to  $10.00 

1875  Unc'd                         .25             .30 

$10.00  to  $20.00 
.35             .50 

1875  Proof 

.36 

.40 

.60 

.to 

.50 

.75 

4.00 

4.00 

1876  Unc'd 

.25 

.30 

.35 

1876  Proof 

1877  Proof 

1878  Proof 

.35 
1.60 
1.50 

.40 
2.00 
2.00 

.50 
2.75 
2.60 

(jj.  B.— No  other  dates  coined.) 

UNITED  STATES  DIMES. 

(GOOD  TO  FIRE.) 

Paying 

$1.00   t< 
2.00 
2.60 
1.00 
2.00 
1.00 
1.00 
1.00 
2.00 

.15 

.15 

.15 

.25 

.10 

.10 

.10 
1^ 

Prices. 

Selling 

Prices. 

1796 

1797  (16  stare) 

1797  (13  stars) 

1798 

1800 

1801 

1802 

1803 

1804 

)   $3.00 

4.00 

4.60 

2.00 

4.00 

3.00 

3.00 

3.00 

5.00 

.50 

.60 

.60 

.78 

.25 

.25 

.26 

8.00 

$2.00  to  $6.00 
4.00           8.00 
4.50           8.50 
2.00           4.50 
4.00           8.00 
2.00           6.00 
2.00          6.00 
2.00          6.00 
4.00         10.00 
.26           1-50 

1806 

.25 

1.50 

1807 

.25 

1.60 

1809 
1811 
1814 
1820 

.50 
.16 
.15 

.15 

2.00 
.60 
.60 

.60 

1821 
1822 

2X)0 

6.00 

1134  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Appboximatb  Values — Continued.    Dimes. 

Paying  Prices.  Selling  Prices. 

1823  .10            .25  .15  .50 

1824  .10            JK  .15  .50 

1825  to '29  40  .15  .15  .50 
1830  to '39  .10  .15  .15  .50 
1840  to '45                           .10             .16  .15  .50 

1846  .50           1.00  1.00  2.00 

1847  to '59  (Proofs)  .15  .25  .50  .75 
1860  to  '81  (Proofs)           .15             .25  .25  .40 

UNITED  STATES  HALF  DIMES. 

(GOOD  TO  FINE.) 

Paying  Prices.  Selling  Prices. 

1794  $1.00   to  $3.00  $2.50   to  $5.00 

1795  .25             .75  .50  2.00 

1796  1.00          2.00  2.00  6.00 

1797  1.00           2.00  2.00  5.00 

1800  .25            .75  .50  1.50 

1801  .50           1.50  1.00  4.00 

1802  10.00         50.00  20.00  75.00 

1803  .50  1.60  1.00  3.00 
1805  .75  3.00  2.00  6.00 
1829  to '45                          .05            .10  .10  .20 

1846  .50           1.00  1.25  2.00 

1847  to '59  .10  .15  .10  .20 
1860  to  '81,  Proofs             .10            .15  .20  .35 

UNITED  STATES  SILVER  THREE  CENT  PIECES. 

(UKCIBCULATEP.) 


Paying 

Prices. 

Selling  Prices. 

1851 

.10 

to 

.15 

$ 

.15   to  $  .25 

1862 

M 

.16 

.15            .25 

1853 

.10 

.16 

.15            .25 

1854 

.10 

.15 

.15            .25 

1855 

.15 

.25 

.25            .75 

1856  to  '62 

.10 

.15 

.15             .25 

1863  to  '73 

.25 

.60 

.60           1.00 

(1874  to  1882  inclnsive,  none  coined.) 

NICKEL  COINAGE. 

In  1866,  Congress  authorized  the  issue  of  the  Nickel  Five 
Cent  Piece,  to  weigh  77.16  grains,  and  the  alloy  to  consist  of 
three-fourths  copper,  and  one-fourth  nickel.  The  device  on  the 
Obverse,  a  large  figure  "5,"  surrounded  by  a  circle  of  thirteen 
stars,  separated  from  each  other  by  rays.  Legend:  "united 
STATES  OF  AMERICA."  Exergue :  "cents."  Reverse:  A 
United  States  shield,  with  olive  branches  over-hanging,  above 
the  shield,  a  stubby  crossj   at  the  lower  end,  and  protruding 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA.  1135 

from  back  of  shield,  two  crossed  arrows.  L^nd :  "  in  god 
WE  TRUST."  Exergue:  "1866."  This  Five  Cent  nickel  piece 
represents  the  metric  system ;  being  two  centimetres  in  diameter, 
and  weighing  five  grammes. 


FIVE  CENT  NICKEL  PIECE. 

In  1867,  the  rays  from  the  Obverse  were  omitted,  and  since 
then  the  Five  Cent  nickel  pieces  have  borne  the  same  device 
unchanged,  with  the  exception  of  date  of  issue  on  the  Exergue 
of  the  Reverse. 

In  1865,  Congress  ordered  the  issue  of  Three  Cent  Nickel 
Pieces,  to  be  composed  of  an  alloy  of  seventy-five  per  cent  copper 
and  twenty-five  per  cent,  nickel,  and  to  weigh  thirty  grains. 
Obverse :  Female  head,  facing  to  the  left,  with  bandeau  bear- 
ing the  inscription:  "liberty."  Legend:  "united  states 
OF    AMERICA."      Excrguc :    "1865."      Reverse:    The    large 


three  cent  nickel  piece. 

Roman  numerals:  "III,"  inclosed  by  an  olive  branch  wreath. 
With  the  exception  of  the  year  1877,  this  Three  Cent  nickel 
piece  has  been  regularly  issued  up  to  the  present  day,  replacing 
with  each  year's  issue  the  date  on  the  Exergue  of  the  Obverse. 
In  1856,  there  was  coined  a  small  Nickel  Cent,  bearing  on 
Obverse  an  eagle  flying  across  the  field.  Legend:  "united 
states  of  AMERICA."    Exergue :   "1856."    Reverse:  "onb 


115B 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPJEDIA. 


ckst"  inclosed  by  a  tobacco  wreath.  Weight:  72  grains. 
The  composition  of  an  alloy  eighty-eight  parts  copper,  and 
twelve  parts  nickel.  As  a  limited  number  of  this  Nickel  Cent 
were  struck,  they  have  already  become  very  scarce,  and  at  a  high 
premium  with  coin  collectors.    (See  price  list.) 


ONE   CENT  NICKEL  PIECE. 

In  1857  and  1858  no  change  was  made,  with  the  exception 
of  date  in  Exergue  of  the  respective  year  of  issue. 

In  1859,  a  change  was  made  in  the  Obverse,  the  eagle  was 
exchange<l  for  a  beautiful  Indian  head,  wearing  a  coronet  of 
feathers,  with  "  liberty  "  engraved  around  their  base.  Legend : 
"united  states  of  AMERICA."  Exergue :  "1859."  Upon 
the  Reverse  the  tobacco  wreath  gave  place  to  an  oak  wreath, 
and  the  letters  on  the  inscription,  "one  cent,"  were  enlarged. 
The  alloy  was  continued,  eighty-eight  per  cent,  copper,  and 
twelve  per  cent,  nickel,  retaining  yet  the  former  weight. 


ONE  CENT  NICKEL  PIECE. 


In  1860,  the  Obverse  remained  as  before,  but  ol  che  Reverse 
an  addition,  an  oak  wreath  instead  of  laurel ;  arrows  at  the  base  to 


ONE  CENT  NICKEL  PIECE. 


U.  S.   OF  AMERICA.  1137 

the  right,  and  olive  leaves  to  the  left,  fastened  together  hy  a 
ribbon,  tied  in  a  loose  knot;  a  small  United  States  shield  was 
also  placed  on  the  top,  just  above  the  inscription  "one  cent." 
In  1864,  Congress  ordered  a  change  in  the  Cent  from  nickel 
to  bronze,  reducing  its  weight  from  72  grains  to  48  grains. 

BRONZE  COINAGE. 

In  1864  Congress  ordered  a  new  alloy  for  the  coinage  of 
Two  and  One  Cent  pieces,  to  consist  of  ninety-five  per  cent  of 
copper  and  five  per  cent,  of  tin  and  zinc.  Weight :  96  grains, 
and  48  grains  respectively. 

Two  Cent  Bronze  Piece.  Obverse  :  Large  figure  "  2,"  below 
in  a  semi-circle,  "cents,"  surrounded  by  a  wheat  wreath. 
Legend :  "  united  states  of  America."  Reverse :  A  large 
United  States  shield,  with  olive  branches  overhanging.  Above 
the  shield  a  scroll  with  the  motto,  "IN  GOD  WE  trust,"  upon 
it.     Exergue:  "1864." 


TWO  CENTS,  BRONZE. 

No  change  whatever  was  made  in  this  coinage  down  to  1873, 
when,  by  act  of  Congress,  the  issue  of  the  Two  Cent  Bronze 
Piece  was  discontinued. 

ONE  CENT  BRONZE  PIECE. 

In  1864  Congress  duly  authorized  the  coinage  of  the  Bronze 
Cent,  ordering  its  weight  to  be  made  48  grains,  and  the  alloy 
to  contain  ninety-five  per  cent,  copper,  and  five  per  cent  of  tin 
and  zinc.  Obverse:  An  American  Indian's  head,  weanng  a 
coronet  of  feathers,  with  "liberty"  inscribed  around  the.r 
base  Legend:  "united  states  of  America.  Exergue: 
"1864."     Reverse:  Inscription,  "one  cent,"  surrounded  by 


3U 


1138  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

an  oak-leaf  wreath,  arrows  at  the  base  of  wreath,  their  points 
facing  to  the  right,  to  left  of  which  are  olive  leaves,  tied  to- 
gether with  a  loose  knot,  and  a  bow  of  a  ribbon;  above  the  in- 
^ription  a  small  United  States  shield  is  placed. 


ONE  CENT,  BRONZE. 

No  change  has  since  taken  place  in  device,  with  the  exception 
of  date  of  year  of  issue  appearing  each  successive  year  to  this 
present  date. 

Approximate  Fictitious  Values  op  the  United  States 

Nickel  and  Bronze  Coinages. 

united  states  nickel  five  cent  pieces. 

Paying  Prices.  Selling  Prices. 

1866  to  '82,  Une'd  .06     to     .10  .10     to     .15 

/g        1865  to '82,  Proofs  .10  .20  .25  .40 

m,  UNITED  states  THREE  CENT  NICKEL  PIECES. 

\  Paying  Prices.  Selling  Prices. 

*         1865  to  '82,  Une'd  .04     to     .10  .10     to     .25 

1865  to  '82,  Proofs  .08  .12  .15  .20 

UNITED  STATES  BRONZE  TWO  CENT  PIECES. 

Paying  Prices.  Selling  Prices. 

1864  to '71,  Une'd  .03     to     .05  .05     to     .10 

1871  Proofs  .06  .15  .10  .35 

1872  "  .10  .15  .20  .50 

1873  "  .75  1.00  1.25  1.75 

UNITED  STATES  NICKEL  CENTS. 

Paying  Prices.  Selling  Prices. 

1856  Poor                         .50     to     .75  $1.00   to  $1.25 

1856  Good                           .75           1.25                    1.25  1.75 

1856  Fine                        1.00           1.50                   2.00  2.25 

1856  Une'd                       1.26           1.75                   2.00  3.00 

1856  Proof                        1.75           2.00                    3.00  3.75 

1857  to  '64.  Une'd              .03             .05                      .06  .20 
1864  Proofs                        .10             .60                     .25  1.00 

UNITED  STATES  BRONZE  CENTS. 

Paying  Prices.  Selling  Prices. 

1864  to  '82  .01     to     .02  .02     to     .05 

1882  Proofs  M  .10  .10  .20 


U.  &  OF  AMERICA. 


1139 


CX)PPER  COINS. 

In  1787  the  United  States  Congress  assembled  in  Philadel- 
phia, Pennsylvania,  but  possessing  as  yet  no  National  Mint, 
entered  into  a  contract  with  Mr.  James  Jarvis  to  furnish  three 
hundred  tons  of  copper  coins,  Mr.  Jarvis  had  them  struck  at 
a  coining  establishment  in  New  Haven,  in  the  State  of  Con- 
necticut. On  the  6th  of  July,  1787,  the  government  ordered 
that  its  copper  cent  should  bear  the  following  device :  Obverse, 
a  sun  dial  in  the  centre,  shone  upon  by  the  sun  from  above. 
Legend:  " PUGio,"  "  1787."  Exergue:  " mix D  your  busi- 
ness." Reverse:  A  circle  formed  of  thirteen  small  rings,  re^ 
resenting  the  original  number  of  States ;  this  large  circle  of 
thirteen  rings  inclosed  a  double  circle  in  which  was  inscribed : 
"  UNITED  STATES,"  and  inside  of  that  smaller  circle :  "  we  a  be 
ONE."  This  copper  cent  being  the  first  legally  authorized  coin 
of  the  Government  of  the  United  States  of  America. 


COPPER  CENT  OF   1787. 


In  the  same  year  "  states  united  "  on  Reverse  was  changed 
to  "united  states." 
On  April  2,  1792,  the  United  States  Mint  was  established. 
In  1792  the  weight  of  the  large  Cent  was  fixed  at  264  graiof. 

large  pattern  cent. 
Obverse:  A  head,  feeing  right,  hair  unconfined,  floating 
backward  in  heavy  flowing  locks.  Legend:  " uberty 
PARENT  OF  science  A  INDUSTRY."  Within  the  legend  and 
beneath  the  head  the  date  1792.  On  the  point  of  the  shoulder 
of  the  device  an  inscription  in  small  letters :  "  BiRCH." 


1140  DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 

Reverse :  A  wreath,  two  laurel  branches  crossed  at  the  lower 
ends  and  tied  with  a  ribbon ;  within  the  wreath  a  plain  circle 
inclosing  a  central  field  bearing  the  inscription  :  "  one  cent  " 
in  two  lines.  Legend :  "  united  states  of  America."  Ex- 
ergue: 10  0'  Border,  milled;  Edge,  sometimes  plain,  or  else 
inscribed :  "  to  be  esteemed  be  useful."  On  other  speci- 
mens the  same  inscriptions,  lacking  the  first  mullet,  and  having 
a  leaf  each  side  the  other.  Size,  21 ;  weight,  217  to  286  grains. 
Extremely  rare. 

There  is  a  tradition  that  the  head  on  the  Disme  and  Half 
Disme,  also  that  upon  the  large  Pattern  Cent,  were  intended 
to  represent  Martha  Washington.  The  attempt,  if  any  was 
made,  was  an  evident  failure,  as  the  faces  differ  very  much  in 
expression ;  however,  the  subject  may  have  been  as  supposed 
and  idealized  by  the  artist. 

THE  EAGLE  PATTERN  CENT. 

Obverse :  A  head,  facing  right,  hair  bound  by  a  fillet  and 
knotted  behind  the  head.  Legend  :  Above  the  head  "  liberty." 
Exergue:  Beneath  the  head  the  date  1792. 

Reverse :  A  large  eagle,  standing  upon  the  crown  of  a  hemi- 
sphere, wings  upraised,  fronting  to  the  right,  but  with  the  head 
turned,  looking  left.  Legend :  "  united  states  of  America." 
Border,  ornamented  with  87  small  stars ;  edge,  reeded ;  size,  18 ; 
weight,  176 J  grains.  Two  specimens  struck ;  one  is  in  the  mint 
at  Philadelphia. 

the  small  pattern  cent. 

Obverse:  A  head,  facing  right,  hair  unconfined,  floating 
backward  in  flowing  locks.  Legend  :  "  liberty  parent  of 
science  &  INDUST:"  Exergue :  Beneath  the  head  the  date 
1792. 

Reverse :  A  wreath,  two  olive  branches  crossed  at  the  lower 
ends  and  tied  with  a  ribbon ;  within  the  wreath  a  field  bearing 
an  inscription :  "  one  cent  "  in  two  lines.  Legend :  "  united 
states  of  AMERICA."  Exergue :  i  io.  Border,  milled ;  Edge, 
reeded ;  size,  14 ;  weight,  65  grains.     Extremely  rare. 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA. 


1141 


A  pattern  was  also  made  from  these  last-described  dies,  the 
piece  being  finished  with  a  silver  plug  of  small  size  in  the 
centre.  This  was  called  The  Silver  Centre  Cent  Weight: 
59  grains. 

In  1793,  a  new  Copper  Cent  appeared.  Weight:  208  grains. 
This  cent  was  issued  from  the  United  States  Mint,  Philadelphia, 
in  three  distinct  forma.    First.  Known  as  the  "  Chain-Cent." 


CHAIN  CEST,  COPPER. 

Obverse:  Bustof  Liberty, flowing  hair.  Legend:  "liberty." 
Exergue:  "1793."  Reverse:  A  circle  comjx)sed  of  fifteen 
links,  forming  a  chain.  Inscription:  "ONB  CENT  lU"  Le- 
gend :   "united  states  op  AMERICA." 

Second.  Known  as  the  "  Wreath  Cent" 


WREATH  CENT,  COPPER. 

Obverse :  Bustof  Liberty,  hair  flowing.  Legend :  «  liberty." 
Exergue:  "1793."  Reverse:  A  wreath  with  berries,  the 
stems  of  wreath  tied  in  a  bow  with  a  ribbon.  Inscription: 
"one CENT."    Legend:  "united  states  of  America."    Ex- 

ergue:      loo- 

Third.  Known  as  the  "  Liberty-Cap  Cent* 

Obverse:  Bust  of  Liberty,  loose  hair;  over  the  left  shoulder 
of  Liberty  is  a  staff",  surmounted  by  a  liberty-cap.     Legend: 


1142 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


"liberty/*    Exergue:  "1793."    Reverse:  Same  as  the  pre- 
ceding one. 


LIBERTY-CAP   CENT,   COPPER, 

In  1794  and  1795,  no  change  was  made  in  the  device. 

On  January  26th,  1796,  President  Washington  issued  a  Proc- 
lamation, that  "on  account  of  the  increased  price  of  copper, 
and  the  expense  of  coinage,"  the  copper  Cent  be  reduced  to  7 
dwts.,  or  168  grains,  and  the  Half-Cent  in  proportion.  By 
authority  of  Act  of  Congress,  March  3d,  1795. 


COPPER  CENT  OP   1796. 

Part  of  the  issue  of  the  Cents  of  1796  bore  a  new  device. 
Obverse :  Bust  of  Liberty,  hair  tied  with  a  ribbon ;  the  liberty- 
cap  and  staff  were  dropped  during  this  year,  and  the  bust  was 
partly  draped.     Reverse  remained  unchanged. 


COPPER  CENT  OF   1808. 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA.  1143 

From  1797  to  1807,  inclusive,  no  change  was  made  in  the  de- 
vice; but  towards  the  close  of  that  year  a  change  was  pro- 
posed, and  carried  into  effect  in  1808;  cents  of  the  new  device 
were  struck  with  Exergue  "  1808." 

In  1809,  an  obverse  head  of  Liberty;  forehead  encircled  by  a 
band,  "liberty"  inscribed  upon  it,  surrounded  by  thirteen 
stars.  Exergue:  "1809."  Reverse:  Wreath  in  a  circular 
garland  inclosing  the  words  "one  cent."  No  change  took 
place  during  the  issues  of  1808  to  1814,  inclusive. 

In  1815,  no  cent  pieces  were  coined. 


copper  cent  of  1816. 

In  1816  and  part  of  1817,  the  Reverse  of  1808  was  slightly 
changed,  a  larger  wreath  appearing. 

In  October,  1817,  a  slight  change  was  made  only  on  the  Ob- 
verse :  The  thirteen  stars  in  Legend  became  fifteen. 

In  1823,  a  limited  number  of  cents  were  coined  for  circulation. 

Down  to  1825,  no  change  was  made  in  these  Cents,  except  in 
the  Exergue  of  the  respective  years  of  issue;  the  dates  appear 
in  somewhat  irregular  size,  large  and  small. 

In  1826,  on  the  Obverse,  the  head  of  Liberty  underwent  a 
slight  change;  the  loose,  flowing  hair  was  made  up  into  a  double 
knot;  the  rest  remained  as  heretofore. 

From  1827  down  to  1838,  the  issues  were  uniform  with  that 
of  1826. 

In  1839,  four  varieties  appeared ;  one  had  the  hair  of  head 
of  Liberty  tied  with  a  cord ;  the  second  had  beads  instead  of 
cord;  the  third  head  of  Liberty  reduce<l  considerably  in  sire; 
and  the  fourth  had  a  still  smaller  and  more  artistic  bust. 


1144 


DYE'S  com  ENCYCLOP^DU. 


From  1840,  down  to  1844,  the  dates  of  the  respective  years 
of  issue  appear  in  large  or  small  figures,  otherwise  no  change 
occurred. 

From  1845  to  1854,  very  little  change  was  made. 

In  1855,  the  dates  are  in  a  straight  and  some  in  a  slanting 
line,  while  1856  are  straight  figures. 

In  1857,  the  last  of  the  copper  cents  were  issued,  resembling 
those  of  1856. 

HALF-CENT  PIECES. 


COPPER  HALF-CENT  OF   1793. 

The  first  Half-Cent  was  issued  in  1793,  having  on  Obverse: 
Bust  of  Liberty,  facing  to  the  left;  staff  surmounted  by  liberty- 
cap  over  right  shoulder.  Legend :  "  ijberty."  Exergue : 
"1793."  Reverse:  Inscription:  "half  cent,"  surrounded 
by  a  wreath,  tied  with  a  ribbon.     Weight:  132  grains. 


;.   Uvv^rv,  COPPER   HALF-CENT  OF   1794. 

'  th  1794  and  1795,  similar  device  to  that  of  1793;  but  face 
of  Liberty  facing  to  the  right.     Weight:  104  grains. 

In  1796,  according  to  Proclamation  of  January  26th,  of  that 
year,  the  weight  of  the  Half-Cent  was  reduced  to  84  grains. 

In  1796  and  1797,  the  Half-Cent  bore  the  device  of  1794; 
bat  was  reduced  in  weight  to  84  grains. 

In  1798  and  1799  no  Half-Cents  were  iasued. 

In  1800,  a  slight  change  on  the  Obverse  was  made,  the  hair 


V.  S.  OF  AMERICA. 


1145 


of  the  head  of  Liberty  tied  with  a  ribbon,  instead  of  loose  flow- 
ing hair.     In  1801,  no  Half-Cents  were  coined.  ' 


COPPER  HALF-CENT  OP   1800. 

In  1802,  and  down  to  1807  inclusive,  the  Half-Cents  bore 
the  same  device. 

In  September,  1809,  a  new  device  made  its  appearance,  the 
bust  of  Liberty  assumed  a  matronly  look,  and  this  device  was 
retained  till  1811,  inclusive. 


COPPER  HALF-CENT  OF   1809. 

From  1812  down  to  1824,  inclusive,  no  Half-Cents  were 
coined. 

In  1825  and  1826,  the  device  of  the  cents  of  same  years 
appeared.     In  1827,  no  Half-Cents  were  coined. 

In  1828  the  Half-Cent  appeared  with  thirteen,  and  with 
twelve  stars  as  on  Obverse.  In  1830,  no  Half-Cents  were 
coined. 

In  1831,  Obverse  same.  From  1833  to  1836,  inclusive, 
same  device. 

In  1837,  and  up  to  1848,  the  Half-Cent  was  not  coined 
except  a  few  as  patterns. 

In  1849  the  device  of  the  Half-Cent  was  the  same  as  for  cents. 

Obverse :  Head  of  Liberty,  having  the  hair  tied  behind  in  a 
double  knot,  and  being  crowned  with  a  tiara,  upon  the  front  of 
which  the  word  "liberty"  is  inscribed. 


1146 


DYE'S   COIN  ENCYCLOPAEDIA. 


HALF-CENT,   CX3PPEB, 


Reverse :  Unchanged,  the  original  device  being  used. 

Id  1850  and  1851  the  device  of  1849  was  used.  In  1852 
no  Half-Cents  were  coined  for  circulation.  In  1853,  1854, 
1855,  1856  and  1857  the  same  device  was  used.  By  Act  of 
Congress,  February  21,  1857,  the  coinage  of  the  Half-Cent  was 
discontinued. 

Valuation  OF  Copper  Coins. 


j^;*  UNITED  STATES  CENTS. 

(GOOD  TO  FINB.) 
Paying  Prices. 


1793  Wreath 

1793  Chain 

1793  Lib.  Cap 

1794 

1795 

1796 

1797 

1798 

1799 

1800 

1801 

1802 

1803 

1804 

1806 

1806 

1807 

1808 

1809 

1810 

1811 

1812 

1813 

1814 

1816  to  '20,  Each 

1821 

1822 

1823 

1824 

1825  to  '49,  Each 

1850  to  '56,  Each 

1857 


$1.00 
1.25 
1.75 
.05 
.10 
.10 
.05 
.02 
2.50 
.02 
.03 
.02 
.01 
1.50 
.05 
.10 
.02 
.05 
.50 
.02 
.10 
.02 
.05 
.02 
.01 
.03 
.01 
.05 
.03 
.01 
.01 
.05 


to 


$2.50 
3.50 
4.00 
.25 
.50 
.50 
.25 
.15 
25.00 
.15 
.20 
.15 
.10 
6.00 
.50 
.75 
.25 
.25 
1.00 
.10 
.50 
.16 
.25 
.15 
.05 
.15 
.05 
.25 
.20 
.05 
.02 
.25 


Selling'  Prices. 


$1.75 
2.00 
3.50 
.15 
.20 
.20 
.10 
.10 
3.00 
.10 
.10 
.10 
.03 
3.00 
.15 
.20 
.10 
.15 
1.00 
.05 
.25 
.10 
.15 
.05 
.02 
.10 
.03 
.10 
.10 
.03 
.02 
.15 


to 


$5.00 

6.00 

8.00 

.75 

1.25 

1.00 

.75 

.50 

50.00 

.75 

.50 

.50 

.25 

12.00 

1.00 

1.50 

.50 

.75 

2.50 

.50 

1.75 

.35 

1.00 

.35 

.25 

.50 

.20 

.50 

.35 

.15 

.10 

.50 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA. 

UNITED  STATES  HALF-CENTS. 


1147 


1793 

1794 

1796 

1796 

1797 

1800 

1802 

1803 

1804 

1805 

1806 

1807 

1808 

1809 

1810 

1811 

1825  to  '29 

1831 

1832  to  '35 

1836 

1840  to  '48 

1849  Small  date 

1849  Large  date 

1850  and  '51 
1862 

1853  to  '57 


Paying  Prices. 

10.50 

.10 

.10 
2.50 

.10 

.02 

.25 

.02 

.01 

.03 

.03 

.02 

.02 

.01 

.05 

.25 

.01 
3.00 

.01 
3.00 
3.00 
2.00 

.01 

.01 
3.00 

.01 


to  $1.00 

.35 

.50 

10.00 

.25 

.10 

.75 

.10 

.05 

.10 

.10 

.05 

.05 

.05 

.10 

.50 

.02 

4.00 

.02 

4.00 

4.00 

3.00 

.03 

.02 

4.00 

.03 


Selling  Prioefc 

$1.00  to 

$3.00 

.50 

liW 

.50 

IJJO 

5.00 

26.00 

.25 

.75 

.10 

.36 

.75 

2.00 

.05 

.25 

.03 

.16 

.10 

.25 

.10 

.26 

.06 

.20 

.08 

.20 

.06 

.10 

.16 

JO 

.60 

1.60 

.02 

.06 

6.00 

7.00 

.02 

.05 

6.00 

7.00 

6.00 

7.00 

4.00 

fi.OO 

.03 

.10 

.03 

.10 

6.00 

7.00 

.03 

.10 

VALUATION  OF  AMERICAN  COLONIAL  COINS. 
(GOOD  TO  FINE.) 
Paying  Prices. 


1652  Pine  Tree  Shilling 
1652  Pine  Tree  Six  Pence 
1652  Pine  Tree  Three  Pence 
1652  Pine  Tree  Two  Pence 
1652  Oak  Tree  Shilling 
1652  Oak  Tree  Six  Pence 
1652  Oak  Tree  Two  Pence 
1783  Annapolis  Shilling 

1722  Rosa  Americana  Penny 

1723  Rosa  Americana  Penny 

1722  Rosa  Americana  Halfpenny  .25 

1723  Rosa  Americana  Halfpenny  .25 

1722  Rosa  Americana  Farthing      .50 

1723  Rosa  Americana  Farthing      .50 
1783  and  1785  Nova  Constellatio 

Penny 

1721  Louisiana  Cent 

1722  Louisiana  Cent 
1767  Louisiana  Cent  "  R.  F." 
1767  Louisiana  Cent  without 

"  R.  F." 
1773  Virginia  Half  Penny 
1783  GeorgiusTriumpho 
1787  Imraunis  Columbia 
1787  Nova  Eborac 
U.  S.  A.  Bar  cent 


i  .50 

.50 

1.00 

1.00 

1.00 

1.00 

1.00 

1.00 

.25 

.25 


.05 


25 


to 


.10 
.10 
.50 
1.00 
.10 
.75 


$2.00 
2.00 
3.00 
2.00 
2.00 
2.00 
2.00 
2.00 
2.00 
1.50 
1.50 
1.75 
1.75 
1.76 

.25 
.50 
.50 
.25 

.26 

.25 
1.00 
3.00 

.50 
1.50 


Selling 

r  Prices. 

$1.00 

to  $4.00 

1.00 

4.00 

2.00 

6.00 

2.00 

4.00 

2.00 

4.00 

2.00 

4.00 

2.00 

4.00 

2.00 

4.00 

.50 

3.00 

.50 

2.76 

.50 

2.78 

.50 

2.75 

1.00 

2.76 

1.00 

2.76 

.10 

.50 

.50 

1.00 

.50 

1.00 

.60 

1.00 

.25 

.75 

.15 

£0 

.75 

2.00 

2.00 

6.00 

.15 

1.00 

1.50 

3.00 

1148 


DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 


Valuation  of  Ahebicax  Colonial  Coiss—Contintud. 

Selling  Pricea. 
$1.50 
.50 
.25 
.10 
Ji5 
.15 
.15 
.15 
.05 
.10 
.10 
.05 
.25 


Paying 

Prices. 

1787  Auctori  Plebis                     $ 

.75 

$1.50 

1785  Vermontis  Cent 

.25 

1.25 

1786  Vermontensium 

.15 

.50 

1787  Vermon  Auctori 

.05 

.25 

1788  Vermon  Auctori 

.10 

.25 

1786  Auctori  Vermon,  baby  head 

.05 

.15 

1785  Connecticut  Cent 

.05 

.15 

1786  Connecticut  Cent 

.05 

.15 

1787  Connecticut  Cent 

.02 

.10 

1788  Connecticut  Cent 

.05 

.15 

1786  New  Jersey  Cent 

.05 

.15 

1787  New  Jersey  Cent 

.03 

.10 

1788  New  Jersey  Cent 

.10 

.40 

1788  New  Jersey  Cent,  horse 

head  left 

.75 

2.00 

1787  Massachusetts  Cent 

.10 

.25 

1788  Massachusetts  Cent 

.10 

.20 

1787  Massachusetts  Half-Cent 

.50 

.75 

1788  Massachusetts  Half-Cent 

.50 

.75 

1781  North  American  Token 

.05 

.15 

1787  Franklin  or  Fu^o  Cent 

.05 

.25 

Kentucky  Cent,  thin  planchet 

.75 

1.00 

Kentucky  Cent,  thick  planchet 

.75 

1.00 

1794  and  1795  New  York 

Token 

.10 

.20 

Elephant  Penny,  [Carolina]   10.00 

50.00 

1760  Voce  Populi  Half  Pence 

.05 

.15 

1722  Wood  Halfpenny  and 

Farthing  .02  .10 

1723  Wood  Halfpenny  and 

Farthing  .02  .10 

1724  Wood  Half  Penny  and 

Farthing  .10  .15 
1776  Continental  Currency, 

tin  .25  .50 

1776  Pitt  Token  .25  .50 

Columbia  Token  .03  .16 

Sommers  Island                  25.00  50.00 

Rhode  Island  Piece,  brass  .25  .50 

Mark  Newby  Half  Penny  .25  1.15 

1787  Excelsior  New  York  Cent   5.00  15.00 


2.00 

.25 

.25 

1.00 

1.00 

.15 

.15 

1.25 

1.25 


.05 

.05 

.25 

1.00 
.75 
.10 

60.00 
.50 
.50 

15.00 


3.00 
2.50 
1.26 
.50 
.50 
.30 
.30 
.30 
.15 
.25 
.30 
.25 
.75 

3.50 

.75 

.70 

1.75 

1.76 

,35 

.50 

1.50 

1.75 


.26  .50 

20.00       100.00 
.15  .36 


.25 

.50 

3.00 

1.60 

.25 

100.00 

1.00 

2.00 

35.00 


NUMISMATIC  COIN  AND  MEDAL  SCALES. 

For  the  benefit  of  those  collectors  desirous  of  having  the 
Coin  and  Medal  Scales  used  by  numismatists,  we  add  illustra- 
tions of  two  different  methods.  The  French  measure  of  the 
diameter  of  a  coin  or  medal  is  by  millimeters,  as  in  No.  2. 
American  scale  is  four  inches  divided  into  sixteenths.  A  com- 
mon rule  will  answer  to  measure  the  diameter  by  the  American 
scale. 


U.  S.  OF  AMERICA. 


1149 


AMERICAN  SCALE. 


This  scale  was  invented  by  Mr.  E.  Mason,  Jr.,  the  well 
known  numismatist  of  Philadelphia,  and  has  but  recently  come 
into  use. 

|UiiMiii|iiii|iit!|niiiiiii|iiit](iti|iiii|mi|)iit|iiii|iiii|iiii|iiii|iiiiMiii|Mrtrit^ 

{MUlinuttn.') 
FRENCH   SCALE. 

Divided  in  millimeters.  Used  by  European  numismatists 
generally,  as  more  convenient  to  sizes  of  the  foreign  medals 
which  are  generally  odd,  as:  17,  19,  21,  etc,  while  American 
sizes  are  even,  as :  18, 20,  22,  etc 


APPENDIX. 


History  of  the  Recently  Discovered  Confederate 
Silver  Half  Dollar,  by  E.  Mason,  Jr.,  Numismatist. 


/ 


struck  by  C.  S.  a.,  at  new  ORLEANS  MINT,  APRIL,  1861. 

It  has  been  believed  and  recorded  as  an  historical  fact  that 
the  Southern  Confederacy  had  no  metallic  currency.  After  a 
lapse  of  eighteen  years,  evidence  now  presents  itself  to  show 
that  four  coins  were  struck  off  at  the  New  Orleans  Mint  while 
that  place  was  in  the  possession  of  the  Confederate  government. 
This  discovery  has  been  brought  about  by  an  article  prepared 
by  us  for  the  Philadelphia  Public  Record,  and  inserted  in  that 
paper  January  2d,  1879,  under  the  caption  of  "  A  Craze  for 
Coins,"  which  gave  the  fancy  prices  placed  upon  rare  pieces. 

A  few  days  subsequently  to  the  publication,  we  received  a 
communication  from  B.  F.  Taylor,  M.  D.,  the  Secretary  and 
Treasurer  of  the  Louisiana  State  Board  of  Health,  giving  the 
information  that  he  had  a  Confederate  coin  in  his  possession. 
In  reply,  we  wrote  for  a  lead  pencil  rubbing  of  the  piece,  at 
the  same  time  expressing  a  doubt  as  to  the  existence  of  any 
genuine  coins  of  the  Confederate  States.  The  return  mail 
brought  a  rubbing  of  the  coin. 

The  obverse  has  the  Goddess  of  Liberty  with  the  thirteen 
stars,  representing  the  States  from  which  the  Confederacy 
originated,  and  the  date,  "  1861."  On  the  reverse  a  liberty-cap, 
(1150) 


APPENDIX.  1151. 

beneath  which  is  the  American  shield,  the  unum  of  the  latter 
containing  seven  stars,  representing  the  seven  seceding  States, 
the  whole  being  surrounded  with  a  wreath  of  sugar  cane  and 
cotton  in  bloom,  and  the  motto  "  Confederate  States  of  America." 
Early  in  April,  Mr.  Taylor  sent  us  the  original  coin  together 
with  the  obverse  die,  requesting  us  to  make  public  the  existence 
of  a  Confederate  coin,  and  set  at  rest  the  long  disputed  question 
concerning  the  issue  of  coins  by  the  Confederate  States  during 
the  civil  rebellion.  It  was  Mr.  Taylor's  desire  that  the  coin 
and  die  should  become  the  property  of  some  historical  or 
numismatic  association,  but  private  enterprise  far  outbid  all 
offers  from  scientific  bodies  to  possess  the  coveted  prize.  Not- 
withstanding the  extraordinary  and  extensive  advertising  done 
to  secure  a  purchaser  willing  to  remunerate  the  owner  for  a  con- 
siderable outlay  of  money,  and  visits  by  the  writer  to  various 
parts  of  the  country  to  exhibit  the  coin  and  die,  and  presenta- 
tion of  the  most  convincing  and  irrefragible  proofs  of  genuine- 
ness in  the  shaj>e  of  documents,  affidavits,  published  "Acts  and 
Resolutions  "  of  the  C.  S.  A.,  issued  during  February  and  March, 
1861,  at  Montgomery,  Alabama,  yet  this  almost  unique  coin, 
and  equally  interesting  (though  old  and  rusty)  die  from  which 
the  coin  was  struck,  were  sacrificed  for  a  few  hundred  dollars  to 
an  enterprising  coin  dealer  in  New  York.  The  United  States 
government  took  a  far  greater  interest  in  the  subject  than  numis- 
matists and  historians  generally,  as  the  subjoined  correspondence 
taken  from  the  New  Orleans  Picayune,  of  April  9th,  1879,  which 
we  think  of  sufficient  interest  to  reprint,  will  amply  testify  to. 

Confederate  Archives. 
The  following  correspondence  in  relation  to  the  history  of  the 
Mint  in  this  city  while  it  was  under  the  control  of  the  Con- 
federate States  government  will  be  found  interesting: 

War  Depabtmekt, 
Awctant-Gesekal's  Offick, 
Washington,  March  27th,  1879. 

Dr.  B.  F.  Taytx)B,  New  Orleans,  La.:  ,,.     j  », 

Dear  Sir  :  The  inclosed  circulars  will  explain  to  yon  the  nature  of  the  duUe. 
upon  which  I  am  now  engaged  : 


1152  DYE'S  COIN  ENCYCLOPEDIA. 

I  beg  to  refer  you  to  my  friends,  Generals  Beauregard  and  Hood,  and  Captain 
Pierce  of  your  city,  for  my  service  in  the  Confederate  army.  I  would  like  to 
have  from  you  for  file  with  the  Confederate  archives,  a  letter  stating  when  and 
where  you  were  appointed  chief  coiner  of  the  Confederate  States  Mint,  instruct 
tions  received,  copies  of  originals  of  any  official  papers,  sketches,  descriptions, 
etc.,  of  all  the  coins  made,  etc.  This  will  make  a  valuable  addition  to  Confed- 
erate history,  and  I  know  no  one  but  yon  can  give  it. 

Very  truly,  yours, 

Mabcds  J.  Weight. 

New  Obleans,  La.,  April  1th,  1879. 
To  Hon.  Marcus  J.  Weight  : 

Dear  Sib  :  Your  favor  requesting  a  statement  of  the  history  of  the  New 
Orleans  Mint,  in  reference  to  the  coinage  under  the  Confederate  government,  is 
received. 

That  institution  was  turned  over  by  the  State  of  Louisiana  the  last  of  Feb- 
ruary,  1861,  to  the  Confederate  States  of  America,  the  old  officers  being  retained 
and  confirmed  by  the  government,  viz. :  Wm.  A.  Elmore,  Superintendent ;  A. 
J.  Guirot,  Treasurer;  M.  F.  Bonzano,  M,  D.,  Melter  and  Refiner;  and  Howard 
Millspangh,  Assayer. 

In  the  month  of  April  orders  were  issued  by  Mr.  Memminger,  Secretary  of 
the  Treasury,  to  the  effect  that  designs  for  half  dollar  coins  should  be  submitted 
to  him  for  approval. 

Among  several  sent,  the  one  approved  bore  on  the  obverse  of  the  coin  a  repre- 
sentation of  the  Goddess  of  Liberty,  surrounded  by  thirteen  stars,  denoting  the 
thirteen  States  from  whence  the  Confederacy  sprung,  and  on  the  lower  rim  the 
figures  1861. 

On  the  reverse  there  is  a  shield  with  seven  stars,  representing  the  seceding 
States;  above  the  shield  is  a  liberty-cap,  and  entwined  around  it  stalks  of  sugar 
cane  and  cotton.  The  inscription  is,  "  Confederate  States  of  America."  The  dies 
were  engraved  by  A.  H.  M.  Peterson,  engraver  and  die  sinker,  who  is  now  liv- 
ing in  Commercial  Place.  They  were  prepared  for  the  coining  press  by  Conrad 
Schmidt,  foreman  of  the  coining  room  (who  is  still  living),  from  which  four 
pieces  only  were  struck. 

About  this  period  an  order  came  from  the  Secretary  suspending  operations  on 
account  of  the  difficulty  of  obtaining  bullion,  and  the  Mint  waa  closed  April 
30th,  1861. 

Of  the  four  pieces  mentioned  one  was  sent  to  the  government,  one  presented 
to  Prof.  Biddle,  of  the  University  of  Louisiana,  one  sent  to  Dr.  E.  Ames,  of  New 
Orleans,  the  remaining  one  being  retained  by  myself.  Upon  diligent  inquiry  I 
am  unable  to  find  but  one  piece  besides  my  own,  that  being  in  the  possession 
of  a  Confederate  officer  of  this  city,  who  transmits  it  to  his  son  as  a  souvenir  of 
his  father's  services  in  the  Confederate  cause. 

So  soon  as  copies  are  made  I  will  take  pleasure  in  sending  you  a  specimen  for 
the  archives  yon  represent. 

Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

B.  F.  Taylor,  M.  D., 
Formerly  Chief  Coiner  C.  S.  A. 


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